In the Ming Dynasty, after Zhu Yuanzhang assumed the throne in Jinling, in order to make the capital city prosperous and lively, he also stipulated that the eighth day of the first month should be lit, seventeen lights, and even ten nights, every household hung five-color lanterns, and various characters were depicted on the lanterns, dancing , Birds fly flowers. Dragon leaps and dives, lanterns and fireworks shine all night. Drumming and amusement. Noisy Dadan, this is the longest Lantern Festival in China. In the Qing Dynasty, the Manchus ruled the Central Plains. The palace no longer held lantern festivals, but the folk lantern festivals were still spectacular. The date was shortened to five days and continues to this day.
"Guessing lantern riddles", also called "playing lantern riddles", is an activity added after the Lantern Festival. Lantern riddles were first developed from riddles and originated in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It is a literary game full of ridicule, discipline, humor and laughter. The riddle hangs on the lamp for people to guess and shoot, starting in the Southern Song Dynasty. "Wulin Old Events · Lighting" records: "Write poems with silk lamps, laugh at times, and draw figures, Tibetan hidden words, and old Jinghua to tease pedestrians." Lantern Festival, the city never sleeps, and lanterns are enjoyed in spring At the meeting, the people were miscellaneous, the book of poetry and mystery was in the lamp, reflected in the candle, and listed in the Tongqu. Anyone could guess it, so it was called "lamp riddle". Now every Lantern Festival, lantern riddles are played everywhere, hoping to be happy and safe this year. Because riddles can enlighten wisdom and have a lot of interest, they are very popular among all walks of life in the process of circulation.
Various juggling skills began to appear in the city of Tang and Song Dynasties. In addition to lantern riddles and hundreds of operas and dances in the lantern markets of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, drama performances were added. In addition to visiting the city of lanterns in the past, people have also customed to welcome Zigu to worship the god of the toilet, cross the bridge and get rid of all kinds of diseases, such as hitting Taiping drums, Yangge, stilt, dragon dance, lion dance and other games. The Lantern Festival in traditional society is a folk festival that is valued by both urban and rural areas. It is particularly lively in the city, and it reflects the unique carnival spirit of the Chinese people. The traditional festival functions carried by the traditional Lantern Festival have been dispelled by daily life, people have gradually lost their common spiritual interest, and complex festivals have been simplified to the "customs of eating Lantern Festival".
