By Aidoghie Paulinus
On the 15th day of the first lunar month, two weeks after Chinese New Year, another important traditional Chinese festival, the Chinese Lantern Festival or Yuan Xiao Jie or Yuanxiao Festival (), was celebrated. It marked the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period. Chinese Lantern Festival 2022 will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 15th in 2022.
On the night of the Chinese Lantern Festival, streets were decorated with colourful lanterns, often with riddles written on them. People ate sweet rice balls called tangyuan, watch dragon and lion dances, and set off fireworks.
Chinese Lantern Festival Facts
Popular Chinese name: Yuánxi ojié /ywen-sshyaoww jyeah/ ‘first night festival’
Alternative Chinese name: Shàngyuánjié /shung-ywen-jyeah/ ‘first first festival’
Date: Lunar calendar month 1 day 15 (February 15, 2022)
Importance: marks the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period
Celebrations: enjoying lanterns, lantern riddles, eating tangyuan a.k.a. yuanxiao (ball dumplings in soup), lion dances, dragon dances, etc.
History: about 2,000 years
Greeting: Happy Lantern Festival! Yuánxiojié kuàilè! /ywen-sshyaoww-jyeah kwhy-luh/
When is the Chinese Lantern Festival 2022?
Chinese Lantern Festival is on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month (always between February 4 and March 6). In 2022, the Chinese Lantern Festival will fall on Tuesday, February 15.
The Significance of the Chinese
Lantern Festival
Chinese New year, also called Spring Festival in China, marks the beginning of the Spring season. The Chinese Lantern Festival marks the final day of these celebrations. After the Lantern Festival, Chinese New Year taboos are no longer in effect, and all New Year decorations are taken down. Some people still wait till after the festival to return to work or study.
The lanterns symbolize people letting go of the past year and welcoming the new year with good fortune.
Chinese Lantern Festival can be traced back to 2,000 years ago. There are many origin stories about it.