Chinese Lantern Festival: The Perfect End to New Year
Chinese New Year doesn’t end on Day 1 — it runs for 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival (元宵节, yuánxiāo jié). This is the night when the full moon appears for the first time in the new lunar year, and the tradition is to light lanterns, solve riddles, and eat sweet glutinous rice balls.
The lanterns themselves range from simple paper spheres to elaborate displays with thousands of lights. The largest celebration is in Nanjing, where the Qinhuai River Lantern Festival has been held since the Ming dynasty. If you’re in China during this period, it’s a magical way to end the holiday season.