Lantern Festival in China. Lantern Festival in China - Traditions, Customs and Legends Recipe for Yuanxiao

The most enchanting holiday of the Celestial Empire brilliantly completes the events of the Chinese New Year.

The Lantern Festival, also called Dengjie or Yuanxiaojie, is the last chord of the main traditional celebration of China -. It falls on the 15th day (the first new moon) of the first month of the Chinese lunar year. According to ancient Taoist beliefs, this day is associated with the name of Tian-guan (“Officer of Heaven”), who loves light, colorful performances and fiery fun.

As the name implies, the main feature of the festival are street lamps of various shapes - from traditional round lamps made of paper to giant figured compositions resembling luminous statues. Decorated with such illumination, the central streets of Chinese cities become the scene of crowded festivities, with folk music, dance performances, carnival processions and dazzling fireworks. Mandatory traditions of the Lantern Festival include a gala family dinner, which is served with soup with sweet dumplings and round gingerbread made from yuanxiao rice flour with fruit and nut filling.

The history of the Lantern Festival dates back to ancient times. According to legend, the first Yuanxiaojie festival was held in 104 BC. e. ruler Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty. In honor of his proclamation as the Chinese emperor, he ordered many red festive lanterns to be hung everywhere, which became the main symbol of this celebration. Another symbol of Yuanxiaojie is the tiger, as according to the Chinese "lunar zodiac" the sun passes into the western constellation of the White Tiger in spring.

According to another version, the Lantern Festival originated from an even more ancient Torch Festival. During the Han Dynasty, peasants in remote regions surrounded their fields with a "palisade" of burning torches to scare away wild animals and insects from crops, as well as attract a rich harvest. It is still the custom in rural areas of Southwest China to celebrate the Lantern Festival in the fields by dancing under the light of reed and willow torches.

Among all the regions of China where Dengjie is celebrated, the largest events take place in the city of Nanjing. An incredible exposition with dozens of large ones is located around the Confucius Temple and along the nearby Qinhuaihe Canal. No less interesting during the days of the holiday will be organized in the city of Zigong in Central China. The events of the Festival of Lights adjoin the famous - the largest exhibition of its kind in the world. Yuanxiaojie is also popular outside of mainland China. In Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan, this festival is turning into the Chinese version of Valentine's Day.

National holidays have played a big role in China since ancient times. The Chinese have used the lunar calendar for thousands of years to determine the exact dates of national holidays. And despite the fact that after the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, it was decided to introduce a solar calendar, national holidays are still based on the data of the lunar calendar. Each major Chinese holiday is a kind of universe in which there are elements of jubilation and fear, magic and carnival, religious sacrament and aesthetic admiration.

As soon as the New Year's holiday ends, on the night of the 15th day of the first moon, another cheerful and solemn holiday begins - the Lantern Festival "Dengjie". At night, during this holiday, the whole of China is flooded with lights of multi-colored lanterns. The more skillfully the lantern is made, the higher the prestige of the family that displays it.

Therefore, every year you can find thousands of types of lanterns and even more innovations and new designs. There are lanterns in the form of large balls, lanterns in the form of regular cubes and other geometric shapes, paper and glass lanterns, lanterns in the form of Chinese pagodas, sheep, fans, houses, and current innovations - cars, airplanes and trams.

Lanterns with moving figures inside are also common, for example, with galloping horses: animal figures are cut out of paper, inserted into the lantern and moved in a circle by a mechanism driven by the heat of the candle.

The era has changed, the content of the holiday has changed, as well as the celebration itself. However, despite all these changes, the place and significance of the Spring Festival in the life of ordinary Chinese remains unchanged.

The bright and colorful Lantern Festival of Yuanxiaojie in China is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar. On this day, the first new moon in the new year is celebrated, so the night is rather festive, and not the evening or day. Another name for this wonderful holiday is Dengjie, which marks the end of the Spring Festival or the traditional New Year.

history of the holiday

The ancient origins of the holiday are associated with the magic of fertility. On this day, they worshiped the divine patrons of the area and prayed for a rich harvest in the new year. Usually such celebrations were arranged with funds pooled by all the families of the village or district. Prayers and feasts were held in each temple. One of the oldest traditions of this holiday is the custom of lighting colorful street lanterns.

