The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the first full moon of the year and the official arrival of spring. Known by many names—Shàngyuán Festival (上元節), Yuánxiāojié (元宵節), "Little New Year" (小年), or Dēngjié (燈節) —it serves as the vibrant conclusion to the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. In 2024, this auspicious day fell on February 24th. In 2026, it fell on March 3rd.
Dating back as far as the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE–25 CE), the festival has always carried great significance. On this night, the streets come alive as children carry paper lanterns (提燈籠) and families gather to solve lantern riddles (猜燈謎), admire elaborate light displays (賞花燈), and eat yuánxiāo (元宵)—sweet glutinous rice balls that symbolize family unity.
While ancient lanterns were simple and predominantly red to symbolize good fortune, modern displays have evolved into complex, large-scale artistic creations, often shaped like the year’s zodiac animal.
I remember being very small, over 50 years ago, carrying my paper lantern to meet friends in the neighborhood. In those days, lanterns were fragile, flimsy things—constructed from thin wire and delicate paper, folded like a sideways accordion. Because they were lit by real candles, they were quite perilous! If a sudden gust of wind blew or if you didn't hold the lantern perfectly steady, the paper would catch fire and turn to ashes in seconds. For a child, this was a true "tragedy." To prevent such a disaster, some resourceful kids made their own lanterns out of empty tin cans, which were much sturdier. Others had "fancy" versions with bamboo frames. Years later, plastic lanterns became common, allowing us to walk the streets without the constant fear of our decorations going up in flames.
After moving to the United States, I didn't visit Taiwan often for the first 20 years and lost touch with many of these traditions. However, when I returned in 2011, I was thrilled to experience the massive lantern exhibits. Since it was the Year of the Rabbit, the displays were filled with creative rabbit designs. I was particularly impressed by the lantern design competitions, featuring works by everyone from elementary schoolers to high school students. The atmosphere was electric—performance platforms featured singers, dancers, and acrobats, while crowds gathered for lively riddle-solving games. You could truly feel the joy and excitement in the bustling air; it was an unforgettable night.
元宵節是農曆正月十五，標誌著一年中的第一個滿月，也像徵著春天的正式到來。它有很多別名，例如上元節、元宵節、小正月、元夕、小年或燈節等等，是傳統中國新年慶祝活動的壓軸。 2024年，元宵節是 2 月 24 日；2026 年，元宵節是 3 月 3 日。
元宵節的歷史可以追溯到西漢時期（西元前 206 年 - 西元 25 年），一直以來都具有重要的意義。在這一天，街頭巷尾熱鬧非凡，孩子們提著紙燈籠，家人團聚，猜燈籠謎語，欣賞精美的燈飾，品嚐象徵家庭團聚的元宵——一種用糯米製成的甜糯米團子。
古代的燈籠造型簡單，以紅色為主，象徵好運；而現代的燈籠則演變成複雜的大型藝術作品，形狀通常為當年的生肖動物。
我記得我很小的時候（50多年前），我會在晚上提著紙燈籠與朋友一起四處遊逛慶祝元宵節。那時候的紙燈籠非常脆弱，它是用細鐵絲和薄紙製成的，看起來像個側向的手風琴。因為燈籠是用真蠟燭點亮的，所以非常危險！如果突然刮起一陣風，或是你沒能穩穩地拿著燈籠，紙燈籠就會著火，幾秒鐘內就會化為灰燼。對孩子來說，這簡直就是一場「悲劇」。為了避免這種災難，有些心靈手巧的孩子會用空的鐵罐自製燈籠，這種燈籠結實得多。還有一些孩子製作了「精美」的燈籠，用竹子做框架。多年後，塑膠燈籠開始普及，我們終於可以安心地走在街上，不用再擔心燈籠被燒毀了。
在我搬到美國的頭 20 年裡，我不常回台灣。我不記得許多過年的傳統活動。然而，2011年農曆新年期間我回台灣時，驚訝地發現那裡有盛大的燈會。由於正值兔年，展品中到處都是創意十足的兔子造型。燈籠設計比賽尤其令我印象深刻，參賽作品涵蓋了從小學生到高中生的各個年齡層。現場氣氛熱烈非凡——表演台上歌手、舞者和雜技演員輪番獻藝，人們也聚集在一起玩起了熱鬧的猜謎遊戲。熙熙攘攘的空氣中瀰漫著歡樂與興奮，那真是一個令人難忘的夜晚。
Yuanxiao (元宵) are glutinous rice balls typically filled with sweet red bean paste, black sesame paste, or chopped peanuts. In Chinese culture, the round shape of both the rice balls and the bowls they are served in symbolizes family togetherness. Eating yuanxiao is believed to bring harmony, happiness, and good fortune to the household in the coming year. Below are some creative arrangements of yuanxiao that people use to send festive blessings to their friends and families.
