Lantern Festival: Reunion in the Light

Monday, March 2, 2026

Lantern Festival (元宵节 yuán xiāo jié), also called Shangyuan Festival or the Lantern Festival, carries people’s wishes for completeness, brightness, and a good new year. Each year on the 15th day of the first lunar month, when the full moon rises, this more‑than‑2000‑year‑old celebration arrives. It also marks the end of Spring Festival (春节 chūn jié). In 2026, Lantern Festival will be on March 3. On this day, China is filled with warm lights, sweet treats, and a happy festival spirit.

Why is it called “元宵节(yuán xiāo jié)”?  

“元(yuán)” means first, and “宵(xiāo)” means night. The 15th day of the first lunar month is the first full-moon night of the new year, and people gather to enjoy the moon, light lanterns, and eat yuanxiao to pray for peace and happiness in the coming year.

Three main traditions of Lantern Festival

Eating yuanxiao (元宵 yuán xiāo)  

Yuanxiao are round sweet rice balls filled with sesame paste, red bean paste, or other fillings. Because they are round and sound like “reunion(团圆 tuán yuán ),” they express people’s hope for family togetherness. In southern China, they are also called 汤圆 (tāng yuán).

Watching lanterns (赏花灯shǎng huā dēng)  

Streets and parks hang colorful lanterns. Some lanterns have riddles (dēng mí) for people to guess, adding fun and challenge. The bright lights symbolize hope and the power to drive away darkness.

Dragon and lion dances (舞龙舞狮 wǔ lóng wǔ shī)  

With loud drums and lively music, colorful dragons and lions dance through the streets. The dragon symbolizes good luck and strength, while the lion represents courage and good fortune. These performances bring energy and blessings to the festival.

Learn Chinese through “Lantern Festival”

元宵 (yuán xiāo) ,noun, yuanxiao  

Example:  

  • 元宵节，我们全家一起吃元宵。  
    yuán xiāo jié, wǒmen quán jiā yī qǐ chī yuán xiāo.  
    On Lantern Festival, our whole family eats yuanxiao together.
  • 我最喜欢吃黑芝麻馅的元宵。  
    wǒ zuì xǐ huan chī hēi zhī ma xiàn de yuán xiāo.  
    I like to eat yuanxiao with black sesame filling the most.

灯笼 (dēng long) ,noun, lanterns  

Example:  

  • 晚上的公园里，灯笼很漂亮。  
    wǎn shang de gōng yuán lǐ, dēng long hěn piào liang.  
    In the park at night, the lanterns are very beautiful.
  • 孩子们喜欢提着兔子形状的小灯笼。  
    hái zi men xǐ huan tí zhe tù zi xíng zhuàng de xiǎo dēng long.  
    Children like to carry little rabbit-shaped lanterns.

团圆 (tuán yuán) ,noun, reunion  

Example:  

  • 元宵节是家人团圆的日子。  
    yuán xiāo jié shì jiā rén tuán yuán de rì zi.  
    Lantern Festival is a day for family reunion.
  • 对他而言，最大的幸福就是家人的团圆。  
    duì tā ér yán, zuì dà de xìng fú jiù shì jiā rén de tuán yuán.  
    For him, the greatest happiness is the reunion of family.

Short dialogue

A: 元宵节你喜欢做什么？  
    yuán xiāo jié nǐ xǐ huan zuò shén me?  
    What do you like to do during Lantern Festival?

B: 我喜欢吃元宵，然后和朋友去看灯笼！  
    wǒ xǐ huan chī yuán xiāo, rán hòu hé péng you qù kàn dēng long!  
    I like to eat yuanxiao, then go see lanterns with friends!

Lantern Festival is not only a tradition but also a symbol of people’s hope for a better life. If you visit China on this day, be sure to walk among the lanterns, taste sweet yuanxiao, and feel the warm joy of this ancient celebration.

Wish everyone a happy Lantern Festival! (祝大家元宵节快乐! zhu dà jiā yuán xiāo jié kuài lè!)

Sign up for a free trial now!

FAQ / Tips

Our instructors are highly skilled and experienced experts in Chinese language teaching, with proficiency in multiple languages. They hold at least a bachelor's degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, and possess extensive teaching experience and knowledge. Through a rigorous selection process and ongoing training, our instructors are equipped to provide students with authentic pronunciation, accurate language usage, and cultural background knowledge, all of which are essential for achieving mastery of the Chinese language.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can send an email to: service @chineselearning.com.We have a team of professionals who will be happy to assist you with any issues as soon as possible.
No, the tuition fees you have paid cover all costs.There are no additional fees or hidden charges. We strive to be transparent and upfront with our pricing, ensuring that our clients receive the best value for their investment.
As a first - time student, if you are not completely satisfied with our service, we offer a cancellation policy that allows you to cancel your subscription before the first month. In such cases, we only charge a one - month fee and refund the remaining balance to you as soon as possible.We strive to ensure that our customers are fully satisfied with our service and are committed to providing a hassle - free refund process.
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for all new students.If you are not satisfied with our services within the first month, you may cancel your lessons and receive a refund for any unused lessons.We will only charge you for the first month of lessons, and refund the remaining balance to you promptly.Our goal is to ensure your satisfaction with our services, and we strive to provide the highest quality of instruction and support to all of our students.
We provide a wealth of Chinese teaching materials and learning resources, including but not limited to textbooks, workbooks, listening materials, reading materials, video courses, and online courses.Our teaching materials and resources are carefully selected and designed to meet the learning needs and goals of different learners. At the same time, our teachers will provide personalized teaching and guidance based on the learning characteristics and needs of students to ensure that students can learn and master Chinese language efficiently.