![]() ![]() Ever since then, people have been hanging lanterns of different shapes and colors through the streets, forming a folk festival that full of hope, love, peace and a rejuvenated mind to face the new year. The history of Lantern Festival can also be traced back to the time when Emperor Wen of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-25 A.D.) officially set the 15th day of first month of the Chinese calendar as the Yuan Xiao Festival. Visitors look at festive lanterns at the Wudianshi historical community in Jinjiang, southeast China's Fujian province, Feb. Satisfied that his goose had already been avenged, the Jade Emperor decided not to add to the perceived destruction. They acted accordingly, and from the Heavens, it looked as if towns and villages were already ablaze. However, a good-hearted fairy heard of this planned act of vengeance and warned the people in towns and villages to light lanterns on the appointed day. According to one legend, the Jade Emperor, the highest God in Heaven, was so angered at the people on Earth for killing his beloved goose that he decided to destroy them with a storm of fire on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. ![]() The starting point of Lantern Festival has its roots in ancient customs, aided by many legends that make it quite fantastical. The two events serve up an image of glittering lights, firecrackers and noisy festivities. In family gatherings, they play music and dance. Both Chinese and Indian people decorate their houses, streets and open places with lanterns or they light candles. Interestingly, both the Lantern Festival and Diwali are celebrated in the two countries in very similar fashion. The last day of the 15-day Lunar New Year celebrations on February 19 will be marked by the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Jie. This year, the Chinese New Year began on February 5 marking the start of the Year of the Pig. ![]() The two grandest celebrations – Chinese Lunar New Year and the Diwali (Festival of Lights) – have their own unique cultural concepts, binding the social body with a strong sense of historical togetherness. The two countries have shown striking similarities in the fields of traditional festivals, most of which still play a key role in the progress of human civilization. India and China are proud of their long history of respective civilizations. Visitors view lanterns at a lantern show in Zibo, east China's Shandong province, Feb. ![]()
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