The Origin and Legends of the Lantern Festival: The Traditional Lantern Festival on the 15th Day of the First Lunar Month
The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that dates back over 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty. The custom of appreciating lanterns during the festival began in the Eastern Han Dynasty during Emperor Ming's reign. Emperor Ming was an advocate of Buddhism, and he had heard that on the 15th day of the first lunar month, Buddhist monks would observe the relics of the Buddha.