Festival of Lanterns

Celebrating Chinese Festivals: A Collection... Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday...

Lanterns and Firecrackers: A Chinese New Year Story Ni Hao, Kai-Lan Dragon Boat Festival

Lantern making is a tradition going back many centuries which children still continue. In many places the children have their own parade through the streets at night to show the lanterns they have made.

The Festival of Lanterns is the finale of the Chinese New Year celebrations. It takes place on the fifteenth day of the New Year. Everywhere in China and in Chinese communities the world over (including homes, any business premises which are open, even the streets) is decorated with lanterns of all sizes. The lanterns are usually red, because red is considered to be lucky, and may be decorated with traditional scenes. On the day of the Festival of Lanterns there is much music and dancing in the streets.

The Festival of Lanterns originated as a local festival in Zigong, Szechuan province, but was so popular it was copied in other great cities of China. If you wish to see the absolutely authentic Festival of Lanterns in its original setting, Zigong is the place to go.