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Exploring Chinese civilization: How a U.S. vlogger celebrates the Lantern Festival in China

Global Stringer

02:33

Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival that falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Spring Festival celebrations. Nevertheless, aside from lanterns illuminating Chinese streets and online debates over the proper fillings for "yuanxiao" or "tangyuan" (glutinous rice balls), it is rarely recognized, even among Chinese, that it is the authentic Chinese equivalent to Valentine's Day. Compared to the Qixi Festival on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Lantern Festival has a relatively low profile, but it has undeniably been the day for love throughout Chinese history.

On this day, Marissa, a vlogger from the United States who now lives in Wuhan, the capital city of central China's Hubei Province, visits a local temple fair, also known as "miaohui" in Chinese, a traditional cultural event that typically takes place around temples or historic sites. Here, people can find many stalls featuring traditional fans, dragon dance and various decorations. She experiences the bustling vibe, enjoying festive lanterns and eating snacks.

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