TherearemanydifferentbeliefsabouttheoriginoftheLanternFestival.Butonethingforsureisthatithadsomethingtodowithcelebratingandcultivatingpositiverelationshipbetweenpeoplefamiliesnatureandthehigherbeingstheybelievedwereresponsibleforbringing/returningthelighteachyear.
OnelegendtellsusthatitwasatimetoworshipTaiyitheGodofHeaveninancienttimes.ThebeliefwasthattheGodofHeavencontrolledthedestinyofthehumanworld.Hehadsixteendragonsathisbeckandcallandhedecidedwhentoinflictdroughtstormsfamineorpestilenceuponhumanbeings.BeginningwithQinshihuangthefirstemperortounitethecountryalltheemperorsorderedsplendidceremonieseachyear.TheemperorwouldaskTaiyitobringfavorableweatherandgoodhealthtohimandhispeople.EmperorWudioftheHanDynastydirectedspecialattentiontothisevent.In104BCheproclaimeditasoneofthemostimportantcelebrationsandtheceremonywouldlastthroughoutthenight.Theycleanitallupinthemorning.
AnotherlegendassociatestheLanternFestivalwithTaoism.TianguanistheTaoistgodresponsibleforgoodfortune.Hisbirthdayfallsonthe15thdayofthefirstlunarmonth.ItissaidthatTianguanlikesalltypesofentertainmentsofollowerspreparevariouskindsofactivitiesduringwhichtheyprayforgoodfortune.
YetanothercommonlegenddealingwiththeoriginsoftheLanternFestivalspeaksofabeautifulbirdthatflewdowntoearthfromheavenwhichwashuntedandkilledbysomevillagers.ThisangeredtheJadeEmperorinHeavenbecausethebirdwashisfavoriteone.Thereforeheplannedastormoffiretodestroythevillageonthe15thlunarday.TheJadeEmperorsdaughterheardofthisplanandwarnedthevillagersofherfather’splantodestroytheirvillage.Thevillagewasinturmoilbecausenobodyknewhowshouldtheyescapetheirimminentdestruction.
Howeverawisemanfromanothervillagesuggestedthateveryfamilyshouldhangredlanternsaroundtheirhousessetupbonfiresonthestreetsandexplodefirecrackersonthe14th15thand16thlunardays.ThiswouldgivethevillagetheappearanceofbeingonfiretotheJadeEmperor.Onthe15thlunardaytroopssentdownfromheavenwhosemissionwastodestroythevillagesawthatthevillagewasalreadyablazeandreturnedtoheaventoreporttotheJadeEmperor.SatisfiedtheJadeEmperordecidednottoburndownthevillage.Fromthatdayonpeoplecelebratetheanniversaryonthe15thlunardayeveryyearbycarryingredlanternsonthestreetsandexplodingfirecrackersandfireworks.
Therearemanystoriesonhowthisfestivalwascreated.Oneotherstoryisaboutamaid.IntheHanDynastyMr.Easternwasafavoriteadvisoroftheemperor.Onewinterdayhewenttothegardenandheardalittlegirlcryingandgettingreadytojumpintoawelltocommitsuicide.Mr.Easternstoppedherandaskedwhy.ShesaidshewasamaidintheemperorspalaceandhernamewasYuan-Xiao.
Sheneverhadthechancetomeetherfamilyaftershestartedworkedatthepalace.Shemissedthemsomuchevery12thlunarmonth.Ifshecouldn havethechancetoshowherfilialpietyinthislifeshewouldratherdie.Mr.Easternpromisedhertofindawaysoshecouldreunionwithherfamily.Mr.Easternleftthepalaceandsetupafortune-tellingstallonthestreetanddisguisedhimselfasafortuneteller.Becauseofhisreputationmanypeopleaskedfortheirfortunes.
Buteveryonegotthesameprediction-aseverefireaccidentonthe15thlunarday.Therumorspreadquickly.EveryonewasworriedaboutthefutureandaskedMr.Easternforhelp.Mr.Easternsaid"Onthe13thlunardaytheGodofFirewillsendafairyladyinredtoburndownthecity.Ifyouseealadyinredwearinggreenpantsridingablackhorseonthatdayyoushouldaskforhermercy."OnthatdayYuan-Xiaopretendedtobetheredfairylady.Whenpeopleaskedforherhelpshesaid"ImthemessengeroftheGodofFireandcametocheckonthecityandImgoingtosetupfireon15th.ThisisanorderfromJadeEmperor.Hewillwatchfromtheheavens.
IwillgiveyouacopyoftheimperialdecreefromtheGodofFire.Youshouldgotoaskyouremperortofindawayout."Aftersheleftpeoplewenttothepalacetoshowtheemperorthedecreewhichreads"Thecapitalcityisintrouble.FireburnsonthepalaceandfirefromHeavenburnsallnightlongonthe15th."TheemperorofHanDynastywasveryshocked.HecalledandaskedMr.Easternforadvice.AfterponderingforawhileMr.Easternsaid"IheardthattheGodofFirelikestoeatTang-Yuan(Sweetdumpling).DoesYuan-XiaooftencookTang-Yuanforyou?Onthe15thlunardayletYuan-XiaomakeTang-Yuan.
YourMajestywilltakechargeoftheworshippingceremonyandyouwillgiveanordertoeveryhousetoprepareTang-YuantoworshiptheGodofFireatthesametime.Alsodeliveranotherordertoaskeveryhouseinthecitytohangredlanternandexplodefirecrackers.Lastlyeveryoneinthepalaceandpeopleoutsidethecityshouldcarrytheirlanternsonthestreettowatchthelanterndecorationandfireworks.IfeverythinggoesthiswaytheJadeEmperorwouldbedeceived.
Theneveryonecanavoidthefireaccident."Theemperorhappilyfollowedtheplan.Lanternswereeverywhereinthecapitalcityonthenightofthe15thlunarday.Peoplewerewalkingonthestreet.Firecrackerskeptmakinglotsofnoise.Itlookedliketheentirecitywasonfire.Yuan-XiaosparentswentintothepalacetowatchthelanterndecorationsandYuan-Xiaomadeabiglanternandwrotehernameonthelantern.Theyhappilyreunitedtogetherafterherparentscalledhername.Everybodywassafeduringthenight.TheemperorofHanDynastyhadaneworderthatpeopleshoulddothesamethingeveryyear.SinceYuan-XiaocookedthebestTan-YuanpeoplecalledthedayYuan-XiaoFestival.
Youngpeoplewerechaperonedinthestreetsinhopesoffindinglove.Matchmakersactedbusilyinhopesofpairingcouples.Thebrightestlanternsweresymbolicofgoodluckandhope.Astimehaspassedthefestivalnolongerhassuchimplications.
Thosewhodonotcarrylanternsoftenenjoywatchinginformallanternparades.Inadditiontoeatingtangyuan(simplifiedChinese:汤圆;traditionalChinese:湯圓;pinyin:tāngyuán)anotherpopularactivityatthisfestivalisguessinglanternriddles(whichbecamepartofthefestivalduringtheTangDynasty)whichoftencontainmessagesofgoodfortunefamilyreunionabundantharvestprosperityandlove.
