The Lantern Festival in Yangshuo

We went to Yangshuo on Feb 9, joined in the gala of the traditional Lantern Festival (also called “Yuan Xiao Jie”) in Chinese lunar calendar today. It is also regarded as one of the two Chinese “St. Valentine’s Days”.

Family dinner, lanterns shows and having “Tang Yuan” (a kind of sweet dumplings) are three happy musts for the event.

Tonight in Yangshuo, lanterns shows were set up at various places near the mountains and rivers, we felt the romance with the Lotus Wishing Lanterns on the Li River, lovers light a wish-making lamp, putting their note of wishes in a lantern, lighted it up and let it go floating on the water.

Tables serving Yuan Xiao were setting up on the West Street. Yuan Xiao and Tang Yuan are balls of glutinous rice, sometimes rolled around a filling of sesame, peanuts, vegetable, or meat. Tang Yuan are often cooked in red-bean or other kinds of soup. The round shape symbolizes wholeness and unity.

Falling on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar Year, the Lantern Festival takes place under a full moon, and marks the end of Chinese New Year festivities. The Lantern Festival dates back to shrouded legends of the Han Dynasty over 2000 years ago.