Floating Lantern Festival

Categories:: Cultural
Tags:: Appreciation Festivities Historical
Where:: International
Date change rule:: 15th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar
Holiday emoji:: 🏮

Floating Lantern Festival illuminates the night on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar. This ancient tradition invites participants to release beautifully crafted lanterns, symbolizing wishes for good fortune and letting go of the past. Join in the festivities by creating your own lantern, sharing cultural traditions, or simply observing the breathtaking spectacle.

History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
Celebrate

History of Floating Lantern Festival

The history of the Floating Lantern Festival is very long and exciting. People made their lanterns using bamboo or papier-mâché in ancient times. The lanterns were usually shaped like dragons or horses and decorated with colorful ribbons. They could be hung on walls or ceilings at home or in temples during celebrations such as weddings or birthdays. In most places, lanterns are just hung up and admired; letting them float down waterways or releasing them in the air each has a different meaning.

It is said that around 2,000 years ago, in the Han Dynasty (25 A.D. — 220 A.D.), Emperor Ming emulated Buddhist monks who lit lanterns every 15th day of the Chinese year. He ordered lanterns to be lit in the palace, temples, and houses to show respect for Buddha. In another legend, the Jade Emperor, a god in Chinese myths, wanted to burn down a village for killing his favorite crane. His daughter felt pity for the villagers and told them about it, and a wise man advised them to hang up and light lots of red lanterns to make it look like the village is already burning.

The Floating Lantern Festival is a holiday celebrated in many Asian countries. Thanks to Chinese cultural influence, the festival spread to neighboring nations like Korea and Japan. While the Floating Lantern Festival celebrations are still celebrated in China and abroad, the holiday is not included in any of the seven official public holidays recognized in Mainland China, so people generally do not get days off work or school.

The tradition of the Floating Lantern Festivals has been popular in China, Japan, and other Asian countries for hundreds of years. In the United States, Chinese-style Lantern Festival celebrations are becoming increasingly popular. The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival is one such event.

Floating Lantern Festival timeline

300 B.C.

Kongming’s Sky Lantern

The Chinese general Zhuge Liang, known as Kongming among his friends, lights a sky lantern with an attached note to signal for reinforcements.

25 A.D. — 220 A.D.

Emperor Ming’s Lanterns

Emperor Ming, an advocate of Buddhism, orders lanterns to be lit all over his kingdom on the 15th day of the Chinese calendar.

13th Century

The Yi Peng Festival

In ancient Thai Lanna culture. Yi Peng Festival is celebrated by lighting sky lanterns based on a legend of a candle-carrying bird flying around Buddha.

1999

The First Shinnyo Lantern Floating

Her Holiness Shinso Ito, a Buddhist leader, starts the tradition of lighting lanterns and floating them on Ke’ehi Lagoon on Memorial Day.

Floating Lantern Festival FAQs

When is Floating Lantern Festival?

In 2027, the Floating Lantern Festival will be observed on Sunday, February 21. It is a vibrant cultural event that traditionally brings families and communities together for reflection and celebration.

How many people celebrate the Floating Lantern Festival?

The festival draws participation from millions globally, with large-scale celebrations in major cities and cultural centers. Its reach extends far beyond mainland China, fostering a sense of cultural connection.

What is the significance of lanterns in Chinese culture?

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, lanterns carry deep symbolic meaning in Chinese culture, representing family reunion, prosperity, and the warding off of evil spirits. They are central to many festivals and celebrations.

What is the difference between sky lanterns and water lanterns?

While both are part of the festival, sky lanterns ascend into the air, often associated with prayers and aspirations reaching the heavens. Water lanterns, however, are placed on rivers or lakes, believed to guide lost souls and bring blessings from water spirits.

Floating Lantern Festival Activities

Make a wish
Make a wish before releasing your lantern. You can write it down on paper and put it inside your lantern. It is said that your wishes will come true if you release your lantern during this festival! However, make sure that you are allowed to release floating lanterns or sky lanterns in your area before doing so.
Enjoy the festival
You can enjoy this festival with your family and friends at any time of the year, depending on where you want to celebrate it. You can also enjoy this festival yourself if you have no one around who wants to come with you.
Share on social media
You can celebrate this day with others by sharing this day with your friends and family on social media. You can also post pictures of floating lantern events that you attended to inspire others to attend, since these events usually look mesmerizing!

5 Other Countries That Celebrate Floating Lantern Festival

Indonesia
On Vesak Day, thousands go on a pilgrimage to the biggest Buddhist temple in Java to celebrate Buddha’s birthday and witness thousands of lanterns fly up into the sky.
Myanmar
The Thadingyut Festival of Lights is held to celebrate the end of the Buddhist calendar’s Lenten season, symbolizing Buddha’s return.
Japan
One of the most popular floating lantern celebrations in Japan is the Kyoto River Lantern Festival, held every year to remember the people who died in World War 2.
India
The Diwali festival is celebrated on the 13th day of the Hindu month Kartika, which is between October and November in the Gregorian calendar, to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
Poland
The Floating Lanterns Festival is a magical tradition held on the night of the first full moon after Easter, and it takes place on the banks of the Vistula River in Warsaw.

Why We Love Floating Lantern Festival

It gets rid of bad things
Lantern festivals help people get rid of bad influences in their lives; instead, lanterns attract good luck and fortune to their families in the coming year. They also look very pretty!
It remembers those who died
It is a way to remember those who have passed on. By sending out lanterns shaped like animals or other objects through the sky with messages written on them, people can remember their loved ones fondly and show their appreciation.
It symbolizes reconciliation
The Chinese also believe that lanterns symbolize peace and forgiveness, based on the legend of the Jade Emperor. In fact, in many lantern festivals held for the souls of the departed, the lanterns are meant to lead their souls to the afterlife so that they can find peace.