Lantern Festival is one of the major Chinese traditional festivals that culminates the two-week Spring Festival. It falls on the first night of the year that has a full moon.

On this Chinese traditional festival, people mark the beginning of spring by eating sweet dumplings served in soup called Yuanxiao or Tangyuan, a symbol of staying together. They also watch fireworks – believed to drive away evil spirits – and lighting lanterns – symbols of bright future.

Legend has it that the Chinese people first started to light lanterns after heeding the advice of the good-hearted daughter of the Jade Emperor in heaven. Once, the Jade Emperor was upset with a town after learning that its town people had murdered his sacred bird. The Jade Emperor vowed vengeance. Upon learning this, his daughter warned the town. She told one of its people to light up lanterns to trick the Jade Emperor into thinking that the town is in flames and that his bird has already been avenged. Since then, the lighting of the lanterns has become part of the important Chinese traditional festivals of the people.

This important Chinese traditional festival is also an occasion for the Chinese to exhibit their modern creativity by making lanterns of various shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. Some lanterns are also plastered with curious riddles to be solved by revelers of this Chinese traditional festival.