Lantern Festival Legend Composition

There are several interesting legends about the origin of the Lantern Festival. It is said that a long time ago, a god bird got lost and landed on the earth, but was accidentally shot by an unsuspecting hunter. Emperor Tiandi was very angry when he learned that, so he ordered the heavenly soldiers to set fire to the world on the fifteenth day of the first month and burn all mankind to death. The daughter of the Emperor of Heaven was kind-hearted, and could not bear to see the innocent suffering of the people, so she risked her life to tell the people the news. When people heard the news, it was like a blow to the head. I'm too scared to 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 hangs red lanterns, lights firecrackers and sets 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 fifteenth night of the first month, the mountain soldiers looked down and found that there was red light in the world, thinking it was the flame of a big fire, and told the Emperor not to set fire to the ground. People thus 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.

Another 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. If someone in the palace offended Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, Dong Fangshuo always intervened. One winter, it snowed heavily for a few days, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty felt a little bored. 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 crying and preparing 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 not seen her family since she entered the palace. Every spring comes, I miss my family more than usual. She thought that since she could not be filial to her parents, she might as well die, so she came to the well. Dong Fangshuo sympathized with her after hearing what happened to her, and assured her that she would try her best to reunite her with her family. On this day, after Dong Fangshuo left the palace, he 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 big panic in Chang 'an. People are looking for a solution to the disaster. Dong Fangshuo said, "On the night of the 13th day of the first month, Vulcan will send a goddess in red to visit the earth. She is the messenger who was ordered to burn Chang 'an. If you see a girl in red riding a pink silver donkey, kneel down and beg at once. The girl said, "I'm here to burn Chang 'an. The Jade Emperor will stand on the worse gate and watch. Since my father pleaded with me, I will give you the copied poems and let the current 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 saw that it read: "Chang 'an robbed, burned the palace, caught fire on the 16th, and had a red midnight snack." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was shocked and hurriedly invited Dong Fangshuo, who was resourceful. 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? /kloc-You can let Yuanxiao package jiaozi on the evening of 0/5. Long live the incense and offerings, and order every family in Kyoto to pack jiaozi and worship Vulcan together. Then he told his subjects to hang lanterns, light firecrackers and set off fireworks together in Izayoi, making the city full of fires, so as to deceive the Jade Emperor. In addition, inform the people outside the city that Izayoi will go to the city to watch the lights, so as to eliminate disasters and solve problems. " . Liang Wudi was very happy after hearing this, so he ordered him to do it according to Dong Fangshuo's method. On the 16th day of the first month, Chang 'an City was decorated with colorful lights, and the tourists were bustling and very lively. Yuanxiao's parents 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 parents and sister. After such a busy night, Chang 'an was safe. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was overjoyed, so he ordered that glutinous rice balls should be made for Vulcan on the fifteenth day of the first month of each year, and the whole city would be decorated with lanterns and set off fireworks on the sixteenth day of the first month. Because jiaozi cooked by Yuanxiao is the best, people call it Yuanxiao, and this day is called Lantern Festival.