The Lantern Festival, also called Shangyuan Festival, is held on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar. According to folk customs, during that evening, every household eats Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) for dinner and hangs lanterns on the house. Therefore, that night is also called "Lantern's Eve".
In ancient times, lanterns made in Wuxi were very delicate. Hudai was also famous for their fine lanterns. Locals carved exquisite figures out of colorful glazed paper and pasted the figures onto the lanterns, which were called Taihu Lanterns. Another kind of lantern was made with gauze. Flowers, birds and other natural figures made out of colorful paper were pasted on the gauze. Lanterns with a cover like this were more beautiful.
According to the historical accounts of past events in Wuxi City, during the night of the Lantern Festival, people would go out of the city and climb to the top of Xishan Hill so that they could overlook the numerous lanterns in the city below. There were no street lamps at that time, so everything was in darkness at night. Throughout the year, it was only the night of the Lantern Festival that the city was brightly lit with all those lanterns. The Longguang Pagoda, on top of Xishan Hill, was also beautifully decorated with lanterns.
This year marks the year of the goat. Presently in Wuxi, various kinds of lanterns in the shape of sheep are being sold in stores along the sidewalk. Over 100 lanterns can be sold every day. Imagine how colorful it will be all over the city and suburban areas, as locals celebrate this year's Lantern Festival!
