Lantern Festival 元宵節

The Lantern Festival is coming 2 days later, it is a traditional Chinese festival that marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations. It falls on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which usually corresponds to February or early March in the Gregorian calendar.

過兩天是元宵節，是中國傳統節日，標誌著農曆新年慶祝活動的結束。農曆正月十五，通常對應公曆的二月或三月初。

On the last day of the traditional Lunar New Year, the public markets and the backyards of wealthy homes will set up colorful lanterns in the shapes of animals, flowers, or mythical creatures using paper, bamboos and paste. Some of the lanterns have riddles written on them for people to solve. Under the firecrackers that around the lion-dances, young lovers will meet up to watch the lanterns after their family dinner under the firecrackers around the lion-dances.

在傳統農曆新年的最後一天，公共市場和富裕家庭的後院會掛上用紙、竹子和漿糊製作的動物、花朵或神話人物形狀的彩色燈籠。有些燈籠上寫有謎語，供人們解答。在舞獅鞭炮聲中，年輕的情侶們會在吃完家庭晚餐後相聚在一起賞燈。

However,  considered to the state of transport, and the risks of fire in a crowded population, the setting off of firecrackers is restricted nowadays. And the traditional techniques of hand-made paper lanterns have already been replaced by factories. Lucky, one of the traditional foods that could have been tasted only in traditional festivals, Tong Yuan, can be tasted at any time nowadays. This is glutinous rice balls filled with sweet or savory fillings like sesame paste, red bean paste, or minced meat, and symbolizes family unity and togetherness.

考慮到交通狀況以及人群擁擠時發生火災的風險，燃放鞭炮如今已受到限制。並且傳統的手工製作紙燈籠的工藝也已經被工廠生產所取代。幸運的是，以前只有傳統節日才能吃到的傳統食品之一，湯丸，如今隨時都可以吃到。這是一種糯米丸子，裡面填滿了芝麻醬、紅豆醬或肉末等甜味或鹹味的餡料，象徵著家庭團結和團聚。

For me, the Lantern Festival is also the day I mourn my master. The honorable monk Hsing Yun, the Founder of Fo Guang Shan, passed away during the Lantern Festival in 2023.

對我來說，元宵節也是我悼念師父的日子。佛光山創始人星雲大師於2023年元宵節圓寂。