Chinese Lantern Festival

Introduction to China's Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival, also known as Yuan Xiao Festival, is one of China’s traditional celebrations of the Lunar New Year, typically observed on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. In 2025, the Lantern Festival falls on February 12th. On this day, people across the country light up colorful lanterns to pray for good luck and happiness in the new year and engage in various festive activities.

Celebrating the Lantern Festival

How the Festival is Celebrated Across China

  • Northern regions (e.g., Beijing): Traditionally, people eat yuanxiao, round glutinous rice balls with sweet or savory fillings. Additionally, Beijing hosts temple fairs and grand lantern displays showcasing exquisite lanterns.
  • Southern regions (e.g., Guangzhou): The preference is for tangyuan, similar to yuanxiao but usually sweet. The banks of the Pearl River in Guangzhou dazzle with light shows and fireworks displays.
  • Southwestern regions (e.g., Chengdu): Chengdu celebrates with lantern viewing and sky lantern releases, with citizens gathering in parks or along riverbanks to send their wishes for the future aloft in sky lanterns.

Customs and Traditions

  • Eating Tangyuan/Yuanxiao: Symbolizing reunion, these glutinous rice balls are an indispensable delicacy during the festival, representing family unity.
  • Solving Lantern Riddles: Riddles are written on lanterns, and participants engage in guessing the answers, enlivening the atmosphere and broadening knowledge.
  • Lion Dancing: A traditional folk performance often seen during the festival to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck.
  • Stilt Walking: Performers on tall stilts perform various challenging maneuvers.
  • Viewing Lanterns: An essential activity of the Lantern Festival, where various beautiful lanterns embody hopes for a prosperous future.
  • Playing Taiping Drums: Traditional celebratory drumming accompanies lion dancing to enhance the festive atmosphere.
  • Dragon Lantern Parade: A traditional folk art featuring large dragon lanterns weaving through the crowd, creating a spectacular and rhythmic display.
  • Fireworks: The night sky of the Lantern Festival is often lit up with colorful fireworks, bringing the celebrations to a climax.

How to Participate in the Lantern Festival in China

Celebrations in Major Cities

  • Shanghai: The famous lantern fair at Yuyuan Garden showcases various lanterns from across the country.
  • Beijing: Apart from traditional temple fairs, one can also enjoy the lantern festival along Chang’an Avenue.
  • Guangzhou: The light shows and fireworks on the banks of the Pearl River are a major highlight.

Celebrating at Home

  • Make your own tangyuan or yuanxiao.
  • DIY family lanterns, decorating your home together.
  • Watch or participate in online Lantern Festival celebrations.

Lantern Festival in Asia

Vietnam (Tết Nguyên Tiêu)

In Vietnam, the Lantern Festival is considered an important cultural celebration. People visit temples to pray and release flower lanterns into the sky at night, symbolizing their hopes for the future.

Japan’s Lantern Festival Celebrations

  • Drinking red bean porridge: A traditional celebration symbolizing health and longevity.
  • Eating mochi (rice cakes): Often associated with festive celebrations, symbolizing reunion and happiness for the New Year.
  • Fire Rituals: Some areas hold fire rituals to ward off evil and wish for good luck in the coming year.
  • Mochibana (rice cake flowers): Traditional Japanese decorations made from mochi, often displayed during the festival.
  • Visiting Lantern Displays (Toro Nagashi): People enjoy viewing various lanterns, typically displayed around shrines or temples, adding to the festive ambiance.

South Korea’s Lantern Festival Celebrations

In South Korea, the full moon of the first lunar month is a significant traditional celebration. People eat multigrain rice (containing five different grains symbolizing health and abundance) and engage in various cultural and family activities, such as drumming and lion dancing.

Lantern Festival Dates Over the Past Decade

Tracking the dates of the Lantern Festival over the past ten years helps visitors and locals understand the variability of the festival’s timing, as it follows the lunar calendar. Below are the dates for the Lantern Festival from 2016 to 2025:

  • 2016: February 22
  • 2017: February 11
  • 2018: March 2
  • 2019: February 19
  • 2020: February 8
  • 2021: February 26
  • 2022: February 15
  • 2023: February 5
  • 2024: February 24
  • 2025: February 12

Chinese Holidays and Festivals Guide

Learn dates, customs, and celebrations of major Chinese holidays to effectively plan your vacations and trips.