The Enchanting Glow of the Lantern Festival’s History
Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, lanterns illuminate the night sky, carrying on a spirit of reverence toward heaven and those who have come before us. It’s a tradition that has endured for thousands of years.
Lighting Lanterns in Devotion to the Buddha
The tradition of lighting lanterns during the Lantern Festival traces back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). Emperor Ming of Han, a devoted follower of Buddhism, learned that in India Buddhist monks would light lamps on the fifteenth day of the first month to view sacred relics and honor the Buddha. He decreed that on this night, the imperial palace and every temple throughout the land would light lanterns in reverence.
The people followed his orders, hanging lanterns in front of their homes. What began as a solemn Buddhist ceremony gradually transformed into a grand and festive celebration.
By the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the Lantern Festival was formally established as a national celebration, with thousands of lanterns illuminating the capital city of Chang'an. During the Ming Dynasty, the festival grew to an extraordinary ten days—from the eighth to the seventeenth of the first lunar month.
The Light of Learning
In ancient private academies, when school resumed after the New Year on the fifteenth of the first month, each student would bring a handmade lantern from home. Their teacher would then light each lantern one by one in a ceremony known as "lighting the lamp"—a ritual symbolizing the kindling of wisdom within the heart, and accompanied by prayers for a bright future and success in studies.
The children would then carry their glowing lanterns as they walked through the streets, a scene poetically expressing the hope that wisdom illuminates the path ahead. Over time, this custom evolved into the beloved tradition of parading with lanterns on the night of the Lantern Festival—an enchanting sight.
Lantern Grace Collection
On the stage of Shen Yun Performing Arts, lantern-themed dances bring the culture of the lantern vividly to life. Court ladies bearing exquisite palace lanterns glide gracefully across the stage, their dancing flames evoking the elegance and splendor of the Han and Tang Dynasties. These unforgettable moments are the inspiration behind Shen Yun Collections’ Lantern Grace series.
The Lantern Grace collection encompasses fine jewelry and fashion accessories, weaving the graceful imagery of Shen Yun's lantern dances into everyday life. From elegant necklaces and earrings to refined tote bags and versatile three-way bags, from cozy cushion covers to charming pouches—each piece captures the radiance and vitality of the dancer on stage.
As moonlight bathes the earth on the fifteenth night, what we carry forward is more than a festival. It is a belief that has endured for thousands of years—that light will prevail over darkness, that wisdom can illuminate the road ahead, and that the faith of a divinely inspired civilization can guide us toward a beautiful future.
May lantern light brighten your days, too!