Historical allusions of Lantern Festival

Historical allusions of Lantern Festival

The Historical Allusions of Lantern Festival Just after the Spring Festival, it ushered in the Lantern Festival, one of the traditional festivals of Han nationality in China. The fifteenth day of the first month is the first full moon night in a year and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. Let's take a look at the historical allusions and related materials of the Lantern Festival.

Historical allusions of the Lantern Festival 1 Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, which existed in the Western Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. During the reign of Emperor Wen, the fifteenth day of the first month was designated as the Lantern Festival. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrificial activities of "Taiyi God" were scheduled for the 15th day of the first month. Taiyi: the God who rules the universe. When Sima Qian created the taichu calendar Law, he had already identified the Lantern Festival as a major festival.

Lantern Festival began in the period of Emperor Han Ming in the East. Ming Di advocates Buddhism. It is said that on the fifteenth day of the first month, the monks watched the Buddhist relics and lit lamps to worship Buddha, so they ordered to light lamps to worship Buddha in palaces and temples that night, so that all cremated people and ordinary people could hang lamps. Later, this Buddhist ceremonial festival gradually formed a grand folk festival. This festival has experienced the development process from the court to the people, and from the Central Plains to the whole country.

Another way of saying it is that the custom of burning lanterns in Lantern Festival originated from the "ternary theory" of Taoism; The fifteenth day of the first month is Shangyuan Festival, the fifteenth day of July is Zhongyuan Festival, and the fifteenth day of October is Xiayuan Festival. The officials in charge of the upper, middle and lower elements are heaven, earth and man respectively. The celestial officials are happy and the Lantern Festival should be lit.

There are several interesting legends about the origin of the Lantern Festival:

Legend of lamp

Legend has it that a long time ago, there were many fierce birds and beasts everywhere that hurt people and livestock, so people organized to defeat them. A god bird was trapped and landed on the earth, but was accidentally shot by an unsuspecting hunter. The Emperor of Heaven was very angry when he learned that. He immediately issued a decree, ordering the heavenly soldiers to set fire to the land on the fifteenth day of the first month, burning all the people, livestock and property. The daughter of the Emperor of Heaven is kind-hearted. She couldn't bear to see the innocent suffering of the people, so she risked her life and secretly rushed Xiangyun to the world to tell people the news. When people heard the news, it was like a blow to the head. I'm so scared that I don't know what to do. After a long time, an old man came up with an idea. He said: "On the 14th, 15th and 16th of the first month, every family decorated their houses, set off firecrackers and set off fireworks. In this way, the emperor will think that people have been burned to death. "

Everyone nodded and said yes, and they were ready to go separately. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first month, the emperor looked down and found that for three consecutive nights, the world was red and the noise was deafening. He thought it was the flame of a big fire, and soon. In this way, people saved their lives and property. In order to commemorate this success, every household hangs lanterns and sets off fireworks on the fifteenth day of the first month to commemorate this day.

Legend of Lantern Festival: Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty set it up to commemorate Pinglu.

Another legend is that the Lantern Festival was established by Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty to commemorate Pinglu. After the death of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, Lv Hou's son Liu Ying became Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty. Hui Di was born weak and indecisive, and power gradually fell into the hands of Lv Hou. After the death of Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty, he monopolized the state affairs and turned Liu's world into Lu's. Senior officials in the DPRK and Liu Zongshi were deeply indignant at this, but they were afraid of cruelty and dared not tell anyone.

After Lv Hou's death, Zhu Lu has been in a state of anxiety, afraid of being hurt and excluded. So, in the general's home, they secretly assembled and plotted to make trouble in order to completely seize Liu's country.

This incident reached the ears of Liu Nang, the king of the Liu clan. In order to protect Liu Jiangshan, Liu Nang decided to attack Zhu Lu, and got in touch with the founding fathers to make a plot. The "Zhu-Lu Rebellion" was finally completely put down.

