Lantern Festival
Next: February 20, 2027
The first full moon of the year.
The story
Where it comes from
The Lantern Festival (元宵节) closes the New Year season on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the first full moon of the year. It dates at least to the Han dynasty, when lamps were lit in honour of Buddha and of the Taoist deity of heaven, and became a great public night of lights under the Tang and Song.
How it's celebrated
Lanterns of every size are hung and carried; riddles are written on them for passers-by to solve; families eat tangyuan (汤圆), glutinous rice balls whose round shape stands for togetherness. In Malaysia and Singapore the night is also 'Chinese Valentine's Day' (Chap Goh Mei), when single women throw mandarin oranges into rivers hoping for a good match.
Did you know
- In Pingxi, Taiwan, thousands of sky lanterns are released on this night, one of the most photographed festivals in Asia.
- The Chap Goh Mei orange-throwing custom began in Penang, Malaysia, and is now a public event with oranges inscribed with phone numbers.
The greeting
元宵节快乐!
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