Falling on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, the Lantern Festival (Chinese: 元宵节) is the first significant festival after Chinese New Year. It is so called because the most important activity of the night is to see a variety of beautiful lanterns.
The first lunar month is called ‘yuan’ month, and in ancient times, people called night ‘Xiao’. The 15th day is the first night to see a full moon. So, the day is also called Yuanxiao Festival in China.
For its rich and colorful activities, it is regarded as the most recreational among all the Chinese festivals and a day for appreciating the bright full moon and family reunions.
(By Yang Jiming/Wang Wenchao)
