\tChinese New Year includes two weeks of celebration with most activities taking place on just three days: New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the last day of Chinese New Year. Here's what you should know about the Lantern Festival, including the symbolism of the celebration and which characters to write on your own lantern to wish in Chinese.<\/p>\n
\tWhat Is the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival?<\/p>\n
\tEvery year, on the last day of Chinese New Year, families from Taiwan to China place colorful lanterns outside their homes and launch them into the night sky. Each lantern corresponds to a particular wish the family has for the new year, with the colors having various meanings. For example, sending off a red lantern represents a wish for good fortune, while orange symbolizes money and white symbolizes good health.<\/p>\n
\tThere are many stories about why this festival takes places. For example, in one of the origin legends, Emperor Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unite China, held the first Lantern Festival to ask Taiyi, the ancient god of heaven, for health and good weather.<\/p>\n
\tIn another of these legends, which is rooted in Taoism, the Lantern Festival was first put on to celebrate the birthday of Tianguan, the god of good fortune. Other explanations center around the Jade Emperor, and a maid named Yuan Xiao.<\/p>\n
\tWish in Chinese: What to Write on Your Lantern<\/p>\n
\tThe festival has changed a lot over the years. Simple handheld paper lanterns have been replaced with elaborate colorful lanterns of all shapes and sizes. But the tradition of sending wishes to be granted into the sky has remained. Many revelers enjoy writing riddles or wishes on the lanterns before sending them airborne. Here are some examples of what you may want to write on your own lantern, include the Chinese symbols and pronunciation.<\/p>\n
\tOnward and upward: \u6b65\u6b65\u9ad8\u6607 (bù bù g\u0101osh\u0113ng)
\tGood health: \u8eab\u9ad4\u5065\u5eb7 (sh\u0113nt\u01d0 jiànk\u0101ng)
\tAll wishes come true: \u5fc3\u60f3\u4e8b\u6210 (x\u012bn xi\u01ceng shì chén)
\tBe happy and carry laughter all the time: \u7b11\u53e3\u5e38\u958b (xiào k\u01d2u cháng k\u0101i)
\tBusiness will grow and get better: \u4e8b\u696d\u84b8\u84b8\u65e5\u4e0a\u958b (shìyè zh\u0113ng zh\u0113ngrì shàngk\u0101i)
\tEverything will be lucky and go smoothly: \u842c\u4e8b\u5927\u5409 (wànshìdàjí)
\tThings will happen as you wish: \u4e8b\u4e8b\u5982\u610f\u3001\u5fc3\u60f3\u4e8b\u6210 (shì shì rúyì, x\u012bn xi\u01ceng shì chéng)
\tPass an entrance exam and get enrolled in a school: \u91d1\u699c\u984c\u540d (j\u012bnb\u01ceng tímíng)
\tHarmonious family and prosperous life: \u5bb6\u548c\u842c\u4e8b\u8208 (ji\u0101 hé wànshì x\u012bng)
\tWork smoothly: \u5de5\u4f5c\u9806\u5229 (g\u014dngzuò shùnlì)
\tQuickly find Mr. Right: \u65e9\u65e5\u627e\u5230\u5982\u610f\u90ce\u541b (z\u01ceorì zh\u01ceodào rúyì láng j\u016bn)
\tMake a fortune: \u8cfa\u9322\u767c\u5927\u8ca1 (zhuànqián f\u0101 dà cái)<\/p>\n