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THE LANTERN FESTIVAL
(15th day of the 1st lunar month)
The Lantern Festival, which
dates back to the Han Dynasty of over 2000 years ago, marks the end of the Chinese New Year.
Legend has it that the Jade Emperor in Heaven was angry at a town, and wanted to burn it down. A fairy overheard the
plan and warned the city, telling them to light lanterns on the appointed day. The emperor, seeing the lit lanterns, believed
that the town was already burning, and so the town was spared.
The holiday is celebrated by displaying red lanterns everyone. There are also parades and fireworks.
THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
(5th day of the 5th lunar month)
This holiday is believed to have originated to celebrate the memory of Qu Yuan,
an ancient patriotic poet and native of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period. He offered the king proposals to
prevent political corruption, and due to the opinion of court officals, the king exiled him. When the State of Chu lost to the State
of Qin in 278 BC, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river on the 5th day
of the 5th lunar month. Local people were distraught, and went out in the boats to try and find his corpse, which was never
found.
Today,
people row out in dragon boats in memory of Qu Yuan's life and death. As an offering, they throw rice-filled banboo leaves
(zongzi) into the river. Legend has it that Qu Yuan's spirit told a townsperson that the dragon was taking the food
offerings, and that they should wrap the rice in bamboo leaves tied with five-colored thread, for the dragon was most afraid
of those two things.
The Mid-Autumn Festival
(15th day of the 8th month)
The Mid-Autumn Festival occurs when the moon is the fullest and largest to the eye.
There is a story that they tell children every festivall: There is a fairy living on the moon with a jade rabbit, in
a cold, crystal palace. Occasionally, a heavenly general would visit the fairy and bring wine, and the fairy would dance.
The dark spots on the moon are cast by the fairy's shadows.
In ancient times, people would offer elaborate cakes to the moon spirit. After the offering, families would eat the cakes
together. This is a very family-oriented holiday, where they all sit together outside, while eating moon cakes and thinking
of their relatives. There is a qoute, said by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, that is recited on such evenings: "I raise my head
to gave at the bright moon, and I drop my head to think of my old home."
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