* * UPDATED 2026 - see Full Moon times below * *
The 15 day long Chinese Lunar New Year festivities will draw to a close, with the Annual Lantern Festival - Yuanxiao Festival - heralding the first Full Moon of the Chinese New Year, in the Year of the Horse.
You’ve probably heard of the 12 Days of Christmas. The Chinese have a similar custom; only it’s 15 days long and denotes a different festival. From the first day of the Lunar New Year, over the course of a fortnight — 15 days of the Lunar month to be precise — specifies a host of traditions and customs that take place as Luna grows from New to Fullness. The Yuanxiao or Shang yuan Festival (The Lantern Festival) this year in the Universal calendar falls on the 3 March 2026. Technically that date translates as — the 15th day of the first lunar Month in the Year of the Horse in the Lunar Calendar — see below when Luna is full in your patch of paradise. The last day of the festival celebrates the visible Full moon.
Fifteen has numerical significance in the Chinese metaphysics. Midpoints are seen as powerful points, 15 days is midpoint of a lunar month (moon) cycle. The moon takes 29.5 days to complete one cycle of phases (from new Moon to new Moon) so 15 days guarantees Luna will have waxed to fullness and visually full in the night sky then. The 15th day of five other lunar months are also Moon Festivals. The approx fortnight is the length of one solar term - with 3 x 5 wu lou's making up each of the 24 solar terms. It's also relevant in the Lou Shu - magic square - all digits add to 15 in all directions. And each of the 24 mountains (directions) on Lo Pan(Chinese compass) are 15°.
Many folk legends exist as to the origin of the Lantern festival. In times past only the Emperor or Noble stately folk fired up their lavish lanterns, stemming from a 2,000 year ago tradition first practiced during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Han dynasty. That custom was rooted in a Buddhist tradition, when they lit lanterns on the 15th lunar day. It’s thought this was in veneration of Tian guan, one of the three Taoist sky deity. Also known as the Great Emperor of Middle Heaven North Star or Zi Wei Emperor. He assists the Jade Emperor in administrative duties of Heaven and Earth; Sun and Moon; four seasons and weather. Commander of all deities of constellations, mountains and rivers and in charge of all the natural phenomenon in the universe. This Official of Heaven is said to bestow happiness and good fortune and his birthday falls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. As the Spring Festival is deeply rooted in agricultural success the veneration of this Sky god was to ensure a season of successful planting, free of weather disasters. The Chinese Calendar is a Lunisolar Calendar.
Another legend offers the celebration of ‘the declining darkness of winter’ with Spring vibes indicating the end of winter and the Full Moon illuminating the path ahead, coupled with the ‘human-made light’ - lanterns. Red was the colour of choice, to denote auspiciousness and representative of joy. Interesting this year considering the Lantern festival falls on a Total eclipse, when Luna is blood Red in the night sky.
The Lantern festival has seen the revival of the ‘Touring of the Fires’ custom on the night of the Full moon. Others carry a ‘sedan chair made with palm and fire jump’ in southeast China's Fujian Province. The tradition reminds of a similar cross cultural custom of Celtic Fire festivals that incorporate Fire walks such as Lughnasa and Imbolc the latter is the Pagan Spring festival.
The ancients depicted 1st lunar month with a crane in Pine trees. Image by Utagawa Toyoharu (1735–1814) Crane and Their Young in Their Nest in the Branches of a Pine-tree. Date circa 1790 Via Met Musuem Public domain CC0
CRANE SYMBOLISM
Many moons ago, when the press release for the opening of the G Hotel in Galway landed on my desk I was instantly smitten with a visually arresting arrangement of cranes by sculptor Eve Menz; 300 large-scale origami cranes. so captivating against a dark backdrop. Back then, the symbolic meaning passed me by.
The winged messenger’s are omens ‘of good fortune, freedom, long life and the harmonious passage into the afterlife’. Menz was indeed on the money; the crane is exactly that, in ancient Chinese and Taoist lore.
Why am I talking about cranes? Regular followers of mine know I highlight the lunar month depictions by the Ancients, and a little fable about a beautiful crane that flew to earth from heaven is connected to the Lantern Festival. Upon landing on earth the bird was killed by hunters. The heavenly Jade Emperor was angered as he greatly favoured the crane. As a consequence he planned to unleash fire to destroy the village on the 15th lunar day. The Emperor's daughter warned the inhabitants of the plan. A wise villager suggested everyone hang red lanterns around their houses and set up bonfires on the streets and explode firecrackers on the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth lunar days. Thus giving the appearance of a village already on fire. On the 15th lunar day, heavenly troops descended from above to destroy the village, but saw it was already alight. The Emperor believed justice was already served. Hence why today’s celebration feature lantern lined streets and firecrackers/ fireworks are set off.
