Chnlove: Love is in the air for Lantern Festival

Lantern festival (Yuanxiao in Chinese), this last day of the Chinese New Year Season is a day for lovers.

February is the month for love in 2011. In days gone by, Chnlove members celebrated Valentine's day by exchanging love cards, flowers and chocolates, and today, Chinese people are celebrating the traditional Lantern Festival. Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month (usually in February in the Gregorian calendar, and that night is the first full moon of the year. Originally, Lantern festival is a day for family members to gather together because that is the last day of the Chinese spring festival Season, but in recent years it has taken on a similar significance to Valentine's Day in Europe, it is a day for lovers and couples.

Traditionally, the Lantern Festival once served as a day for matchmaking. It was one of the few nights in ancient times without a strict curfew. At that day, Chinese girls can come out - chaperoned, of course! - and be seen by eligible single men, then matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples. You know in ancient China when women's feet were bound, it was often the one time when she could appear in public with unbound feet. Of course, these restrictions no longer exist in modern society, but there is still a hint of romance in the air at the Lantern Festival celebrations. Parks always prepare lanterns and flowers, creating a very romantic atmosphere in a very Chinese way, and people also light lanterns in different colors and designs for others to admire, etc.

Other popular activities at this festival include eating tangyuan, a sweet glutinous rice dumpling served in a sweet or savory soup, and guessing lantern riddles, often messages of love.

Hopefully you can going to China and spend a traditional lantern festival with you favorite Chinese girl.