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Yuanxiao Festival Story 2

Posted on July 28, 2026July 28, 2026 by tiffany

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Story · HSK 3+ · Lantern Festival · Part 2
元

Yuanxiao Festival Story — Part 2

元宵節的故事(下)元宵节的故事(下)

Posted July 28, 2026 Author Tiffany Reading time 9 mins

This story explains the legend behind the Lantern Festival (元宵節) — why people light lanterns, and why the sweet rice dumplings called “yuanxiao” share their name with the festival itself.

Yuanxiao Festival illustration

Listen to the Complete Story

Story

Story Part 1 Story Part 2

正月Zhēngyuè十三shísān火神huǒshén的de使者shǐzhě來了láile, 他tā給了gěile大家dàjiā一張yìzhāng紙zhǐ, 裡頭lǐtou有yǒu一首yìshǒu詩shī, 可是kěshì大家dàjiā都dōu看不懂kànbùdǒng, 於是yúshì他們tāmen把bǎ這首zhèshǒu詩shī拿給nágěi漢武帝Hànwǔdì。 正月Zhēngyuè十三shísān火神huǒshén的de使者shǐzhě来了láile, 他tā给了gěile大家dàjiā一张yìzhāng纸zhǐ, 里头lǐtou有yǒu一首yìshǒu诗shī, 可是kěshì大家dàjiā都dōu看不懂kànbùdǒng, 于是yúshì他们tāmen把bǎ这首zhèshǒu诗shī拿给nágěi汉武帝Hànwǔdì。

漢武帝Hànwǔdì知道zhīdào以後yǐhòu, 把bǎ所有suǒyǒu大臣dàchén都dōu叫來jiàolái, 問wèn有沒有yǒuméiyǒu人rén看得懂kàndédǒng。 汉武帝Hànwǔdì知道zhīdào以后yǐhòu, 把bǎ所有suǒyǒu大臣dàchén都dōu叫来jiàolái, 问wèn有没有yǒuméiyǒu人rén看得懂kàndédǒng。

東方朔Dōngfāngshuò說shuō: 「 我Wǒ懂dǒng。 火神Huǒshén要yào大家dàjiā在zài正月zhēngyuè十六shíliù的de晚上wǎnshàng都dōu在zài門口ménkǒu掛上guàshàng紅燈hóngdēng, 點上diǎnshàng火huǒ, 這樣zhèyàng從cóng很hěn遠yuǎn的de地方dìfāng看kàn, 長安城Cháng’ānchéng會huì充滿chōngmǎn火紅huǒhóng, 還有háiyǒu那天nàtiān一定yídìng要yào打開dǎkāi城門chéngmén, 歡迎huānyíng城外chéngwài的de人rén進城jìnchéng看kàn燈dēng, 也yě讓ràng宮裡gōnglǐ的de人rén出chū宮gōng去qù看kàn燈dēng, 整個zhěngge長安城Cháng’ānchéng才cái會huì很hěn吵鬧chǎonào, 就jiù像xiàng失火shīhuǒ一樣yíyàng。 」 东方朔Dōngfāngshuò说shuō: “ 我Wǒ懂dǒng。 火神Huǒshén要yào大家dàjiā在zài正月zhēngyuè十六shíliù的de晚上wǎnshàng都dōu在zài门口ménkǒu挂上guàshàng红灯hóngdēng, 点上diǎnshàng火huǒ, 这样zhèyàng从cóng很hěn远yuǎn的de地方dìfāng看kàn, 长安城Cháng’ānchéng会huì充满chōngmǎn火红huǒhóng, 还有háiyǒu那天nàtiān一定yídìng要yào打开dǎkāi城门chéngmén, 欢迎huānyíng城外chéngwài的de人rén进城jìnchéng看kàn灯dēng, 也yě让ràng宫里gōnglǐ的de人rén出chū宫gōng去qù看kàn灯dēng, 整个zhěngge长安城Cháng’ānchéng才cái会huì很hěn吵闹chǎonào, 就jiù像xiàng失火shīhuǒ一样yíyàng。 ”

「 嗯ēn! 真是zhēnshì好主意hǎozhǔyì。 」 漢武帝Hànwǔdì說shuō。 “ 嗯ēn! 真是zhēnshì好主意hǎozhǔyì。 ” 汉武帝Hànwǔdì说shuō。