Each lunar month was also known to the Ancient Chinese by either a number or simple name. The first was called ‘Start’ Month, as the yang force is said to be strongest at this time. Chinese paintings also depict lunar months by pairing a bird with a plant. And this month it’s illustrated by a Crane (now you know why) and Pine Trees, or sometimes Storks, which tend to live in wet marshes partnered with other winter/spring plants like Bamboo or Plum blossom are featured. Just like the pine trees, the crane symbolizes longevity as well as wisdom in Chinese lore. The long necked birds are depicted as white, black, blue, red or yellow their posture and number is also of importance. While in Taoist lore a Daoist priest is thought to be able to transform into a crane. Hence the figure of a crane at funerals to represent the ascension of the soul, which is carried by the majestic crane.
In Japanese culture the promise of a wish granted by the gods is on offer to anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes. A thousand paper cranes, are given to a person who is seriously ill, to wish for their recovery. Generally the collective efforts of friends, classmates or colleagues is required to achieve the goal of 1,000. given recent years focus on wellness, it was a very timely custom worth reviving in uncertain times. And if you’re in need of a mindful craft to busy hands then it’s a worth trying your hand at Origami - I might dust off my own origami book and fashion a crane for myself!
And in Tibetan Buddhism, the 15th day of the First Month — is a holy day called the ‘Day of Miracles’. Typically the day is taken off work to pray, reflect and do good deeds. Your deeds and acts of kindness on this day are multiplied many times.
By jacob-buchhave via unsplash via CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
CURRENT CUSTOMS
Chinese Lunar New Year festivities comes to a climax with Yuan Xiao - The Lantern Festival. Today’s modern rendition of the festival sees young children carry lanterns through the street and decipher the character riddles inscribed on the lanterns. Giant lantern displays of the 12 zodiacal animals oft line streets. While streets, alleyways and shopfronts are decked with lanterns forming a sea of red globes. No festival finale is complete, without a lion/dragon dance - the dragon more so, as it’s a heavenly sky creature that bestows heavenly gifts. All finished off with the sight and sound of fireworks and firecrackers.
Most know 14 February as Valentine's Day in the Universal calendar but on 15th day of 1st Lunar month - aka 3 March this year, it’s considered Chinese Valentine’s Day - noting there's more than one Valentine’s day in the Chinese Calendar! In times past unmarried women were barely able to leave the house unchaperoned but during the Lantern Festival, women were permitted go out and light up lanterns and meet people; and maybe even a suitable suitor!
In some regions it’s customary for singletons to write their telephone number on oranges and then throw the fruit into a river/lake. Folks looking for love would then collect and eat the oranges. The character for orange is 桔 jú, phonetically sounds like ‘to wish’ thus symbolizing a wish for good fortune. So a sweet tasting citrus represents joy; the flavour associated with happiness and aforementioned good fortune, while a sour tasting fruit represents less favorable outcomes. Let’s hope there’s no mix up with any discarded rinds!
FULL MOON TIMES
First Full Moon in Chinese Calendar is @ 12° Virgo
- NY @6:37am
- Dublin @11:37am - maximum eclipse at 10:33pm
- Beijing @7:37pm
- Sydney @10:37pm
ECLIPSE TRIVIA
Anders Jildén StockSnap_eclipse
Tonight’s Lantern festival is also a Total Lunar eclipse, you won’t see another total eclipse for another three years. It’s visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Much of North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica. Sydneysiders Luna will starting to colour from 10:04pm, maximum hue at 10:33pm and crimson disappears from 11:02pm.
Crimson hues in the sky be it the Northern Lights or celestial phenomenon it’s typically laced with ominous lore. Via Chinese lens it’s thought peeps with a Snake (the wise seer and mystical creator of the universe in the Chinese lore) is especially attuned to the celestial skies. But there’s one caveat that eclipse customs differ for the western perspective. Chinese lore proffers you don’t typically look at the celestial phenomenon —which is partially couched in the point of view that if the eclipse isn’t visible from your domicile that you’ve escaped being eclipsed by any negative associations. So if you don’t go outdoors to catch a glimpse then you’re shielding yourself from any associated perils. Eclipses are always associated with Rahu and Ketu the Lunar nodes. Ketu especially with Lunar eclipse - in Chinese zodiac the Ox has an affinity to Ketu - a word to the wise, Oxen might sit this one out and ditto for snakes.
World leaders with Oxen or snake in their charts - Trump(snake) and inaugurated on a double Ox day, Netanahu double Ox, Carney double snake, Macron, Mette Frederiksen Snakes, Xi Ping, Zelensky and Yemen’s leader Muhammad have both as does the Ukraine country chart. Not an exhaustive list but a taste. And a few in the public eye recently — Andrew Mountbatten has a Snake as does Peter Mandelson, a double snake.
You can find more on Eclipse cosmology from a Chinese perspective here.
Wishing everyone an illuminating Lantern Festival ⧇
ⓒ FENG SHUi iSM 2026
“Living eye to eye with environmental wisdom ”
