Lantern Festival

As mentioned in a previous post, the Lantern Festival marks the 15th and final day of the Chinese New Year celebration. This festival is also known as the Yuan-Xiao Festival or Shangyuan Festival. This particular event officially ends the New Year festivities.

In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple in design, and only the emperor and noblemen had ornate lanterns. Now, lanterns are more embellished with various and complex designs. Many lanterns are made in the shapes of animals. The lanterns are said to symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and starting anew.

There are many different beliefs and legends about the origins of the Lantern Festival. A lot of them tend to focus more on ancient mythology.

In modern practice, the Lantern Festival is a major celebration during the Chinese New Year. There are many lanterns released to give the illusion of a virtual ocean of lights. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole. This is a lantern in the shape of a golden dragon, spiraling up a 38-meter-high pole, with fireworks spewing from its mouth. Another popular activity at this festival is guessing lantern riddles. These often contain messages of good fortune, family reunion, abundant harvest, prosperity, and love.

picture found on qoolwellstuff.blogspot.com

The Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is the most traditional celebration in China. This New Year is held according to the lunisolar Chinese calendar. It begins from the last day of the last month in the Chinese calendar to the 15th day in the first month, which ends with the Lantern Festival.

Origins and Mythology

According to legends, the Chinese New Year was created because of an attack by a mythical beast called the Nian. the Nian is said to live under the sea or  in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around the Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year to appease it. It was believed that after the Nian ate the food prepared, it wouldn't attack any more people.

Legends say that the villagers had seen that the Nian was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nian was afraid of the color red. From then on, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian, and never came back to the village again.

Chinese New Year celebration in Hong Kong.

Festivities

On the days immediately before the New Year celebration, Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that the newly arrived good luck cannot be swept away. 

The celebrations usually consists of various traditions on each day leading up to the final 15th day (the Lantern Festival). Customs may range from visiting the elders of the family to celebrating a birthday of a certain deities. Fireworks have become a very integral party of the festivities as well as has wearing the color red. These are all thought to ward off evil spirits and bad fortune.

This has been a celebration that I have really wanted to attend in China. However, being part of a university with such a large number of Chinese foreign exchange students has allowed me the opportunity to celebrate in a small way here.

Holi, Holi, Holi!

This is the celebration I've been most anticipating for so many reasons. There is so much I could say about this event simply because the culture that it originated in is very rich and filled with a long history.

Honestly, I have no first-hand experience with the culture or this celebration, but I will do my best to describe it in some detail while containing my excitement.

Holi is a religious festival held every year among the Hindu people to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of spring. It does have some religious meaning as well present in Hindu mythology. The event is also known as The Festival of Colors which represents many colors of spring. During the festival people throw colored powder at each other.

While Holi is a Hindu festival, it is celebrated in many other places across the world. It has even come to my university (UCO) and will be held on April 9th! I have never participated in this celebration, but I think this is my year!

I wish I had more insight on this festival because it definitely shares a "colorful" side to an already diverse culture. But here's a blog from someone who has a different perspective than mine here.

UPDATE: UCO's Holi Festival has been moved to April 11th due to weather. Hope to see ya there!