1. Lantern Head Birthday
An important folk activity on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month is called the "Lantern Head Birthday." On this day, people light lamps under the kitchen stove, known as "lighting the stove lamp." This practice stems from the approaching Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day, when families test their prepared lanterns, hence the name "Lantern Head" day. In Nantong's old tradition, lanterns were lit from the thirteenth to the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, following the saying: "Thirteenth,Fourteenth the gods watch the lanterns, Fifteenth and Sixteenth people watch the lanterns, Seventeenth and Eighteenth ghosts watch the lanterns." The custom also included "serving glutinous rice balls when the lanterns go up and noodles when they come down." The City God Temple was filled with a continuous stream of lantern-viewers.The thirteenth day of the first lunar month is the trial lantern night, the fourteenth is the lantern-raising night, the fifteenth is the main lantern night, and the sixteenth is the closing lantern night. On the evening of the trial lantern night, six old dragons and several rolling dragons take to the streets for the first time. As the lanterns are lit, the dragon lanterns begin weaving through the streets, twisting and dancing everywhere. Along both sides of the streets, every household hangs lanterns, burns incense, and sets off firecrackers.Subsequently, rolling dragons, floral baskets, story lanterns, carousel lanterns, fish lanterns, lion lanterns, rabbit lanterns, butterfly lanterns, and golden gourd lanterns all take to the streets. At this point, a continuous stream of colorful dragon lanterns flows through the streets, accompanied by the dazzling glow of various lanterns. The festivities continue until well past midnight before the lanterns are put away. The next day, the lantern celebrations resume, continuing until the final day of the festival on the sixteenth.
3. Making Lanterns
The Lantern Festival celebrations typically begin with lantern-making on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month. An old Beijing New Year rhyme goes: "The eleventh day is bustling, the twelfth day builds lantern pavilions, the thirteenth day lights the lanterns, the fourteenth day sees the lanterns at their brightest..." This means the thirteenth day is "Lighting the Lanterns"; the fourteenth day is "Testing the Lanterns";the fifteenth is the "main lantern day"; and the seventeenth is the "lantern closing day." From the thirteenth onward, people begin decorating with lanterns and festive ornaments!
4. Eating Tangyuan
"On the lantern day, eat glutinous rice balls; on the fifteenth, celebrate the Little New Year" is another old Yangzhou custom. On the evening of the thirteenth, families eat tangyuan, symbolizing "unity and completeness."But children's hearts are already racing toward the streets. They wolf down their dumplings, push away their bowls, and dash out in groups to see the lanterns.
5. Worshiping Guan Gong
In rural areas of Xi'an's Chang'an District, there's a custom of worshiping Guan Gong on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month. Have you ever seen the offering called "Tian Die Zi" used in this ritual?Plump yellow soybeans are arranged in rows resembling eaves, while colorful beans, melon seeds, and peach kernels are strung onto bamboo sticks. These are layered onto structures built from several plates, ultimately forming exquisite pavilions and towers. This is Chang'an District's unique folk craft, "Tian Diezi."
6. Making "Sacred Worms"
"The New Year isn't truly over until the fifteenth day."On the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, rural Jimo observes the custom of crafting "sacred worms." On this day, village women gather in groups of three or five to knead dough, cut, carve, and steam—the final bustle of the Spring Festival—in preparation for the Lantern Festival. Under these skilled hands, accustomed to wielding hoes and shovels, lifelike "sacred worms" emerge, each one vividly lifelike.
7. Sea Worship Ceremony
The thirteenth day of the first lunar month is traditionally believed to be the birthday of the Dragon King of the Sea. On this day each year, fishermen hold diverse sea worship ceremonies, praying for favorable weather and bountiful fishing throughout the year. Following traditional customs, offerings such as pig heads, carp, and large steamed buns are arranged on the altar table.Before the altar, people burn incense and paper offerings, bowing toward the sea in reverence. Deafening firecrackers echo across the sky, while dazzling fireworks carry the community's hopes for the new year.
8. Floating Sea Lanterns
Floating sea lanterns on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month is a traditional custom among Chinese fishermen. According to Zhuanghe folklore, this day marks the birthday of the Sea Goddess. In some southern regions, alternative dates like the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month or the twenty-third day of the third lunar month are also observed.Local fishermen and villagers uphold this tradition by setting up offerings on shore, lighting fireworks, and releasing intricately crafted lantern boats inscribed with blessings into the sea, praying for smooth sailing and happiness.