According to some reports, the holiday in ancient China began to celebrate 180 years BC. According to legend, during the Han era (206 century BC - 220 century AD), Buddhism spread widely in China. Having learned that the monks have a tradition to meditate on the relics of the Buddha on the 15th day of the first month and, as a sign of respect for the founder of the teaching, light lanterns, the emperor ordered that lanterns be lit in his palace and temples in the evening as a sign of respect for the Buddha. Subsequently, this ritual Buddhist holiday fell in love with the common people, gradually became a solemn folk holiday and spread throughout China.

Wendi - the main representative of the Western Han dynasty, it was on this day that he was proclaimed emperor. In honor of this event, red lanterns were ordered to be hung all over the country, which gradually became one of the Chinese traditions. Already in 104 BC, this holiday was declared a state holiday. To this day, in all parts of China, the tradition of organizing lantern exhibitions on the Yuanxiaojie holiday has been preserved.

There is another legend that says that once upon a time, one person accidentally killed the sacred bird of the Heavenly Emperor. Naturally, the emperor became furious and ordered his general to burn all the people as punishment. But one of the emperor's daughters, probably the one with the kindest heart, hurried to warn the people of the impending disaster. One of the old wise men suggested that each family light a lantern, thereby trying to deceive the cruel general. And this ploy worked. The general was just about to carry out the order of the emperor, when he saw that the whole Earth was covered with a sea of ​​lights. He was surprised, but joyfully reported to the master that his task had been successfully completed. Meanwhile, all the people remained alive.

Some types of lanterns are lit on the very day of the New Year, but most are made during the first ten days of the year. The great lantern festival begins, which is even more attractive, at least to outsiders, than the festivities on New Year's Day. On the night of the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and in some places even the seventeenth day, everyone goes out into the street, parading their lanterns and comparing them with others. Children dress up in masquerade costumes, often with terrifying masks, and run through the streets, amusing themselves and entertaining adults with their pantomimes. Many people come to the exhibition to admire the lanterns of various designs.

Solving riddles on lanterns is an indispensable part of festive events. The owner of the lantern hangs a piece of paper on which the riddle is written on the bottom of the lantern. If the guesser knows the answer, then he can tear off the paper and check it with the answer. If he correctly guessed the riddle, he receives a small gift. The custom of solving riddles on lanterns appeared in the Song Dynasty and is still very popular among all walks of life, because folk wisdom is in entertaining riddles. In Beijing, for example, at this time, processions are arranged in the streets, reminiscent of the last day of the carnival - with dancers on stilts, in fantastic attire, which serve as a special attraction for the public.

All this time, people admire the magically beautiful lanterns and multi-colored fireworks. Many on this holiday take out and use stocks of firecrackers saved from the Spring Festival. Some local governments arrange colorful fireworks this evening. Yuanxiao is the night of the first full moon of the lunar new year. Fireworks from lit lanterns against the background of the round moon in the sky acquire a special charm.

The people have preserved the custom of preparing for the Lantern Festival "yuanxiao" a kind of round dumplings made of rice flour with a variety of fillings - it can be a filling of a mixture of sugar, butter, roses, sesame seeds, bean puree, walnuts or date puree. Yuanxiao is boiled, steamed or fried and served as a dessert. Fragrant and sweet-tasting, yuanxiao is also called tangyuan, which sounds almost the same in Chinese as the word meaning "meeting after parting." There is a belief that, having tasted yuanxiao together, the whole family will always be together and live happily.

In many provinces of China, the Yuanxiao day is also called the day of the “exorcism of a hundred diseases”, every year women hang a bundle on the wall of the house, into which the paths of all misfortunes are woven, so that they wander inside the bundle and cannot get out. Nowadays, the Lantern Festival is an occasion for a family dinner in a cozy living room, with white Yuanxiao balls served on the table for dessert. City streets are decorated with lanterns, people wish each other health and happiness.

