The Lantern Festival, also known in China as the Yuan Xiao Festival or Shang Yuan Festival, with a history of more than 2,000 years, falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
It marks the end of the Spring Festival celebration and is also the first major festival after Chinese New Year.
The first lunar month is called the yuan month, and in ancient times, people called the night “xiao”; the 15th day is the first night to see a full moon in that lunar year. That is how the day earned its name as the Yuan Xiao Festival.
The Lantern Festival existed as early as 2,000 years ago, during Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD). Emperor Wu of Han took this day to offer sacrifices to "Taiyi"(the God who dominates the universe).
The practice of appreciating lanterns during this festival actually originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty (24-220 AD) under Emperor Ming’s reign.
n ancient China, young ladies were not allowed to go out freely except at the time of the Lantern Festival. It was once customary for single people to carry lit lanterns on the streets in hopes of finding their true love.
With the beautiful full moon and fancy lanterns, the Lantern Festival was romantic enough to be an occasion for young ladies to meet their lovers.
As time passed, however, the festival no longer had such an emphasis on romance.