Which Chinese festival marks the end of Lunar New Year celebrations with lanterns?

The Lantern Festival marks the end of Lunar New Year celebrations in China and is held on the 15th day of the first month of the lunisolar calendar.

It falls at the first full moon of the new lunar year, usually in February or early March. Celebrations traditionally include carrying brightly colored lanterns, viewing lantern displays, solving riddles, and eating tangyuan—glutinous rice balls often served in a sweet soup.

The festival’s roots reach back more than 2,000 years, with traditions associated with the Han dynasty. Lantern lighting was also linked to Buddhist temple observances and to seasonal ideas about overcoming winter darkness. Red lanterns commonly symbolize good fortune.

It is sometimes confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival, which also features lanterns in some regions but occurs on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. The Lantern Festival is specifically the closing celebration of the traditional New Year period.