The most important tradition of this holiday is admiring the lanterns. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), Buddhism spread widely in China. Having learned that the monks have a tradition to meditate on the relics of the Buddha on the 15th day of the first month and, as a sign of respect for the founder of the teaching, light lanterns, the emperor ordered that lanterns be lit in his palace and temples in the evening as a sign of respect for the Buddha. Subsequently, this ritual Buddhist holiday fell in love with the common people, gradually became a solemn folk holiday and spread throughout China. To this day, in all parts of China, the tradition of organizing lantern exhibitions on the Yuanxiaojie holiday has been preserved.

“These colorful and merry nights of the Lantern Festival, under a moon that shines brighter than all the lanterns, complete the New Year's celebration - after more than a month of ceremonies, magnificent spectacles and celebrations. Thus the Chinese go through a cycle of "cleansing" that begins with the exorcism of all harmful spirits and continues with the preparation to attract and receive the auspicious signs and spiritual forces of the coming year at the actual festival - first in the form of established family rites, and then in the form of freer public entertainment. in the streets and markets

The pathos of serene joy, the combination of carefree fun and aesthetic taste make the Lantern Festival the brightest holiday of the year. It promises happiness and the triumph of life.

The principle of celebrating the "Dengze" holiday has undergone quite a few changes. Over time, of course, the traditions of celebrating this day change, but not dramatically. As before, the main attribute of this holiday is its symbol - a lantern, which today can represent anything the soul of its master desires. This holiday was, is and will be a family holiday, despite the fact that the magnificent exhibitions of lanterns makeresidents to leave their homes.

Traditional lanterns are made from paper or fabric stretched over a frame. Usually they are round or elongated, and four- and six-sided lanterns are also very popular. Many Chinese people make their own decorations for their home, but there are people who have turned it into their profession. Masters compete with each other in the elegance of painting lanterns. Every resident of China considers it his duty to make at least one flashlight with his own hands and launch it into the sky that night. Long before the holiday, they make special candles for lanterns, which are not at all the same as the New Year's candles we are used to from Christmas balls. Candles should be light and burn as long as possible so that the flashlight will float in the air almost all night.

Paper is also specially prepared, mostly red. Various pictures from life, landscapes or animals are drawn on paper. A special type of lanterns are lanterns with moving figures inside. They are made only by experienced craftsmen. Inside the flashlight, a candle and carved figures are installed on a special stand. Warm air currents make the figures move. They can depict popular stories or riddles. Lantern-charades appeared in the era of the Song Dynasty and still remain a very popular entertainment among all segments of the population. The Chinese believe that riddles contain folk wisdom and are happy to guess the proposed tasks.

Since admiring the lanterns has become a tradition, real lantern festivals have been held in the country. Events in Quanzhou (Fujian Province) and Zigong (Sichuan Province) are especially famous. Here you can see the products of the most skilled craftsmen - giant lanterns in the form of dragons, elegant creations in the form of flowers and fruits. Other cities are not far behind: in 2004, a giant lantern depicting the Temple of Heaven was exhibited in Beijing's Chaoyang Park. This building, 16 meters high and 21 meters wide, was one of the most visible at the exhibition, which brought together more than a thousand exhibits.

The smallest "flashlight" was about three meters high. The masters from Zigong did their best - in the form of lanterns, all Chinese mythology was presented, reflecting the ideas of the ancient Chinese about the creation of the world and further history. It is not surprising that the exhibition was very popular - in the first hours it was visited by more than 30 thousand people.

Masters from Zigong are known far beyond the borders of their native country. With their active participation, over the past forty years, more than three thousand Chinese lantern festivals have been organized, which took place abroad. So, even those who cannot afford a trip to the homeland of this colorful holiday still had the opportunity to get acquainted with the ancient art of making traditional Chinese lanterns.

The most famous lantern factories in China were located in the city of Jinan, in the province of Shandong. Every year before the Lantern Festival, their products were distributed throughout the country. Now most of the old factories have closed, and lanterns are increasingly being made using the latest technical inventions.

