The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, the Little New Year's Month, the Yuan Xi Festival or the Lantern Festival, is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month every year. Its origin is said to have been formed as early as the Han Dynasty, Emperor Ming advocated Buddhism, heard that Buddhism has the practice of monks viewing Buddha relics on the fifteenth day of the first month, lighting lamps to worship Buddha, and ordered this night to light lamps in the palace and temples to worship Buddha, so that the common people of the scholar clan all hang lamps. Later, this kind of Buddhist ritual festival gradually formed a folk grand festival custom. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, it was decreed that the fifteenth day of the first lunar month should be designated as the Lantern Festival. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrificial activities of the "Taiyi God" were set on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (Taiyi: the god who ruled over all the universe). When Sima Qian created the "Taichu Calendar", he had already identified the Lantern Festival as a major festival. Another theory is that the custom of lighting lanterns during the Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist "Three Yuan Theory": the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Shangyuan Festival, the fifteenth day of July is the Zhongyuan Festival, and the fifteenth day of October is the Xiayuan Festival. The three elements in charge of the upper, middle and lower elements are the three officials of heaven, earth and man, and the heavenly officials are happy, so the Shangyuan Festival should be lit with lamps.
The festival period and festival activities of the Lantern Festival are extended and expanded with the development of history. As far as the length of the festival is concerned, the Han Dynasty is only one day, to the Tang Dynasty has been three days, the Song Dynasty is as long as five days, the Ming Dynasty is from the eighth day of the first month, until the night of the seventeenth day of the first month, the whole ten days. Connected with the Spring Festival, the city is lively during the day, and the lights are lit at night, which is spectacular. In particular, the delicate and colorful lights make it the climax of entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. In the Qing Dynasty, dragon dances, lion dances, dry boats, stilts, Yangge twisting and other "hundred opera" content were added, but the festival was shortened to four to five days.
In the poems of ancient literati, the Lantern Festival was often endowed with special emotions and imagery. These poems not only depict the lively scene of the Lantern Festival, but also convey the poet's emotions and ideals through elements such as lights and bright moons.
The Lantern Festival has a close relationship with lanterns. In ancient times, people would light up all kinds of lanterns on this day to illuminate the night, forming a bright sea of lights. The Tang Dynasty poet Su Wei's "The Fifteenth Night of the First Lunar Month" vividly depicts this scene: "The fire trees and silver flowers are closed, and the iron lock of the star bridge is opened. The dark dust goes with the horse, and the bright moon comes one by one. In the poem, "Fire Tree Silver Flower" vividly depicts the light of the lantern shining like fire tree silver flower, while "Star Bridge Iron Lock Open" suggests that people break the shackles of ordinary life and enjoy themselves on this day. Through delicate brushstrokes, the poet vividly shows the excitement and festivity of the Lantern Festival.
In addition to lanterns, the bright moon of the Lantern Festival is also the object of chanting by literati and artists. Ouyang Xiu of the Song Dynasty (the author is Zhu Shuzhen) is one of the classics: "On the New Year's Eve last year, the flower market was as light as day. The willow tops on the moon, people about after dusk. In the poem, the poet uses the bright moonlight to create a romantic atmosphere, which makes people feel the beauty and warmth of the night of the Lantern Festival. At the same time, the sentence "people make an appointment after dusk" expresses people's expectations and yearning for love on the occasion of the Lantern Festival.
Xin Qiji's "Qingyu Case: Yuan Xi" integrates the lights of the Lantern Festival with people's emotions: "Thousands of trees bloom on the night of the east wind. More blows down, stars like rain. BMW carved cars are full of fragrance. The sound of the phoenix flute moves, the light of the jade pot turns, and the fish and dragon dance all night. Moth snow willow ** wisps. The laughter is full of dark fragrance. The crowd is looking for him. Suddenly looking back, the man was there, and the lights were dim. In the words, "Thousands of Trees Blooming on the Night of the East Wind" vividly depicts the brilliant scene of the Lantern Festival night, while "BMW carved cars are full of fragrance" shows the joy and prosperity of people on this day. Through delicate brushstrokes, the lyricist closely connects the lights of the Lantern Festival with people's emotions, showing a unique charm and emotion.
The Lantern Festival is not only a joyful festival, but also a place of expectations and visions for life. In ancient times, it was believed that lighting lanterns would dispel darkness and bring light and hope. Therefore, the lights of the Lantern Festival have also become a symbol of hope in people's hearts. Wang Anshi of the Song Dynasty wrote in "The Fifteenth Night of the First Lunar Month": "The moon in the sky is full and the moon is on earth, and the song is full of golden lotus hair." Thousands of trees are decorated with colorful lanterns, and the dancing sleeves are dancing. By depicting the full moon in the sky and the lights in the world, the poet expresses people's yearning and pursuit of a better life.
In addition, the Lantern Festival is also a day of reunion. On this day, no matter where people are, they strive to return home to be with their families. This feeling of reunion is also fully reflected in ancient poetry. As the Tang Dynasty poet Cui Li wrote in "Shangyuan Night": "The jade leaks the silver pot and does not urge, and the iron gate and gold lock are open." Who can sit idly when they see the moon? Where do you not see the lights? In the poem, the poet conveys people's desire for reunion and happiness by depicting people competing to admire the moon and watch the lanterns.
The Lantern Festival carries rich cultural connotations and emotional experiences in the poems of ancient literati. Whether it is to depict the bright light of lanterns, or to express the yearning and pursuit of a better life of reunion, or to express the hope and vision for the future, these poems show us the unique charm and value of the Lantern Festival. In today's fast-paced era, perhaps we should cherish the deep meaning and emotional value contained in these traditional festivals, and let them become a haven for our souls and spiritual sustenance.