Hopeyouhadajoyousholiday!Inyourletter,youaskedwhywecall“yuanxiao”,the15thdayofthefirstlunarmonth,"LanternFestival".Well,it'stiedtoourcustomsofvisitinglanternfairs,guessinglanternriddles,andmunchingsweetglutinousricedumplingsalsobythenameof“yuanxiao”.ThelanternfairisacherishedaspectofChineseNewYearcustoms.Forovertwomillennia,thecarnival-likeactivityhavealwaysbeenvibrantandlively,withtownsandcitiesablazewithlight,peopleofallageselatedwithlanternsandmoonlight.Thelanternsvaryinformfromdragonlightinstallationsintertwiningfolkelementsanddragondance,tointricatelycraftedtraditionalpalacelanterns,toexquisitehorseracelampswithspinningpictures.Youcanevenmakeyourownhandheldlanternwithtrendydesigns,maybefeaturingthezodiacanimaloftheyear,baskinginthejoyofthefreshyearamidstthetwinklinglights.TheLanternFestivalisalsoatimeforromance,asloverspledgeeternalbondinthemoonlight.FamousChinesepoetXinQijifromSouthernSongDynastypennedtheimmortallines"Butinthecrowdonceandagain,Ilookforherinvain,whenallatonceIturnmyhead,Ifindhertherewherelanternlightisdimlyshed,"capturingthesubtleromanceandsweetmelancholyofloveinChineseculture.Lanternriddlesaddafuntwistbyinfusingliterarycharmintothecolorfullanterns.They’rebasedonpoems,folklore,historicalevents,andjokesaboutcurrentsocialissues.Crackingriddlesisalwaysatrickyandfunnychallenge,makingeveryonesmile.“Whichisfaster,hotorcold?”Anyguessesforthisone?TheLanternFestivalmarksthefirstfullmoonnightofthelunarnewyear.Fromthisauspiciousevening,springreturns,andthefestivecelebrationsoftheYearoftheWoodDragoncometoasatisfyingconclusion.Witheverybeginning,let'spackourheartsfullofloveandhope,andgetreadytoembraceayearfullofadventures,aspirations,andendlesspossibilities!Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.