Traditional Chinese lanterns are made from metal wire, bamboo, silk and glass. Both candles and multi-colored light bulbs are used for their illumination. Lanterns can be of different sizes: from super-large, with a three-story house, to tiny, with a matchbox. The design of lanterns can be both traditional and modern.

Traditional lanterns are decorated with signs of the Chinese Zodiac or drawings on the themes of ancient traditions and legends. Classic Chinese lantern - red and round. It is believed that this is the best combination to embody the idea of ​​health and prosperity. Modern lanterns can be of the most unexpected form, for example, in the form of an airplane or a rocket. Apparently, this symbolizes the progress of China.

The Lantern Festival is also the Chinese Valentine's Day. According to an ancient custom, the souls of deceased ancestors descend to earth on New Year's Eve to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones. And on the festival of lanterns they come back. Millions of lanterns light their way home. Therefore, it is the duty of every Chinese to create his own lantern and hang it near his house so that his relatives can see the way back. A flashlight can be very simple: wire, paper, but it must be bright and colorful. And one more thing: it must contain a riddle.

Lantern Festival – this is not only an exhibition of works by masters. Another name for this event – Yuanxiao. It is also called the traditional sweet dish for this day. yuanxiao – These are large balls of rice flour with a wide variety of fillings. Inside there may be walnuts, mashed dates or sweet beans, sesame seeds, candied fruits, in a word, everything that your imagination tells you. Steamed, boiled or fried. The sweet filling can be made with sugar, nuts, sesame seeds, rose petals, sweet candied oranges, soybean paste, or jojoba paste. Moreover, you can use any one ingredient, or you can – any mixture of them.

The salty filling is usually made from minced meat, vegetables, or a mixture of both. The name of this dish comes from the fact that it is eaten at night (xiao), when the moon is round for the first time of the year (yuan). Also, these sweet balls are called "tangayun", which in Chinese sounds like "a meeting after a long separation." Until now, the Chinese believe that by eating yuanxiao on the first full moon, the whole family will live happily ever after.

Another traditional Chinese dish is dumplings. When all family members eat dumplings at a common table, this symbolizes unity and a meeting after separation. When guests are treated to dumplings, it is a sign of respect and a sign of hospitality. On the night before the Spring Festival, the Chinese always eat traditional dumplings. The filling for Chinese dumplings can be very diverse, usually minced meat, vegetables, herbs, eggs and leeks, etc. In the process of preparing minced meat, the most important thing is to finely chop meat and vegetables with a large billhook on a board, because there were no meat grinders before and the meat for minced meat had to be chopped for a very long time. It was believed that the longer you chop, the more dumplings will be. After all, this dish in China is a symbol of prosperity in the family. Dumplings are made in different ways. It can be done traditionally, manually, or in a modern way, with the help of special molds for making dumplings. Hand sculpting methods also varied. Traditionally, great importance was attached to the shape of dumplings; Each locality had its own rules for this.

Dumplings could be molded in the shape of a crescent or round. In villages, dumplings are usually molded so that the rim resembles a wheat ear in appearance. This promises a rich harvest in the new year. Dumplings are thrown into boiling water and boiled in low-boiling water. When the dumplings are put into the water, the broth is lightly stirred so that the dumplings do not stick together. As soon as they float, the boiled dumplings are taken out and served hot on the table. The first portion of dumplings is usually not eaten, but "left to the ancestors." The second is an offering to the guardian spirit of the hearth. The third portion is already eaten by family members. It is recommended to count how many dumplings you ate. It is believed that it is better to eat an even number of them.

Some elderly people continuously say “Cai Do” while eating dumplings. In Chinese, the word “Cai” (vegetables) sounds the same as the word “wealth”, and the word “Do” means a lot. On New Year's Eve, the Chinese always eat dumplings. On this day, all family members gather in the house. Those who work or study elsewhere should definitely come home. The whole family gets together, together, the whole family cooks and eats dumplings. In modern life, this tradition has already acquired a symbolic meaning. In cities, homemade dumplings are being prepared less and less. Even on holidays, many people buy ready-made dumplings in the supermarket, or go to restaurants with their families. Even in Chinese villages, housewives are less likely to make homemade dumplings.

