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Today’s
Doodle honors the annual celebration, known as the Lantern Festival, a treasured
occasion signaling the finale of Lunar New Year celebrations all over the world.
The Lantern Festival tradition has been practiced for more than 2000 years,
dating back to China’s Han Dynasty. Once known as Shang Yuan, early lantern
festivals were designed as offerings to the gods, and families lit lanterns near
their homes to represent a holy place.
Since its inception, the Lantern Festival is now celebrated across Asian and
around the globe with illuminating art installations, in addition to lanterns of
various sizes and designs. The lanterns are painted with everything from pandas
to cats, and each have their own meaning, such as great fortune or luck in a
relationship.
Happy Lantern Festival! |
