lantern Festivallantern Festival元宵节的故事According to legend,during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han,there was a minister named Dongfang Shuo.One winter,when Dongfang Shuo passed the Imperial Garden,he heard a maid crying,and she was very sad!What happened?Please tell me,maybe I can help you,Dongfang Shuo said.I havent seen my parents and relatives for two years.I miss them very much andand dont know how they are now,the maid replied.Dongfang Shuo listened to what had happened to the maid and felt pity for her.He promised to find a way to let her meet her family.Dongfang Shuo left the palace;he set up a divination stall in Changan,which attracted many people to pray for divination.Dongfang Shuo said:On the evening of the 15th day of the lunar month,the God of Fire will send a goddess in red to burn Changan!You must go to the emperor with this sign and ask the emperor to think of a solution.People went to Emperor Wu of the Han one by one.He was frightened when he saw the words on the sign:Changan is in danger;the Empire will be destroyed by fire.The fire on the evening of the 15th will turn the sky red.The Emperor summoned Dongfang Shuo at once seeking advice.Dongfang Shuo said,I heard that the God of Fire loves to eat Tangyuan,and the maid Yuan Xiao is the best at making Tangyuan.On the 15th day,we can ask Yuan Xiao to make delicious Tangyuan and order every household to make Tangyuan as well.Then we will offer them to the God of Fire.Also,the whole city needs to hang lanterns,set off firecrackers and fireworks,as if there was a fire in the city,so that the Jade Emperor could be fooled.On the 15th day of the lunar month,Changan City was decorated with lights and lanterns.Yuan Xiaos parents also took her sister to the city to see the Lantern.There was a big palace lantern with the wordsYuan Xiaowritten on it,and the younger sister shouted in surprise:Yuan Xiao!Yuan Xiao!Just like my sisters name!When Yuan Xiao heard the shouts,she ran out and reunited with her family.Since then,the custom of celebrating the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the lunar month has been carried on.Every year on this day,every household will hang lanterns,which are colorful and beautiful!Sometimes,people write riddles on the lanterns and enjoy solving them,which makes it more interesting!Besides admiring lanterns and solving riddles,dragon and lion dances will also be performed on this day.With the sound of gongs and drums,the dragon flies up and down in the dragon dance court,and the bronze bell in the dragons mouth swings back and forth.On the lion dance court,lions leap and jump.some jump on the table and some step on the ball.It is very lively!This custom has been handed down year after year.Tangyuan served on the 15th day of the lunar month was made by a girl called Yuan Xiao,so Tangyuan is also called Yuanxiao.。