元宵是糯米糰，通常內餡是甜紅豆沙、黑芝麻沙或碎花生。在中國文化中，圓球的形狀，無論是圓球本身或盛放圓球的碗，都像徵著家庭團聚。人們相信，吃元宵能為家庭帶來來年的和睦、幸福和好運。以下是一些創意十足的元宵擺盤，人們用它們來向親朋好友送上節日的祝福。
There are several theories regarding the origins of the Lantern Festival, but its roots trace back more than 2,000 years. It is most commonly linked to the reign of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, a time when Buddhism was gaining influence across China. As a devoted advocate of Buddhism, Emperor Ming officially decreed that all households, temples, and the imperial palace must light lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to show respect. While there are many other colorful legends surrounding this day, I will leave those for the curious to explore elsewhere and focus instead on the traditions themselves.
關於元宵節的起源有多種說法，但其根源可以追溯到兩千年前。最常見的說法是，元宵節起源於漢明皇帝統治時期，當時佛教在中國各地迅速傳播。身為佛教的虔誠信徒，漢明皇帝頒布法令，規定農曆正月十五，所有家庭、寺廟和皇宮都必須點亮燈籠以示敬意。雖然元宵節還有許多其他精彩的傳說，但我在此不做贅述，而是著重介紹元宵節的傳統習俗。
In recent years, specialized companies have begun designing and constructing large-scale lantern installations to showcase this magical art across several areas in the United States. In 2018, we had the pleasure of visiting one of these spectacular displays at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
近年來，一些專業公司開始設計和建造大型燈籠裝置，在美國各地展示這種神奇的藝術。 2018 年，我們有幸參觀了洛杉磯植物園的其中一個壯觀的燈籠展示。
While sky lanterns have a history spanning several centuries, their use as a primary celebration for the Lantern Festival is a more recent development. I don’t recall seeing them during the festivities when I was young. Today, people write their heartfelt wishes and prayers for peace on the lanterns before releasing them into the night sky, hoping for a smooth and prosperous year ahead. It is believed that the higher your lantern flies, the luckier you will be. The sight of hundreds of lanterns drifting upward is truly breathtaking. A friend recently shared a video of a sky lantern release, and I’ve captured a few screenshots to show you just how beautiful the scenery is.
天燈的歷史可以追溯到幾個世紀以前，但將其作為元宵節的主要慶祝活動卻是近些年的事。我小時候過元宵節的時候，好像沒看過天燈。如今，人們會在天燈上寫下心願，祈求新的一年平安、萬事如意，然後將它們放飛到夜空中。人們相信，天燈飛得越高，運氣就越好。數百盞天燈緩緩升空的景象真是令人嘆為觀止。最近，一位朋友分享了一段放天燈的視頻，我截取了一些畫面，想讓大家也感受一下這美景。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Lantern Festival
- 維基百科: 元宵節
XYZ/Inspirational Posts 其它雜類或勵志帖子
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