Lantern Festival: poeple write happiness on lanterns

As the night of the Lantern Festival has the first full moon of the New Year, according to Chinese folk tradition, colorful lanterns should be lit on the bright night to celebrate. Many of Beijing residents make lanterns themselves and write their beautiful experiences and happy memories on the lanterns to express their thanks.

Gaobeidian of Beijing is preparing for its 2010 Lantern Fair and villagers prepare by hanging their red lanterns. In recent years, Gaobeidian Village holds the lantern fair once every year and this year, the number of lanterns has exceeded 200 and the traditional festive lanterns, lanterns made of oranges, strings of lanterns and palace lanterns are dazzling to the eye, and printed on each are unique blessings and messages.

Villager Zhang Wenjie and her daughter brought their self-made lantern, which read "joyful events come one after another." When asked what good things they have experienced over the past year, she said with optimism, "I have had many good things happen in the past year, for example I was finally able to pass the tour qualifying examination after three years of effort and, in addition, my house will be included in the reformation of the new countryside."

Gaobeidian Village has a large commercial street that specializes in selling classical furniture. In order to develop its folk tourism industry, the west district of the village is being reconstructed with every house facing the street, an antique style feature. After reconstruction, Zhang Wenjie's house will become a three-story building, with the first level being rented out. "Then, I can have the rent income, which is certainly a good thing."

On the night of February 27, the 10th Chongwenmenwai Lantern Fair opened, with nearly 300 lit lanterns, just like what Xin Qiji (an ancient Chinese poet) said in one of his poems: "when the east wind at night blows over, thousands of flowers blossom and even the stars on the sky are also blown down, like rain." Although the temperatures at night in Beijing are low and exhaled breath is still visible in the cold air, there are still many pedestrians stopping to look at the lanterns.

These lanterns are made of boards, silk, drink bottles and cartons. The message "petition representatives to serve the people" is written on one of them. The story behind the message on the lantern is that it was made by a resident who had appealed to the higher authorities for help for many years. The "Petition Representatives" system in Chongwen District solved his problem about how to provide basic necessities for his last years. The system refers to the belief that the relevant government departments that are responsible for dealing with the petition letters should act on behalf of the higher authorities to take people's problems as their own and solve them as soon as possible.

At the fair, there were many lanterns of various styles and colors. Many of the words on them were refreshing and invigorating, for example, the words "science and technology create security" and "bringing skills into the community." The head of the activity said, "Every lantern represents a blessing from one person's heart and has a warm story behind it."

Walking on the streets in Beijing, one can see many raised lanterns. Lantern fairs held in some squares and temple fairs made people more reluctant to leave. Some take their whole family to visit the lantern fair, some go with their friends and others with their lovers. Like Song Dynasty poet Ouyang Xiu said, "Lights were bright as day during the last Lantern Festival. While the moon was appearing above the willows tops, lovers meet to keep their tryst after dusk secret."

According to sources, during the Lantern Festival, Beijing will hold more than 20 lantern fair activities including 10 large ones. All of these activities are unique and new.