Lunar calendar元宵节
Lantern Festival marks a traditional close to the New Year celebrations. Lantern displays and round rice treats bring families and neighbourhoods together.
Story & background
Lantern Festival traditionally closes the New Year celebration period. What began as a night of lights and temple visits became a lively public tradition of lantern displays, riddles, and evening walks. The round shape of the lanterns and rice treats echoes ideas of reunion and wholeness.
Customs
- Look at lantern displays and solve lantern riddles.
- Join a public event only where it is safely organised.
- Share a family walk or an evening meal under the full moon.
Festival food
Tangyuan and yuanxiao are round glutinous-rice treats. Their fillings and preparation methods differ across regions.
Try this
Try one lantern riddle with a translation, then compare how tangyuan and yuanxiao are made in different cities.
Dates in this guide
2026: 2026-03-03 · 2027: 2027-02-20 · 2028: 2028-02-09
Useful word灯笼lantern