The Lantern Festival, marking the end of Chinese New Year, invites people to solve riddles on glowing lanterns as a tradition believed to spark wisdom and clarity for the year ahead.

The Lantern Festival, known as Yuanxiao Jie, marks the final day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This festival dates back over 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), when Emperor Ming of Han, a devoted Buddhist, ordered lanterns to be lit in honor of Buddha on this auspicious date.The practice of writing riddles on lanterns became widespread during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279). Scholars began crafting intricate puzzles on silk and paper lanterns to challenge festival participants. These riddles, called "dengmi," typically feature clever wordplay, historical allusions, or messages of good fortune that require wit and cultural knowledge to solve.Beyond entertainment, solving lantern riddles serves a deeper cultural purpose: promoting mental agility and strengthening social bonds within communities. In ancient times, these public riddle-solving events created rare opportunities for ordinary people to engage with scholars and the educated elite in shared celebration.Today, the Lantern Festival is observed worldwide, with spectacular displays in major cities including Beijing, Taipei, and Singapore. The lighting of lanterns symbolizes "illuminating the future" and releasing the previous year's hardships. It remains one of the most significant celebrations in the lunar calendar, seamlessly blending folklore, philosophical meaning, and community connection.