LanternFestivalfallsonthefifteenthdayofthefirstlunarmonth.Thisisthefirstfullmoonofthenewyear,symbolizingunityandperfection.LanternFestivalisanimportantpartofSpringFestival,andmarkstheofficialendofthelongholiday. 　　元宵节是农历正月的第十五天,这是新年的第一次满月,象征着和睦和团圆.元宵节是春节的一个重要组成部分,也象征着春节长假的正式结束. 　　TherearemanylegendsconcerningtheoriginsofLanternFestival. 　　关于元宵节的来历有很多传说. 　　Accordingtoonelegend,onceinancienttimes,acelestialswancameintothemortalworldwhereitwasshotdownbyahunter.TheJadeEmperor,thehighestgodinHeaven,vowedtoavengetheswan.HestartedmakingplanstosendatroopofcelestialsoldiersandgeneralstoEarthonthefifteenthdayofthefirstlunarmonth,withorderstoincinerateallhumansandanimals.Buttheothercelestialbeingsdisagreedwiththiscourseofaction,andriskedtheirlivestowarnthepeopleofEarth.Asaresult,beforeandafterthefifteenthdayofthefirstmonth,everyfamilyhungredlanternsoutsidetheirdoorsandsetofffirecrackersandfireworks,givingtheimpressionthattheirhomeswerealreadyburning.BysuccessfullytrickingtheJadeEmperorinthisway,humanitywassavedfromextermination. 　　有一个传说是这样的,在古代,有一位神界天鹅闯入人间被猎手误杀.天界最高的神玉皇大帝因此发誓为这只天鹅报仇.他开始制定计划,派出一支天兵天将于农历正月十五来到人间,命令他们火烧所有的人和动物.但是其他神仙并不赞同这一计划,他们冒着生命危险提醒人间的人们.结果,在正月十五这一天前后,每一个家庭在门外挂起灯笼,并燃放烟花爆竹,给天兵天将造成各家各户起火的假象.通过这种方式,人们成功骗过了玉皇大帝,人类也因此逃过灭绝的危险. 　　Accordingtoanotherlegend,duringthetimeofEmperorHanWudioftheHanDynasty,apalacewomannamedYuanxiaowaspreventedfromcarryingoutherfilialdutyofvisitingherparentsonthefifteenthdayofthefirstlunarmonth.Distraught,shesaidshewouldkillherselfbyjumpingintoawell.InordertohelpYuanxiaofulfillherdutyasafilialdaughter,thescholarDongfangShuocameupwithascheme.HetoldEmperorHanWudithattheJadeEmperor,thehighestgodinHeaven,hadorderedtheFireGodtoburndownthecapitalcityofChang'anonthesixteenthdayofthefirstlunarmonth.Anxioustofindawaytosavehiscity,theemperoraskedDongfangShuowhatheshoulddo.DongfangShuorepliedthattheFireGodlovedredlanternsmorethananything.Headvisedthatthestreetsbehungwithredlanterns,andtheemperor,empress,concubines,andcourtofficialscomeoutofthepalacetoseethem.Inthisway,theFireGodwouldbedistractedanddisasteraverted.TheemperorfollowedDongfangShuo'sadvice,andwhileeveryonewasoutviewingthelanterns,Yuanxiaowasabletosneakoutofthepalaceandbereunitedwithherparents. 　　另外一个传说发生在汉武帝时期.一位名叫元宵的宫女因身处深宫,没法在正月十五与父母团聚尽孝.为此,她欲跳井自尽.为了帮助元宵姑娘为父母尽孝,智者东方朔想出了一个计划.他告诉汉武帝,天界最高的神——玉皇大帝下令在正月十六火烧长安都.为了拯救长安城,汉武帝问东方朔该怎么办.东方朔回答说火神最爱大红灯笼.他建议在街道上悬挂大红灯笼,皇帝、皇后、六宫嫔妃和朝廷大臣都要外出观赏灯笼.这样,火神的注意力就会被分散,灾难也就可以避免了.皇帝采纳了东方朔的建议,当所有人都外出赏灯时,元宵得以有机会溜出皇宫,和家人团圆. 　　Althoughtheabovestoriesarequitefantastical,itissurethattheoriginsofLanternFestivalarerelatedtoancienthumanity'suseoffiretocelebratefestivalsandavertdisaster.SinceLanternFestivalinvolvesmakingofferingstothedeitiesandiscelebratedatnight,itisnaturalthatfirewouldplayanimportantrole.Overtime,LanternFestivalgraduallyevolvedintoitspresentform.WhenBuddhismwasintroducedtoChinaduringtheEasternHanDynasty,theemperordecreedthatonthenightofthefullmoonofthefirstlunarmonth,lanternsshou