Lantern Festival: Celebrating the First Full Moon

Origins: From Temple Lights to National Carnival

The Lantern Festival, called Yuanxiaojie (元宵节) in Chinese, falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month — the first full moon of the Chinese calendar year. Its roots reach back more than 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 25), when it began as a temple ceremony honoring the Taoist concept of the Three Primes (Sanyuan). According to the China.org.cn, Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty first mandated lantern displays in the imperial palace and Buddhist temples to honor Buddha, giving rise to the custom that would eventually spread nationwide.

During the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the festival became a three-day public holiday — the first time it was officially recognized as a full-fledged celebration. Song Dynasty records indicate it expanded to five days, and under the Ming Emperor Wanli (reigned 1572–1620), the festivities stretched from the 8th day of the first lunar month until the 17th — a dazzling ten-day spectacle that drew participants from across society.

Tangyuan: Sweet Dumplings in Syrup

The festival's signature food is tangyuan (汤圆), glutinous rice balls filled with sweet or savory ingredients and boiled in a warm ginger-sugar broth. The round shape symbolizes family unity and completeness — the same symbolism carried by the full moon overhead.

In the north, tangyuan are often filled with black sesame paste, red bean, or peanut; southern variants may include pork or vegetable fillings. A more curious tradition involves hiding small objects inside a few tangyuan: a coin for wealth, a peanut for longevity, a red date for sweetness in romance. These surprise fillings transform the dessert into a playful communal experience.

"The eating of tangyuan marks not just the end of the New Year celebration but the restoration of normal routines — the lanterns dim, the red envelopes stop coming, and life resumes, carrying with it the hope kindled by the full moon."

The Art of Lantern Riddles

Dengmi (灯谜), or lantern riddles, are an intellectual tradition unique to this festival. Written on strips of paper and hung beneath lanterns, these puzzles range from simple character games to complex historical allusions. In places like the Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai — which in 2026 unveiled a record-breaking six-zone lantern installation connecting the classical garden with the Bund waterfront — the riddles have become elaborate multimedia experiences blending traditional wordplay with contemporary light technology.

The social dimension of lantern riddles is as important as the intellectual challenge: solving a riddle earns the solver a small prize, typically a paper lantern or a sweet snack, and creates an opportunity for strangers to interact in a spirit of shared playfulness.

Dragon and Lion Dances Under Paper Luminance

Paper lanterns — denglong (灯笼) — in every shape and color line streets and public spaces during the festival. Traditional designs include the lotus lantern, the rabbit lantern (a nod to the legend of Chang'e on the moon), and the paired fish lantern symbolizing abundance. In southern China, particularly in Guangdong and Fujian, elaborate lantern processions feature floats, percussion bands, and fire-breathing performances that can last well into the night.

Children traditionally carry glowing lanterns through their neighborhoods, a sight that, for many adults, serves as one of their most vivid childhood memories of the festival.

The Festival's Symbolic Close

Beyond its visual spectacle, the Lantern Festival carries important cultural meaning: it marks the formal end of the Spring Festival period. According to Chinese folk belief, the New Year taboos — restrictions on certain words, activities, and behaviors observed during the first days of the lunar year — are lifted after the lanterns are lit. Life returns to normal, but the warmth and connectivity cultivated during the holiday are expected to carry forward.

For those who work far from their hometowns, the Lantern Festival often marks the final day of reunion before the long journey back to the city — a bittersweet moment that gives the festival its particular emotional weight.

Sources: China.org.cn, Xinhua, Travel China Guide, Shanghai Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival 2026 reports