The Lantern Festival is the most prosperous time of the year, and it can be regarded as "the sky is full of fireworks and lights." The folk lights in Shanxi are naturally no exception. Of course, lamps and fires must be distinguished here. Lamps are lanterns; fire is fireworks.

According to legend, the custom of making lanterns began in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the style of lighting became popular in all dynasties and was passed down to later generations. The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the climax of the annual lantern and fireworks display. Therefore, the Lantern Festival is also called the "Festival of Lanterns". In Shanxi's county-level cities and even townships and towns, these bustling areas where residents are concentrated, before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the streets are filled with lanterns and flowers are everywhere. , the lights flicker, reaching a climax on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. "Watching lanterns" on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month has become a spontaneous activity among Shanxi people. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, red lanterns are hung high in the streets and alleys, including palace lanterns, animal head lanterns, revolving lanterns, flower lanterns, bird lanterns, etc., attracting people watching the lanterns.

In the Taiyuan area, Taigu County's lanterns are very famous. People made up beautiful folk proverbs that have been passed down to this day: "The fire in Nanzhuang, the lanterns in Taigu, and the iron rods in Xugou love evil spirits." people".

Why are Taigu’s lamps famous? This is because in the history of Taigu County, business has gradually prospered for more than 300 years. During the Daoguang and Xianfeng years of the Qing Dynasty, Taigu County’s business prospered, and it once earned the reputation of “Little Beijing”. At that time, the ticket number was prosperous and well-known in China. In Taigu City, there are more than 700 shops along the streets and alleys. In addition to commercial competition, the big businessmen and wealthy businessmen also tried their best to imitate the customs of Suzhou, Hangzhou and Yangzhou in terms of cultural customs. The rise and development of the Festival of Lights was formed under this situation. Many varieties and patterns of lanterns have also been introduced from other places with the development of trade. According to legend, "palace lanterns" and "dragon lanterns" were introduced by merchants from Guangdong. As for the large number of lanterns, they are imitated in Yangzhou. Behind the introduction of this kind of learning, there was also the innovation of the local people, which made Taigu's Lantern Festival quickly emerge as a new force and become the first in the three Jin Dynasties.

Taigu’s lamps are famous for their wide variety, exquisite production and attractive appearance. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, there were paper lanterns, gauze lanterns, sheep-horn lanterns, hydrangea lanterns, and satin embroidery lanterns. During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, palace lanterns were introduced. Most of these palace lanterns are made of rosewood and walnut wood. The stand of these fine wooden products is carved with a dragon head, the mouth contains a pearl, either octagonal or hexagonal, and is decorated with tassels. The carving is exquisite, and the shape is generous and elegant. On the horizontal surface of this lamp, there are calligraphy and paintings, which are colorful and quite attractive.

On the night of the Lantern Festival, you can also see plant lanterns, animal lanterns, trademark lanterns, and word puzzle lanterns hanging on the streets, attracting people to watch.

Lamps in Taigu, every fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth day of the first lunar month, in Taigu City, all the shops along the streets, courtyards and small households, temples and thatched nunneries are decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, which are gorgeous and pleasing to the eye. In the sky and on earth, the lights and the moon shine together. People watching the lanterns are like a river or a sea tide, crowded together all night long. Some lantern riddle guessing activities take longer. Late at night, folk music was still playing, pushing the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival to a climax. This kind of lantern festival is naturally not limited to Taigu County in Shanxi Province. Most of the counties in the province have to watch lanterns to celebrate the lantern festival. In some larger villages and towns, people also hang up lanterns, which is why the term "watching lanterns" comes into being. In other counties and provincial capitals in Shanxi, there are also mountain lantern festivals, lantern festivals and lantern festivals, and their clever tricks are also found in various places. References are not allowed to be plagiarized