The story of Lantern Festival

Emperor Wu had a wise and resourceful minister named Dongfang Shuo whom the emperor greatly trusted On a snowy night Dongfang Shuo was in the Jade Garden Seeing a grieving maid wanting to throw herself into a well The maid's name was Yuanxiao She had parents and a younger sister at home Since entering the palace she hadn't been able to return Now during the Lunar New Year she misses her family even more So heartbroken Dongfang Shuo felt deep sympathy for Yuanxiao and devised a plan to reunite her with her family The next day Dongfang Shuo set up a fortune-telling stall on the streets of Chang'an Everyone who consulted the oracle received the same divination: "Burned by fire on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month " and so they all rushed to him seeking a way to escape their fate Dongfang Shuo said On the evening of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month the Fire God will send a crimson-robed goddess to descend to earth for inspection so if you see a red-clad girl riding a pinkish silver donkey Right away ask her — The maiden said Chang'an faces calamity Fire consumes the ground sparrows Sixteen days of flames Flames warm the night air Emperor Wu of Han was greatly startled and quickly urged Dongfang Shuo to come up with a solution Dongfang Shuo pretended to think for a moment then said "I' ve heard that the God of Fire loves eating tangyuan " Long live your Majesty's fondness for the dumplings made by Yuanxiao on the fifteenth night have him prepare the dumplings command the people to make dumplings together as an offering to the Fire God and then have the subjects hang lanterns together on the sixteenth night Setting off firecrackers and fireworks as if the entire city were ablaze so as to deceive the Jade Emperor and signal to the people outside the city walls to enter turn off their lights to avert disaster and overcome misfortune On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month the city of Chang'an was brilliantly decorated with lanterns and festive banners buzzing with excitement Yuanxiao's parents brought their younger sister into the city to view the lanterns and upon seeing the large lantern bearing Yuanxiao's name they A joyful shout echoed through the night—Yuanxiao Yuanxiao Hearing the call Yuanxiao finally reunited with her family The city of Chang'an remained safe and sound and Emperor Wu of Han was overjoyed He decreed that tangyuan should be made every year from then on Hanging lanterns and setting off fireworks because the rice balls made on the Lantern Festival are the best people began calling them yuanxiao and this day became known as the Lantern Festival