Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Jie) Beijing

Falling on the 15th day of the first lunar month, The Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Jie), Beijing is on of the major festivals celebrated at Beijing. The Lantern festival is also called the Feast of the First Full Moon and is celebrated with great fun and fervor.

The origin of the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Jie), Beijing is traced to the ancient times and is a ceremony to bring the light and warmth of the sun after the cold winters. It is also considered as a ceremony to pray for rains for the spring plantation.

As the name suggests you can witness the sale and displaying of paper lanterns in Beijing during this interesting festival. From cubical, round, square, circular, oblong, thin, qudraped, biped or in the shape of animals you will find lanterns of all shapes and sizes in the Lantern Festival of Beijing. Besides, you will also find lanterns in human shape representing children or gods and goddess which are beautifully painted with blue, red and yellow color representing joy and festivity.

Then there are expensive lanterns with historical scenes or individual characters and are covered with gauze or thin white silk.

The houses are beautifully decorated with lanterns and prayer offered to the deity during this festive occasion. Lavish feasting is another major part of the Lantern Festival, (Yuanxio Jie), Beijing. Eating of Tang Yuan or Yuan Xiao is a food custom that is still followed in the Lantern Festival.

Stilt dances and painted faces are still another major highlights of the Lantern festival. Most common forms of dance are the dragon dance and the lion dance, besides men with false beards and painted faces are a common sight at the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Jie), Beijing.

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