After the rebellion, the ministers made Liu Heng, the second son of Liu Bang, the Chinese Emperor. Deeply impressed by the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen designated the 15th day of the first month of the first month, when the "Zhu Lu Rebellion" was put down, as a day to have fun with the people, and every household in Beijing celebrated with lanterns and colorful decorations. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first month has become a folk festival celebrated all over the world-"Lantern Festival"

Dong Fangshuo and Yuanxiao Girl

This legend is related to the custom of eating Yuanxiao: According to legend, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a favorite named Dong Fangshuo, who was kind and funny. One winter, it snowed heavily for several days, and Dong Fangshuo went to the Imperial Garden to fold plum blossoms for Emperor Wu. As soon as I entered the garden gate, I found a maid-in-waiting in tears ready to throw herself into the well. Dong Fangshuo rushed forward to help and asked her why she committed suicide. It turns out that this maid-in-waiting is named Yuanxiao, and there are parents and a sister at home. She has never seen her family since she entered the palace. Every spring comes, I miss my family more than usual. I think in front of my parents, I would rather die than be filial. Dong Fangshuo expressed deep sympathy for her suffering and assured her that she would try her best to reunite with her family.

One day, Dong Fangshuo left the palace and set up a divination pavilion on Chang 'an Avenue. Many people are scrambling to find him for divination. Unexpectedly, what everyone wants is the signature of "burning us on the 16th day of the first month". Suddenly, there was a panic in Chang 'an. People are looking for a solution to the disaster. Dong Fangshuo said, "On the 13th night of the first month, Vulcan will send a goddess in red to visit the earth. She is the messenger who ordered the burning of Chang 'an. I'll give you the copied poem and let the emperor do something. " Say that finish, then dropped a red pillar and roared off. The people picked up the red post and quickly sent it to the palace to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took it and read: "Chang 'an is robbing, and the imperial palace is being burned. It has been burning for fifteen days, and the midnight snack is red." He was so scared that he hurriedly invited resourceful Dong Fangshuo. Dong Fangshuo thought for a moment and said, "I heard that Vulcan likes to eat dumplings. Don't Yuanxiao in the palace often make dumplings for you? Let Yuanxiao package jiaozi on 15th night. Long live the incense and offerings, and order every family in Kyoto to pack jiaozi and worship Vulcan together. Then tell the subjects to hang lights together on the fifteenth night and set off firecrackers and fireworks all over the city, as if the whole city were on fire, so that the jade emperor could be fooled. In addition, the people outside the city were informed that they would go to the city to watch the lights on the fifteenth night, and they would eliminate disasters and solve problems in the crowd. Liang Wudi was very happy after hearing this, so he ordered him to do it according to Dong Fangshuo's method.

On the fifteenth day of the first month, Chang 'an City was decorated with colorful lights, crowded with tourists and very lively. The parents of the maid-in-waiting Yuanxiao also took their sister to the city to see the lights. When they saw the big palace lantern with the words "Yuanxiao" written on it, they shouted in surprise: "Yuanxiao! Lantern Festival! " When Yuanxiao heard the shouts, she was finally reunited with her relatives at home.

After such a busy night, Chang 'an was safe. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was overjoyed and ordered that glutinous rice balls should be made for Vulcan every year on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the fifteenth day of the first month, the whole city was decorated with lanterns and set off fireworks. Because jiaozi cooked by Yuanxiao is the best, people call it Yuanxiao, and this day is called Lantern Festival.

Historical allusions of Lantern Festival 2 The formation of Lantern Festival custom has a long process. According to historical data and folklore, the fifteenth day of the first month was paid attention to in the Western Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's activity of offering sacrifices to Taiyi (Taiyi: the God who rules all things in the world) in Ganquan Palace on the moonlit night was regarded by later generations as the precursor of offering sacrifices to the gods on the fifteenth day of the first month. However, the fifteenth day of the first month is indeed a folk festival after the Han and Wei Dynasties. The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty is of great significance to the formation of Lantern Festival customs.

During the Yongping period of Emperor Hanming (58- 175 AD), because Ming Di advocated Buddhism, it coincided with Cai Cheng's return from India to seek Buddha, saying that on the fifteenth day of the first month of Mohatuo, India, monks gathered to pay tribute to the relics, which was an auspicious day to participate in Buddhism. In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Hanming ordered lanterns to be lit in palaces and temples on the fifteenth night of the first month to show the Buddha. Therefore, the custom of burning lanterns on the fifteenth night of the first month, with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and the addition of Taoist culture, gradually spread in China.

It is also said that Lantern Festival originated from Torch Festival. In the Han dynasty, people held torches in rural fields to drive away insects and wild animals, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a bumper harvest. To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still use reeds or branches as torches on the 15th day of the first month, and hold them high in groups and dance in fields or grain drying fields. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. Tens of thousands of people took part in singing and dancing, from faint to dark. With the changes of society and times, the custom of Lantern Festival has changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.

