February is a month for celebrations. This year, we welcomed the Lunar New Year in early-February and celebrated Valentine’s Day in mid-February. Another cultural celebration is approaching: the Lantern Festival!
The Lantern Festival, or yanxiaojie, is a traditional Chinese celebration. According to the lunisolar calendar, the festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the first month. The celebration usually falls in February according to the Gregorian calendar, and this year it will take place on February 19. In China, the Lantern Festival marks the final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Food: Tangyuan and Yuanxiao
The symbolic foods eaten during the celebration are tangyuan and yuanxiao, which are two similar types of rice balls. The fillings can vary, though some popular ones are sesame paste and red bean paste. In recent years, innovative rice balls—with chocolate filling or flower-flavor filling—have also emerged. In my hometown, yuanxiao is not exclusive to the Lantern Festival, but also common in meals in daily life.
Lanterns
In my hometown, people go to a huge lantern fair. Lanterns vary from traditional ones lit by candles to modern ones powered by batteries. Traditional lanterns are usually in the appearance of lotuses and rabbits, whereas modern pieces may appear as cartoon characters. Lantern makers often write riddles in the lanterns, and on the night of the Lantern Festival, the colorful lanterns in different sizes and fireworks light up the sky.
Yuan in yuanxiaojie (the Lantern Festival) means the round shape or unity in Chinese. Solve the riddles. Watch the lanterns. Enjoy the rice balls. Unite with your family in this cultural celebration!