During the Chinese New Year, one of the celebrations is that of the lantern festival. Come let us find out the myth behind it.

The lantern is one of the most prominent symbols of the Chinese New Year. In fact there is an entire festival known as the Chinese lantern festival celebrated at the time of New Year. In colloquial lingo the festival is known as Yuan Xiao. It gets its name from the first month of the year which is called Yuan where as the second half of the name is what the ancient people used to refer to as night.

The lantern festival is celebrated fifteen days into the New Year on the sighting of the first full moon. The concept is to bring about a cheerful environment as the full moon shines bright in the sky and the masses of Chinese people gather at the place of the festival holding up colorful lanterns creating a completely lit up environment.

Chinese lanterns are very intricately designed. These items are not mere lighting objects but often have engaging puzzles made on them that might completely mesmerize you. Also rice balls are shared and eaten during this lantern festival with families and friends to mark the merry-making festival.

The source of the lantern tradition

The legend that is most popular linked with the Lantern New Year event is that, God Taiyi who reigned over the heavens in the ancient era was prayedby the people in this festival. This is one of the many mythologies associated with the traditional New Year lantern festival.

Being the god of heaven it was believed that he controlled the entire fortune of the human world. The authority to inflict punishment through natural disasters or medical epidemics was attributed to this god. The emperor who first started the tradition of holding a ceremony to please Taiyi was Qinshihuang. There ceremonies were held in order to gain the good pleasure of Taiyi and avoid the risk of natural disasters.

As time went, the Han dynasty patronized the festival to please lord Taiyi to very great extent and with time the ceremony became popular. It was during the reign of the ruler Wudi that this event became the most important in China and revelry went on for the entire night.

The story behind the lantern festival however had a different explanation too that said the Taoists influenced these celebrations. The fortune of the Chinese people was in the hands of the Taoist lord Tianguan, apparently, and he seemed to have taste for Chinese entertainment. Hence, the Chinese took to pleasing him by, celebrating on the streets and executing various performances to keep him happy.

The origin of the day of lighting lanterns was apparently discovered by King Mingdi, as a different story says. This story states that he was under Buddhist influence and one dream had led to the extraordinary choice of the fifteenth day of the New Year as the day to celebrate the event of lighting lanterns.

The lantern festival is one of the special events held as a part of the Chinese New Year celebrations no matter which part of the legend is genuine. These lanterns are interestingly designed with rare Chinese patterns.

The Chinese new year astrology depends on a series of a dozen different animal-based signs . If you want to learn how to make your own Chinese new year lanterns click on the preceding link.