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Each year, the townspeople celebrated being saved from destruction by lighting lanterns. The emperor saw the lit lanterns, assumed the town was already on fire, and saw no need to intervene. A fairy visited the townspeople and told them to light lanterns that night. To punish the people of the town, the emperor threatened to burn it. Others say that the festival’s origins tell the story of an emperor who became angry at the townspeople for killing his favorite goose. The general population mimicked this practice, and the festival was born. Buddhist monks would light lanterns on this particular night to honor Buddha. Some say that the festival was first celebrated during the Han Dynasty. Since the Lantern Festival has such a long history, there are some discrepancies in its origin. The Lantern Festival is the last day of the celebrations. Unlike the one night of fun that usually occurs to celebrate the new year in the United States, the Chinese celebrate for 15 days when a new year begins. The Spring Lantern Festival celebrates the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Those festivals usually occur in the middle part of autumn. The Chinese Lantern Festival is called the “Spring Lantern Festival.” This festival should not be confused with other lantern festivals celebrated in Singapore and Malaysia. Finally, you will also learn the traditions most commonly associated with the festival. You will learn the history and purpose of the festival as well as where it is celebrated. Let’s figure out why these objects are so important in the Chinese culture by learning about the Chinese Lantern Festival. Interesting Facts About the Chinese Lantern Festival.How Do You Celebrate the Lantern Festival?.When Does the Lantern Festival Take Place?.What Is the Purpose of the Chinese Lantern Festival?.
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Why are these objects so commonly used to decorate Chinese restaurants? Why do you associate red paper lanterns with the Chinese New Year ? Jump ahead to these sections: You may associate red paper lanterns with the Chinese culture, but you may not know why.
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