This article was written by our Youth Advisory Panel board members, Chaojie (CJ) Zhou and Huimin (Kristy) Feng.
The Lantern Festival is a joyous celebration that marks the end of the Lunar New Year festivities. It is held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, when the full moon shines brightly, symbolising reunion, hope, and prosperity. With beautiful lantern displays, riddle-solving traditions, and the sharing of sweet rice balls, the Lantern Festival is a time for family gatherings, joy and reflections.
More than the bright lanterns that appear are the deeper cultural and sprititual meanings embedded in this tradition. This festival symbolises family reunion, hope, good fortune, romantic love, the harmony between humans and the divine, and the continuation of ancient traditions. It also promotes knowledge and wisdom through the tradition of solving lantern riddles – a way to sharpen the mind and encourage learning. Last but not least, the lantern festival is a time for social celebration and cultural performances, such as lion and dragon dances, parades and folk performances.
In my (Kristy) memory, back in my hometown Guangzhou, China, my family usually celebrated the Lantern Festival with a grand feast with fish, prawn and Tangyuan in the restaurant.
Tangyuan (in South China) and Yuanxiao (in North China) are glutinous rice balls filled with sweet or savory fillings. The word “tangyuan” (汤圆) sounds like “tuányuán” (团圆), which means reunion and togetherness. Therefore, tangyuan is a symbol of family reunion. Eating tangyuan symbolises family unity, harmony, and happiness, and expresses hope for a successful year. Families gather to have them, reinforcing the importance of love and connection within the whole family.
After dinner, my family and I (Kristy) went to join festival celebrations organised by the community to solve lantern riddles and enjoy hanging up the beautiful lanterns. Sometimes, we light a few of them for decoration at home. My grandparents usually worshiped deities and prayed for blessings and good fortune for a prosperous year at home or in the temples.
Even if I am far from China for this year’s festival, I would still embrace the spirit of the Lantern Festival and carry on the tradition through food, lanterns, and cultural events. As long as we remember we are Chinese and where we are from, we could celebrate the lantern festival with hope, joy, and unity wherever we are!
Image credit: Billy Kwok on Unsplash