This family holiday must be spent together. Houses are decorated not only with lanterns, but also with flowers, because Yuanxiao – this is not only a festival of lanterns, but also the beginning of spring. Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the best flower for this holiday is the narcissus. According to ancient beliefs, a walk on this night not only allows you to enjoy the wonderful sight of lanterns lit everywhere, but also to get rid of all ailments.

So, the 15th is the "Main Lantern Day". As soon as evening falls on the city, all the streets are lit up with thousands of multi-colored brightly shining lights. People walk the streets, admiring the unforgettable sight of burning lanterns. At the same time, the craftsmen who made the lanterns compete with each other in fiction and fantasy. Another ancient custom is guessing riddles on lanterns. The owner of the lantern attaches a piece of paper with a riddle and the answer to it to its bottom. If the person guessing the riddle knows the answer, he can tear the note off the flashlight and check it against the guess. If the answer is correct, then he receives a gift. This custom arose in the era of the Song Dynasty, but then it was called "guessing the secret of the lantern." However, it was no less popular than it is now.

On this day, many colorful events take place in all cities. These include dances with lanterns in the form of fiery dragons or tigers, breathtaking performances on stilts, an unusual “boat on land” dance, a “taipingu” performance (like a tambourine), a yangge dance and many others no less interesting. In addition to lanterns, multi-colored fireworks and petards are used in huge quantities on this day. The lantern festival is often called the “first night” holiday (not at all in the sense in which one of you might think), and mass festivities are held under the first full moon.

The people believed that a walk on this night promises well-being and health, which is why it was called "reset all ailments." Many participants in the festivities tried to steal some kind of lantern, because it was believed that to be cursed that night – happy omen. Along with people in masks of animals and spirits, young men dressed as girls and children pretending to be old people take part in the festivities. Groups of amateur actors on stilts, dressed up as fishermen, lumberjacks, monks, show simple tricksand domestic scenes. And in all these performances, children must take part. Yes, not an unimportant fact – all festive performances are certainly accompanied by the roar of gongs, drums and rattles. In this musical cacophony, the deafening beats of the big drums of taiping-gu (“drums of great calmness”) stand out especially. Fans of this instrument gather in groups of 10-15 people. In ancient times, they were joined by singers who performed various folk songs and comic verses to the accompaniment of this unusual ensemble.

Tanetz Yangge

No less popular is the Yangge dance. Yangge dances have 200 years of history and have their origins in villages in northern China, being traditional folk dances. In the 90s of the last century, dancing became part of the recreational exercises and entertainment of local residents. Yange dances, or Yange dances, have a long history and are one of the most representative folk dance forms of our country, as well as the original art of collective chants and dances in the people's square . Yange dances include a variety of dance moves and are loved by the people.

Yange's dances, in addition to having a peculiar style, can be performed by ten or a hundred performers, figuratively depicting stories from history, fairy tales and real life; dances are held to the rhythm of drumming, with a constant change of position and dance movements, for which they have earned the love of the audience.

Yangge dances were invented by peasants engaged in rice cultivation and arable work and are the personification of sacrifices to the god of harvest with chants and requests for happiness and protection from disasters, Ling songs (one of the types of folk songs), in combination with Chinese national gymnastics Wushu, circus, opera and drama from which Yangge folk songs and dances have developed, widely distributed in regions and countries. Areas or shape characteristics are often defined to differentiate. For example, "drum Yangge" (Shandong Province), "Yange of the northern part of Shaanxi Province", "local Yange" (Hebei, Beijing, Liaoning provinces), "Manchu Yange", "stilted Yange", etc.; as well as the southern "colored drum", "colored lantern", "tea picking" and "inge", common in Guangdong and Hong Kong, despite their different names, they all refer to and are derivatives of "yange".

