Lantern Festival relics show human hopes behind traditional celebration

Looking at one particular mural in China's world-famous Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, a major repository of ancient China's Buddhist art, visitors may notice a building fully decorated with lanterns surrounded by figures wearing gorgeous costumes who dance and light more lanterns around the building. According to experts, this scene is theorized to depict the lively atmosphere of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace banquet during the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, which means it also comes with a full moon.

世界闻名的中国敦煌莫高窟是一座中国传统佛教艺术的宝库，在这里我们可以见到一幅特殊的壁画，看画的人或许会注意到一栋被灯笼装饰的房子，旁边围满了穿着华美服装的人，他们跳着舞，还点起房子周围的更多灯笼。专家称，这一场景理论上描绘了唐代（618—907 年）元宵节宴会上的活跃气氛。 元宵节又称上元节，是一个在农历正月十五庆祝的节日，这也意味着元宵节往往伴随着一轮圆月。

tips

mural n. 壁画

repository n. 宝库，存放处

banquet n. 宴会；v. 赴宴