A diverse range of customs can be found across China during the Lantern Festival

(Global Times) Since ancient times, the annual Lantern Festival has been an important part of Chinese New Year celebrations. While lighting lanterns during Chinese New Year got its start during the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220), the earliest description about a lantern fair is found in poems by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty (581-618), in which he describes a night filled with the dazzling light of beautiful lanterns. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Lantern Festival became a huge event. According to historical records, during the reign of Emperor Xuan (685-762) nearly 50,000 lamps of various types were hung throughout the Tang Dynasty capital of Chang'an - what is today Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Emperor Xuan also ordered the construction of a huge lighthouse some 50 meters high that contained 20 rooms full of lights. Today the Lantern Festival remains as important as ever. While the incorporation of modern technology, such as 3D light shows, has updated the lanterns themselves, certain traditions remain the same as they were hundreds of years ago. Lantern feast One of these traditions is guessing riddles. People of walks of life love testing their wits by attempting to solve the riddles attached to the lanterns hanging around the lantern fair. In Chinese this is called da denghu (Lit: Shoot Lantern Tiger) since figuring out the answer to these riddles can be"as hard as shooting a tiger with an arrow."  According to legend some troublemakers pasted riddles on lanterns expecting to cause some mischief at the festival one year. However, since these riddles were a way to test one's knowledge and were extremely interesting, they were warmly welcomed by festival-goers. Similar to English riddles, classic lantern riddles can range from crossword-puzzle type challenges to tests of one's knowledge of history, literature and common idioms. Additionally, the pictographic nature of some Chinese characters means some riddles become image puzzles or involve the deconstruction of the characters into smaller parts. Local traditions Considering China's large size and long history, it's only natural that different regions would develop their own ways of celebrating the Lantern Festival. Lantern fair in Beijing Lantern Festival celebrations in Beijing were especially huge during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties due to the city's status as the imperial capital. Both the royal family and ordinary citizens would take part in major celebrations. According to historical records, the lantern fair was one of the most popular events in the city. During the Ming Dynasty, the fair lasted for 10 days starting from the eighth day of the first lunar month. This was later shortened to five days beginning from the 13th day during the Qing Dynasty. During the celebrations, people flooded streets decorated with lanterns as Dragon Dance groups and acrobatic troupes showed off their skills and vendors peddled traditional snacks such as bingtanghulu (sugar-coated haw). Inside the royal court, banquets were held during which time the royal family enjoyed fireworks and all types of performances. According to historical records, the Empress Dowager Cixi loved holding annual Lantern Festival celebrations during the Qing Dynasty at the Summer Palace where thousands of performers wielded lanterns to form the Chinese characters taiping wansui (Lit: peace for 10,000 years). Their skillful performances wowed foreigners who were present at the event. In modern Beijing, people still head to parks to attend lantern fairs to watch performances and admire the lanterns hung everywhere. Flour lanterns In Qufu, the hometown of Confucius in East China's Shandong Province, local residents celebrate the Lantern Festival near the Duke Yansheng Mansion - more commonly known as the Confucius Family Mansion - with shows featuring acrobatics, Dragon Dances, stilt-walking and donkey-herding. In many other places in Shandong Province, people are keeping the tradition of making "flour lanterns" at this time of the year alive. An edible lantern usually shaped like an animal, a "flour lantern" consists of a cotton fuse and a base made of soybean or wheat flour, which is filled with peanut oil for fuel. During the Lantern Festival, these lights are lit and placed around the house, where they are believed to attract good fortune for a family. Playing with fire In Fengyang county of Anhui Province, liaohuoba count among the region's oldest local traditions celebrating the Lantern Festival. Liaohuoba sees children gather for a bonfire party, where they light straw bundles on fire and throw torches into the air. According to local belief, throwing torches into the sky on the day of the Lantern Festival will ensure a good harvest that year. The region also has a local tradition involving taking a ride on a swing. During the holiday, entire families will take turns riding swings with their kids, which is supposed to prevent back pain for the rest of the year. Racing for luck  In Liancheng county, East China's Fujian Province, people have a tradition called zougushi. The day before and the very day of the Lantern Festival, teams of dozens of male villagers race each other while carrying special palanquins upon which two boys dressed as ancient court officials stand as audiences cheer them on. It is believed that the first team to arrive at the finishing line will be blessed with great luck for the rest of the year. Gifting newly married women a lantern during the Lantern Festival is an ancient folk practice across Fujian Province. Though the types and shapes of the lanterns might differ from place to place, it represents one hope - to have a son. This connection came about since the pronunciation of "lantern" is very similar to that of "son" in the region's local dialect. Source: Global Times from China Travel & Tourism News http://ift.tt/1iB6EFm