Chinese Lantern Festival is the day that wraps up the 15 days of the Lunar New Year celebration.
The finale of the Lunar New Year comes with marvelous lantern displays and a fun riddle game that can be traced to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – CE 25). Why Riddles? The traditional Lantern Festival Riddles are to challenge people who play the game and to see their knowledge of classical Chinese literature.
Also, these riddles are like brain teasers. Some can be so hard to figure out. But the answer can be so fun to know.
Chinese Lantern Festival riddle game is a literacy game that you can plan ahead for different age groups with different proficiency levels.
Questions you can ask about the Chinese Lantern Festival before starting the riddle games. It is a warm-up and it is a brief culture session.
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What do the Chinese eat on Lantern Festival? (Hint: a dessert. Answer: Rice Balls.)
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What do Chinese children do on Lantern Festival? (Hint: an activity. Answer: Carry lanterns. )
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Is the Lantern Festival a part of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration? (Answer: Yes.)
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How long is the Lunar New Year celebration for the Chinese? (Hint: Lantern Festival is the last day.)
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What day does LanternFestival fall on during the 15 days Chinese Lunar New Year celebration?
Traditionally the lantern owners write their riddles on the lanterns. Now you see the riddles written on the papers and attached to the lanterns at the festival locations. I always have a Lantern Festival Party with the kids and their friends. I place the riddles in red envelopes and I clipped them on a golden string.
Riddle Me Riddle Me – Try out the riddles below.
I have two sets of riddles for you to try. The first set is in English and the younger kids always enjoy it.
The second set has the riddles that are used in China and Taiwan for Mandarin Chinese native speakers. It can be used for children who have some knowledge of the Chinese language and Chinese culture. It is included in the 15-day Chinese Lunar New Year teaching unit.
This is a good game for Chinese cultural literacy. The actual Lantern Festival riddles include puns, classic idioms, sayings, quotes, names, places, and brain teasers.
15-Day CNY with Lantern Festival Riddles Activity
How to Play the Riddle Game
1. Every child will have a turn or two.
2. You will start with the first child. He will choose one envelope by the number, open it, then read the riddle inside.
3. Whoever solves the riddle first will receive a prize. Then the process repeats.
Words and Phrases to Know
lantern – 燈籠|灯笼 Dēng lóng
to carry a lantern – 提燈籠|提灯笼Tí dēng lóng
Lantern Festival – 元宵節|元宵节Yuán xiāo jié
riddles – 謎語|谜语 Mí yǔ
solve the (Lantern Festival) Riddles – 猜(元宵)燈謎 | 猜(元宵)灯谜 Cāi (yuán xiāo) dēng mí
answer (n.) – 答案 Dá àn
answer (v.) – 回答 Huí dá
Six Riddles for Kids –
1.
What animal has its own built-in shower?
Traditional Chinese
哪種動物有自己的淋浴器？
Pinyin
Nǎ zhǒng dòngwù yǒu zìjǐ de línyù qì?
Simplified Chinese
哪种动物有自己的淋浴器？
2.
What building has the most stories?
哪個建築物裡的故事最多？
Nǎge jiànzhú lǐ de gùshì zuìduō?
哪个建筑里的故事最多？
3.
I have a little house in which I live alone. It has no doors or windows and if I want to get out I must break through the wall.
我有一個小房子，我一個人住。這房子沒有門也沒有窗戶，如果我想出去，我一定要打破牆壁。
Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiǎo fángzi, wǒ yīgèrén zhù. Zhè fángzi méiyǒu mén yě méiyǒu chuānghù, rúguǒ wǒ xiǎng chūqù,
wǒ yīdìng yào dǎpò qiángbì.
我有一个小房子，我一个人住。这房子没有门也没有窗户，如果我想出去，我一定要打破墙壁。
4.
What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
這個東西是你的。但是，別人用的比你用的更多？
Zhège dōngxī shì nǐ de. Dànshì, biérén yòng de bǐ nǐ yòng de gèng duō?
這個東西是你的。但是，別人用的比你用的更多？
5.
They are twin sisters, the same height and the same weight. They work in the kitchen arm-in-arm. What ever is cooked they always try it first. What are they?
他們是雙胞胎，身高和體重一樣。他們在廚房一起工作。煮的菜他們總會先吃吃看。這個東西是什麼？
Tāmen shì shuāngbāotāi, shēngāo hè tǐzhòng yīyàng. Tāmen zài chúfáng yīqǐ gōngzuò. Zhǔ de cài tāmen zǒng huì xiān chī chī kàn. Zhège dōngxī shì shénme?
他们是双胞胎，身高和体重一样。他们在厨房一起工作。煮的菜他们总会先吃吃看。这个东西是什
Answers:
1. elephant dà xiàng 大象 . 2. library t́u shū guǎn 圖書館 / 图书馆
3. egg dàn 蛋 4. your name nǐ de míng zi 你的名字 5. chopsticks kuài zi 筷子
Chinese expression for this festival:
Happy Lantern Festival! 元宵節快樂. 元宵节快乐 Yuán xiāo jié kuài lè
Learn how to make your lantern with the videos below.
Dates for the upcoming Lantern Festival
February 24, 2024 – Year of the DRAGON
February 12, 2025 – Year of the SNAKE (little dragon)
March 3, 2026 – Year of the HORSE
February 21, 2027 – Year of the SHEEP
Make your own lantern for the Lantern Festival!
Lantern Festival Around the World
The significance of each of the following festivals is unique. The lights or the lanterns are the highlights of these cultural festivals. From the Chinese Lantern Festival, your child can connect with a world of amazing cultures.
Tet in Vietnam
Koshogatsu in Japan
Daeboreum in Korea
Diwali, Festival of Light in India
Chotrul Duchen in Tibet
Yi Pend Festival of Lights in Thailand
Floating Lantern Festival in Hawaii, United States.
Magha Puja in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.
St. Johns Night in Poland.