[Explanation] February 15th is the Lantern Festival. This year's Lantern Festival just follows Western Valentine's Day.
In fact, in ancient China, the Lantern Festival was also very romantic.
Why is the Lantern Festival called "Valentine's Day" in ancient times?
Wang Juan, a folklore expert at Peking University, said that during the ancient Lantern Festival, women who stayed at home on weekdays went out to enjoy the lanterns, providing young men and women with an opportunity to express their feelings.
[Concurrent] Wang Juan, a folklore expert at Peking University
Women in China used to go out of the gate, but on the day of the Lantern Festival, girls can go out and wear very beautiful clothes and make various decorations.
Young men and women have an opportunity to get to know each other during the Lantern Festival.
Another reason is that there are many typical game activities during the Lantern Festival, such as guessing lantern riddles.
You are very good. If you guess it, it is easy to attract attention.
Therefore, especially boys and girls, can have a chance to show their talents.
[Explanation] It is not difficult to see the romance and warmth of the Lantern Festival from the poems of the ancients.
Many verses written on the Lantern Festival actually describe the dating situation of men and women.
[Concurrent] Wang Juan, a folklore expert at Peking University
The more representative Xin Qiji's song, the crowd searched for him thousands of times, and when I looked back, the man was there, the lights were dim.
In fact, many of them are actually describing the scene at that time. When night falls, there are lanterns everywhere, and people are very beautiful in that state.
Therefore, many people will take this opportunity to express a lovesickness or love.
[Explanation] The Lantern Festival continues to this day, and many places still retain the custom of viewing lanterns and visiting temple fairs.
But in fact, the ancient Lantern Festival activities do not stop there.
Wang Juan said that the Lantern Festival is one of the most grand festivals in ancient times, and its lively level is unimaginable today.
[Concurrent] Wang Juan, a folklore expert at Peking University
The lantern is not what we imagine now, it can be made twenty to thirty feet high, and 50,000 lanterns can be put on.
There are many cabaret shows, acrobatic cabaret shows, magic shows.
For example, we may not see sword swallowing (performances), puppet shows, and performances where men disguise themselves as women and play various characters, and large-scale square performances.
The joint participation of emperors and ordinary people makes this festival a festival that is celebrated all over the world. In fact, it is difficult for us to imagine such a joyous scene now.
[Explanation] The Lantern Festival, as a representative folk custom of the Lantern Festival, has continued to this day and has undergone new development.
Lantern fairs all over the country are ingenious and combined with modern technology to create a different kind of scenery.
[Concurrent] Wang Juan, a folklore expert at Peking University
Because I have been to many places to see the lantern exhibition, especially the various lanterns on the mountain or by the lake are very beautiful.
But I hope that it is not just the suburbs, I hope that the city will become a conscious activity, and every household will participate.
Every household hangs lanterns at their gates for the participation of all the people. I hope there will be such a scene in the future.
Reporter Wang Shibo reports from Beijing
Responsible editor: [Wang Shanshan]