Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the first full moon of the new year and the grand finale of Chinese New Year celebrations. The festival dates back over 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty.

According to legend, the Jade Emperor was angered when a town killed his favorite crane. He planned to destroy the town with fire, but a fairy warned the people to light lanterns throughout the town so it would appear from heaven as if the town was already ablaze. The trick worked, and the tradition of lighting lanterns on this night was born.

Families eat tang yuan (glutinous rice balls in sweet soup), symbolizing togetherness and reunion. Colorful lanterns of all shapes and sizes are displayed and carried through the streets. Lantern riddles are a popular activity — riddles are written on lanterns for people to solve. Lion and dragon dances fill the streets. In Singapore, Chap Goh Meh is celebrated with the tradition of unmarried women throwing mandarin oranges into the sea to wish for a good husband.