Yangge is easy to dance. Three quick steps forward, one back, clapping hands and swaying the body. Usually the Chinese become active at night and make a deafening noise, imprinting tracks to the rhythmic sounds of drum and gong, son (oboe type) and cha (round brass plates). There is no fixed number of performers; there may be two or three, or 20, or more than a hundred. Just as depending on the areas, the theme and pattern of the dance also changes. Officials quantifyingYangge fans estimate that some 60,000 retirees take to the streets of Beijing dressed in colorful costumes or with a red silk ribbon tied around their waists.

The lion dance is especially remarkable. It is performed on New Year's Eve and other holidays. Usually, here the lion bypasses the crowd of spectators and fans everyone with his mane, protecting them from misfortunes. In these games, the most noticeable thing is that the Chinese dance overlapped with local ritual dances in animal disguises; occasionally, but it happens that games are called "lion" games, where a dressed up deer or a wild boar actually dances. In Gigaku's actions, the lion appears along with two cubs; the lion is played by two adults, and the cubs by two children. This is the opening dance for the whole action.

Lion dance is divided into southern and northern. Southern is usually danced by two people, the movements of the dance are skillful and varied. And the northern dance is performed on a large scale, usually there are 10 or more dancers. In the performance of the lion dance, musical accompaniment plays an important role, as well as spectator participation and support. During the performance of the dance, a joyful festive atmosphere reigns. Holiday duration

The holiday itself is celebrated on the 15th. However, he also has a two-day prelude. So the 13th day of the month is called "Lantern Day". It is not difficult to guess that on this day, all kinds of lanterns of various shapes and colors are hung in front of each store, so that customers can choose according to their taste.

The 14th day of the first month is called Lantern Check Day. On this day, Chinese cities are colorfully decorated and prepared for the main day. So, the 15th is the "Main Lantern Day". Despite the fact that the main celebrations take place on the 15th, the holiday continues in the next few days.

So the 16th-17th numbers are called "Lantern Burnout Days". In the evenings these days, the lanterns are also lit, but their radiance is no longer as bright as on the main day of the holiday. This is a farewell light as the 18th is "Lantern Removal Day".

The lanterns are removed from the streets, their trade stops until next year, however, unforgettable impressions live in the memory of the participants of the magnificent lantern festival for a long time. The bewitching light of the full moon in the night sky, thousands of multi-colored lights of bright lanterns on the streets, colorful fireworks over the city - what could be more beautiful and romantic.

Thus, the holidays in China played, and still play a very important role, as they are inextricably linked with the traditions and customs of the Chinese people. China is one of those civilizations that has a history of many thousands of years, during which a special worldview and mentality have been developing for centuries. They, in turn, are reflected in traditions, customs and holidays, including those that are revered and sacredly guarded by the Chinese, passed down from generation to generation. But over the course of time, holidays, influenced by historical events and worldviews, have undergone changes.

At first they traced their roots from mythological views, then from philosophical ones that arose later. The passage of time also influenced the celebration of events - new holidays, new customs began to arise. Over time, holidays in people's lives began to fade into the background. If in ancient and medieval China they occupied one of the most important places in the life of the Chinese, then in modern China they no longer play the same role as before. In addition, the ceremonies became less magnificent than in earlier periods of Chinese history. But nevertheless, they did not completely disappear from the life of the Chinese, remaining a stronghold of the culture of the Chinese ethnic group.

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In the evening, the family will gather for a traditional festive dinner, watch fireworks and launch red lanterns into the night sky.

According to legend, the holiday began to be celebrated even before our era. And in the 7th century, during the Tang Dynasty, by order of the emperor, they began to celebrate it on a grand scale, with night festivities.

There are many legends, but I like one: after the Heavenly Emperor's favorite bird was found dead, he ordered people to be burned. But his daughter warned the people of the danger that threatened them. And then each family lit lanterns, the whole earth was covered with light from the fire of lanterns, and the emperor was informed that the task had been completed. Since then, on the 15th day of the first month, red lanterns are lit as a symbol of prosperity and success.