Another way of saying this is that the custom of burning lanterns in Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist ternary theory. The fifteenth day of the first month is Shangyuan Festival, the fifteenth day of July is Zhongyuan Festival, and the fifteenth day of October is Xiayuan Festival. The officials in charge of the upper, middle and lower elements are heaven, earth and man respectively. The celestial officials are happy and the Lantern Festival should be lit. The festivals and customs of Lantern Festival have been extended and expanded with the development of history. As far as the length of festivals is concerned, there is only one day in Han Dynasty, three days in Tang Dynasty and five days in Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, lights were lit from the eighth day of August until the seventeenth night of the first month, a total of ten days. Connected with the Spring Festival, it is a city during the day, full of excitement, and brightly lit at night, which is spectacular. Especially the exquisite and colorful lights make it the climax of entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. In the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of plays such as dragon dance, lion dance, roller boating, stilt walking and yangko dancing were added, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.

In the Qing Dynasty, there were more "hundred operas" such as dragon dancing, lion dancing, dry boating, walking on stilts and yangko dancing, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.

Historical allusions of Lantern Festival 3 Dong Fangshuo helps Lantern Festival girls meet relatives.

The custom of eating Yuanxiao originated from a legend: On a snowy day, when Dong Fangshuo, the favorite of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, went to the imperial garden to fold plums for Emperor Wu, he found a maid-in-waiting crying and preparing to jump into a well to commit suicide. I didn't know this woman's name was Yuanxiao until I asked, and it was the season of spring blossoms. I thought I would rather die than be filial to my parents. Dong Fangshuo expressed deep sympathy and promised to try her best to reunite her with her family.

Soon, Dong Fangshuo left the palace and set up a divination booth in the street. As a result, what everyone wants is "the fire on the 16th day of the first month".

Asked about the solution to the disaster, Dong Fangshuo said, "On the 13th night of the first month, Vulcan will send messengers to burn Chang 'an, which will remind the emperor of something." The people hurried to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was very scared when he heard the news, so he quickly invited Dong Fangshuo. Dong Fangshuo said with a pretence, "Vulcan likes to eat glutinous rice balls best, and let maids make Yuanxiao on 15th night. Long live the incense and offerings, and order every family in Kyoto to pack jiaozi and worship Vulcan together. Then tell the whole city to hang lights and set off fireworks, as if the whole city were on fire, so you can fool the jade emperor. People outside the city go to the city to watch the lights for fifteen nights and mix with the crowd to eliminate disasters and solve problems. " Liang Wudi immediately ordered Dong Fangshuo to do it.

On the night of the fifteenth day of the first month, Yuanxiao's family went to the town to see lanterns. The family is finally reunited. A safe night in Chang 'an. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ordered jiaozi to be wrapped for the Vulcan monarch on the 15th day of the first month every year, and the whole city was decorated with lanterns and set off fireworks. Jiaozi cooked by Yuanxiao is the best, so people call it Yuanxiao, and this day is called Lantern Festival.

Yuan Shikai forbids saying "Yuanxiao"

Yuan Shikai is not willing to be a big president, but also wants to be an emperor. Because his dream can't come true, he has been very upset. One day, his aunt said that she wanted to eat Yuanxiao. When' tis once spoken, Yuan Shikai gave her a slap in the face, because "Yuanxiao" and "Yuan Xiao" are homophonic. From then on, Yuan Shikai gave his men an order not to say "Yuanxiao" again, but only "Tangyuan". Later, someone wrote a jingle about this matter: "Poetry goes back to the previous dynasty, and water is steaming and boiling." Hong Xian issued a ban on selling Yuanxiao along the street.

Wang Anshi brought good luck to the Lantern Festival.

Lantern Festival The story of Wang Anshi, a famous official in the Northern Song Dynasty, who made good luck is widely circulated. When Wang Anshi was 20 years old, he went to Beijing to take the exam. He passed a place during the Lantern Festival. As he walked, he admired lanterns. He saw a large family with lanterns and couplets hanging under them to attract relatives. Lian Yue said: "Run with a lantern, the lantern will move and the lantern will stop." When Wang Anshi saw it, he couldn't answer it at the moment, so he kept it in his heart. When I arrived in Beijing, the examiner used the flying tiger flag fluttering in the wind to connect the "flying tiger flag, flying tiger flag and hiding tiger flag". Wang Anshi responded, recruited relatives and was taken as a Jinshi. I passed by that house when I returned home. I heard that no one was worthy of the wedding couplet, so I returned it to the examiner and was recruited as my husband. A coincidental couplet made Wang Anshi two happy events.