Lanterns hoisted everywhere, sweet and fragrant rice balls … yeah, the Chinese Lantern Festival, or Yuanxiao Festival (元宵節), is coming!
The Lantern Festival is on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This year it falls on 21 Feb 2008. With its assortment of lanterns and traditional food called “Tangyuan” (sweet rice balls), the Festival celebrates the gathering of families and friends. On 21 Feb (Fri), INSO and SRO will organise a Chinese New Year Fair at Multi-function Hall A at 7:00-9:00pm. Don’t miss the chance to experience the fun and celebrations!
Origins
The traditions of the Festival are the subject of many attractive tales. One of these explains why people hang up lanterns. One day a heavenly bird was shot dead by ignorant villagers. The Heavenly Emperor wanted to punish mankind by ruining them in fire on the fifteen day of the first month. When news of the catastrophe came, a wise elder suggested that everyone should light a lantern on that day, to trick the penalty implementers. From then on, lanterns have been lit up on every fifth day of the first month in memory of this man’s wisdom.
Customs and Celebrations
Lanterns, of various in shapes, colors and sizes, are a salient feature. You may try to make a simple lantern at home or go downtown where there is a sea of lanterns. Thanks to modern technology, lanterns can now be made with many astonishing effects.
Tangyuan, “湯圓” in Chinese, are chubby glutinous rice balls that are usually stuffed with sweet bean paste and sesame. Their round shape is reflected in the character “圓” , a lovely pun that can be interpreted as getting together (團圓), successful (圓滿), realizing your dream (圓夢) and so on.
Solving riddles (猜燈謎) is another popular event during the Lantern Festival. They are often written on public lanterns so that all can challenge their intelligence. Lantern riddles are composed of a vast range of elements, including character analysis, usage of puns, Chinese literature and historical events.
Celebrations in Hong Kong
To celebrate the Lantern Festival this year, the HK government is organising three Lunar New Year Lantern Carnivals, in Ko Shan Road Park and Ko Shan Theatre, Tsing Yi Park, and Tseung Kwan O Po Tsui Park. The Carnivals will showcase nostalgic songs, Cantonese and Beijing Opera and Chinese traditional stage arts, a lantern riddle quiz and fortune telling, etc. Spectacular lantern displays will be held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza and West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade to celebrate the advent of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Click here for more information about the functions.