On this day, it is customary to treat yourself to small sweet balls. 汤圆 tang yuan, we have nuts inside, but they come with different fillings: chocolate, hawthorn, dates, sweet bean paste or sesame. The balls are associated with the full moon. According to the legend, the family, together tasting than yuan, will be friendly and happy all year.

If you want to make your own balls, you can use my simple recipe:

0.5 kg of rice flour, a little vanillin, 0.5 l. water (boiling water) and sugar to taste. Knead not very tight dough. Roll out the cakes and put the filling in the middle of each cake.

For the filling, you need to grind various nuts of 50 g each (almonds, peanuts, walnuts), according to your taste and add 100 g of butter, a little sugar. Or you can mix ground dried fruits (dried apricots, dates, figs, raisins). I do not offer sweet bean paste, because I do not like it myself. Mix the filling and put it in the middle of the cake, pinch it, shape it into a ball, roll it in flour.

Put water to boil, adding spices to it for aroma: cinnamon, orange zest, a little ginger. After boiling, lower the balls and wait until they float.

Bon appetit!

In conclusion, I want to wish everyone good luck and prosperity! May the year of the Rooster bring all of us only good and joyful moments in life, enjoy every day you live, because it will not happen again!

Well, tomorrow Spring will begin, with all its amenities: sunny days, the fragrance of blooming petals and, of course, LOVE!

"If you are destined to be happy, then there is no need to rush"

Bright and colorful yuanxiaojie lantern festival In China, it is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar. This one of the most ancient holidays in China when all the houses are necessarily decorated with colorful lights.

The bright and colorful Lantern Festival of Yuanxiaojie in China is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Every year, thousands of different lanterns are made for the holiday.

On this day, the first new moon of the new year is celebrated, so the night is rather festive than the evening or day. Another name for this wonderful holiday is Dengjie. This name was given to him by the small sweet balls of Yuanxiao, which are usually treated on this day. Therefore, most often the festival of lanterns is called that way.

On this day it is customary for the Chinese to gather for a traditional family dinner , watch fireworks together and launch burning lanterns into the sky. The dominant color on this holiday is red, as it is a symbol of prosperity and success.

Even red lanterns are installed in front of each restaurant , notifying passers-by that in this institution you can arrange a feast of the stomach. However, not only red lanterns are popular in China. One day a year is dedicated to seeing the lanterns shine across the country.

According to some reports, the Lantern Festival began to be celebrated in 180 BC.

The name of the holiday consists of three words: "yuan", that is, "first, initial"; "xiao" means "night" and "jie" means "holiday". The 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar is the first night of the year with a full moon.

The people consider that From this day begins the real spring.

According to legend, during the Han era (206 BC - 220 AD), Buddhism spread widely in China. Learning that the monks have the tradition of meditating on the relics of the Buddha on the 15th of the first month and as a sign of respect for the founder of the teaching of lighting lanterns, the emperor ordered that evening on that day to light lanterns in his palace and temples as a sign of respect for the Buddha.

Subsequently, this ritual Buddhist holiday fell in love with the common people. Already in 104 BC, this holiday was declared a public holiday. . In the 7th century, during the Tang Dynasty, the Lantern Festival gained even more momentum. An imperial decree was issued allowing festivities all night.

To this day, in all regions of China, there is a tradition of organizing unforgettable colorful lantern exhibitions for the Yuanxiaojie holiday.

Interesting! There are many more legends about the origins of the Lantern Festival, one of them says:

Long ago, a person accidentally killed the sacred bird of the Heavenly Emperor. Naturally, the emperor became furious and ordered his general to burn all the people as punishment. But one of the emperor's daughters, probably the one who had the kindest heart, hastened to warn the people of the misfortune that threatened them.

Then one of the wise men suggested that each family light a lantern, thereby trying to deceive the cruel general. And this ploy worked. The general was just about to carry out the order of the emperor, when he saw that the whole Earth was covered with a sea of ​​lights. He was surprised, but joyfully reported to the master that his task had been successfully completed. Meanwhile, all the people remained unharmed.