東方朔Dōngfāngshuò又yòu說shuō: 「 我Wǒ聽說tīngshuō火神huǒshén最zuì愛ài吃chī湯圓tāngyuán, 所以suǒyǐ那一天nàyìtiān要yào讓ràng宮中gōngzhōng最zuì會huì做zuò湯圓tāngyuán的de宮女gōngnǚ元宵Yuánxiāo, 提著tízhe上面shàngmiàn寫著xiězhe她tā名字míngzi的de花燈huādēng, 後面hòumiàn再zài跟著gēnzhe許多xǔduō人rén手shǒu拿著názhe她tā做zuò的de湯圓tāngyuán, 一邊yìbiān走zǒu, 一邊yìbiān向xiàng火神huǒshén祈禱qídǎo, 請qǐng火神huǒshén不要búyào放火fànghuǒ。 」 东方朔Dōngfāngshuò又yòu说shuō: “ 我Wǒ听说tīngshuō火神huǒshén最zuì爱ài吃chī汤圆tāngyuán, 所以suǒyǐ那一天nàyìtiān要yào让ràng宫中gōngzhōng最zuì会huì做zuò汤圆tāngyuán的de宫女gōngnǚ元宵Yuánxiāo, 提着tízhe上面shàngmiàn写着xiězhe她tā名字míngzi的de花灯huādēng, 后面hòumiàn再zài跟着gēnzhe许多xǔduō人rén手shǒu拿着názhe她tā做zuò的de汤圆tāngyuán, 一边yìbiān走zǒu, 一边yìbiān向xiàng火神huǒshén祈祷qídǎo, 请qǐng火神huǒshén不要búyào放火fànghuǒ。 ”

漢武帝Hànwǔdì同意tóngyì了le。 汉武帝Hànwǔdì同意tóngyì了le。

到了Dàole正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ, 長安城Cháng’ānchéng非常fēicháng熱鬧rènào, 沒有méiyǒu發生fāshēng火災huǒzāi, 元宵Yuánxiāo一家人yìjiārén也yě偷偷tōutōu見面了jiànmiànle。 到了Dàole正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ, 长安城Cháng’ānchéng非常fēicháng热闹rènào, 没有méiyǒu发生fāshēng火灾huǒzāi, 元宵Yuánxiāo一家人yìjiārén也yě偷偷tōutōu见面了jiànmiànle。

之後Zhīhòu的de正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ, 漢武帝Hànwǔdì一樣yíyàng要yào元宵Yuánxiāo做zuò湯圓tāngyuán來lái祭拜jìbài火神huǒshén, 而ér正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ到dào十六shíliù, 一樣yíyàng全城quánchéng掛guà燈籠dēnglóng, 提tí花燈huādēng。 之后Zhīhòu的de正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ, 汉武帝Hànwǔdì一样yíyàng要yào元宵Yuánxiāo做zuò汤圆tāngyuán来lái祭拜jìbài火神huǒshén, 而ér正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ到dào十六shíliù, 一样yíyàng全城quánchéng挂guà灯笼dēnglóng, 提tí花灯huādēng。

這Zhè就是jiùshì「 正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ過guò元宵Yuánxiāo, 十六shíliù鬧nào花燈huādēng」 的de由來yóulái。 这Zhè就是jiùshì“ 正月zhēngyuè十五shíwǔ过guò元宵Yuánxiāo, 十六shíliù闹nào花灯huādēng” 的de由来yóulái。

English Translation

On the 13th day of the first month, the Fire God’s messenger came. He gave everyone a piece of paper with a poem written on it, but no one could understand it, so they brought the poem to Emperor Wu. After learning of this, Emperor Wu called all his officials together and asked if anyone could understand it.

Dongfang Shuo said, “I understand it. The Fire God wants everyone to hang red lanterns and light fires at their doors on the night of the 16th. This way, from far away, Chang’an will appear filled with red flames. Also, the city gates must be opened that day, welcoming people from outside the city to come in and view the lanterns, and letting people from the palace go out to view the lanterns too. The whole city of Chang’an will be very lively and noisy, just like it’s on fire.”

“Hmm! What a great idea,” said Emperor Wu.

Dongfang Shuo also said, “I heard that the Fire God loves eating tangyuan most, so on that day, the palace maid who is best at making tangyuan, Yuanxiao, should carry a lantern with her name written on it. Behind her, many people should follow, holding the tangyuan she made, walking along while praying to the Fire God, asking him not to set the fire.”

Emperor Wu agreed.

When the 15th day of the first month arrived, Chang’an was extremely lively, no fire broke out, and Yuanxiao’s family secretly reunited.

Ever since then, on every 15th day of the first month, Emperor Wu would still have Yuanxiao make tangyuan to offer to the Fire God, and from the 15th to the 16th, the whole city would hang lanterns and carry lantern lights, just as before. This is the origin of the saying, “On the 15th, celebrate Yuanxiao; on the 16th, enjoy the lantern festival.”

Do you like it? 🙂

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