How is it carried out lantern festival

Thousands of different lanterns are made every year for the holiday. , many of which are true works of art. These are lanterns without a frame, as if made of frosted glass, into which you can pour water and they will rotate on their own.

Same you can see the lanterns, covered with intricate carvings, or decorated with threads of beads , in the form of various animals, both mythical and existing in reality.

Paper lanterns that came from ancient times, the walls of which are covered with all kinds of drawings on a mythological theme, or simply sketches in the national style. These lanterns rotate under the action of air movement. inside it, which is created by a candle burning inside.

Inherent part of the festive events - solving riddles attached to the lanterns . This entertaining custom originated in the Song Dynasty and continues to enjoy great success to this day, because ancient folk wisdom lies in these riddles.

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Each owner of the main festive attribute attaches a small piece of paper with a riddle to its bottom. The one who decides to try to guess it, announces his version and tears off a piece of paper to find out the correct answer. If the guesser is not mistaken, he will definitely receive a small gift. .

The main symbol of the Lantern Festival is the tiger. , because with the beginning of spring, the sun passes into the western constellation of the "lunar zodiac", called the White Tiger.

On holidays, they go to visit, arrange feasts. A traditional dish on the table is steamed rice cakes in the form of balls. stuffed with jam, jam. These cakes are associated with the full moon.

In Chinese, it sounds almost identical to the word meaning "meeting after parting." According to Chinese belief, a family that tastes “yuanxiao” together will be very strong and happy .

A mandatory attribute of the Chinese holiday is a cacophony of sounds made by various rattles, gongs and drums, among which the deafening sounds made by huge taiping-gu drums, which are also called "drums of great tranquility", stand out.

Same dances are held on the streets of cities, in which dragons assembled from lanterns participate , performances on stilts and other traditional Chinese dances.

Traditional Chinese food for the Lantern Festival

But the festival of lanterns is not only exhibitions of works by different masters. Another name for this event is Yuanxiao. It is also called the traditional sweet dish for this day.

Yuanxiao are large balls of rice flour with a wide variety of fillings.

Inside there may be walnuts, mashed dates or sweet beans, sesame seeds, candied fruits, in a word, everything that your imagination tells you. Steamed, boiled or fried. The sweet filling can be made with sugar, nuts, sesame, rose petals, candied orange peel, soy paste, or jojoba paste.

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Moreover, you can use any one ingredient, or you can use any mixture of them. The salty filling is usually made from minced meat, vegetables, or a mixture of both. The name of this dish comes from the fact that it is eaten at night (xiao), when the moon is round for the first time of the year (yuan).

Recipe for Yuanxiao

Ingredients:

• glutinous rice flour - 500 g (4 cups)
• butter - 200 g
• black sesame powder - 200 g
• sugar - 250 g

Cooking method:

1 action . Mix the oil with sesame powder, sugar and wine in a hot skillet. Heat over low heat for a few minutes. Make small balls of about 10 g each.

2 action. Take 3 cups of glutinous rice flour. Add water and make a homogeneous mass. Boil the dough in boiling water and take it out as soon as it is ready. Cool down. Then add to the remaining flour. Add water and knead until the mass becomes soft.

3 action. Divide the dough into small pieces of about 10 g each. Make each piece in the shape of a ball, and then make a hole in it. Place the previously prepared sesame balls inside and close.

4 action . Boil in boiling water, and always stir the balls in the same direction. When they float to the top, cook for about another minute over low heat.

How is the Lantern Festival?

In the northern Chinese city of Harbin, an exhibition of lanterns made of ice is held every year. The spectacle is simply fantastic. Lanterns carved from ice blocks in the form of tall buildings, towers, animals, fairy-tale characters from the light of the lamps inserted into them they shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow.

But in the city of Foshan, Guangdong Province, very unusual lanterns are made, on which all drawings are made with pasted sesame seeds . They are also jokingly called "edible lanterns."

You can also create a festive atmosphere at home by hanging red lanterns around the apartment. The apartment can also be decorated with fresh daffodils. This flower was chosen by the Chinese for a reason. Already during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), the daffodil was considered a flower that should be given as a gift.spring Festival