the 15-day celebration of chinese new year
the first day of the lunar new year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth."many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them.
on the second day, the chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. they are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.
the third and fourth days are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law.
the fifth day is called po woo. on that day people stay home to welcome the god of wealth. no one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck.
on the sixth to the 10th day, the chinese visit their relatives and friends freely. they also visit the temples to pray for good fortune and health.
the seventh day of the new year is the day for farmers to display their produce. these farmers make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. the seventh day is also considered the birthday of human beings. noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success.
on the eighth day the fujian people have another family reunion dinner, and at midnight they pray to tian gong, the god of heaven.
the ninth day is to make offerings to the jade emperor.
the 10th through the 12th are days that friends and relatives should be invited for dinner. after so much rich food, on the 13th day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens (choi sum) to cleanse the system.
the 14th day should be for preparations to celebrate the lantern festival which is to be held on the 15th night.
前奏
骤然风起，雨便是纤纤柔柔的下，朦胧了整座城。朦胧了整个元宵节。
早已计划好的，要在元宵节的晚上去看灯，去看烟花。该是年年如此了吧，乐此不疲。毕竟是年的尾巴，总希望在年味淡去的时候凑凑热闹，体味一下新年的余温。可今年的今天，却是下了多半的雨，心中不禁有点怅然若失。
计划破灭。心情却让是崭新的期待。微笑整天，品味年年都要吃的元宵，还是总能品出不同的味道。总以为我吃下的是一颗颗“读心丸”，喜或悲它会懂，因此才让我们感受到温馨或是甜腻。
冷冷的天气，却还是挂念那漫天盛开的烟花。
那时“花”开无月之夜。天是铅般沉重纯粹的黑。冷冷的空气迟缓，呆着表情游走，寻找热闹人群的下落。
这样的凉意泛滥的夜晚，我是不喜欢走远的。于是便在附近转转，追寻一丝一缕节日的温暖。今日的夜空并不很繁忙，没有月亮星星的光芒，似乎又严肃了几分。四面八方的烟花的笑声将我包裹，决眦去望却还是满眼的凉。他们说，烟花再美，只是一瞬。他们说有些地方已禁放烟花，说是污染空气……我的期待一点一点的流逝，像鼓鼓的气球被谁戳了个洞。抬头看天，它只不语。难道节日的气氛竟如此淡了么？给周围的人发短信，说元宵节快乐，我的祝福总是这么干净利落。会陆陆续续有祝福我的信息，于是内心便是温暖一阵。
有一种说法是“比烟花寂寞”。烟花是寂寞的吗？也许是吧，也只有她去倾心装点那单调深邃的夜空了。黑暗中的灿烂，绝望中的希望，烟花也是花。缤纷而多情的花，在烟花的世界里，桃红柳绿，草长莺飞，长袖舞空，缤纷百态。用一颗虔诚的心，看这夜空的星光，这被叫做烟花的花开了又败，谢了又开。其实心里明白，重开的花，已并非她本来的模样，她的生命只有一次，谢了，便真的沉沉睡去了。烟花泪，不曾见，却是真真切切的存在着，绽放的生命，是疼痛还是自豪。妄想将她们最后的美丽姿态拍下来，好静静怀念，她们却是骄傲的，走的匆匆，勇敢地闪烁。于宁静而生，于辉煌而亡，把最华丽的一面展示给世界。短暂的一生，即便匆匆走过，甚至没有多余的时间用来思考快乐和忧伤的定义，但从地面到天空的距离，曾用心来丈量。烟花泪，落满心，烟花笑，永不灭，谁也不忘，元宵节的夜空，有她的华彩。向她致敬。要像浮游生物，做自由态，更要像烟花一样，绽放自己。
尾声
节日的寂寞，烟花的盛开，宏大的鸣奏，暗去的天空，热闹着静默着思索着。
“一曲笙歌春如海，千门灯火夜似昼”。历代文人墨客赞美元宵花灯的诗句数不胜数，如今读来仍趣味无穷。
唐代时，元宵放灯已发展成为盛况空前的灯市。京城“作灯轮六年级十丈，衣以锦绮，饰以金银，燃五万盏灯，簇之为花树”。唐代诗人苏味道的《正月十五夜》诗云?“火树银花合，星桥铁锁开。暗尘随马去，明月逐人来。”描绘了灯月交辉，游人如织，热闹非凡的场景。唐代诗人张悦也曾用诗赞道?“花萼楼门雨露新，长安城市太平人。龙衔火树千灯焰，鸡踏莲花万岁春。”把元宵节赏灯的情景描述得淋漓尽致。李商隐则用“月色灯光满帝城，香车宝辇溢通衢”的诗句，描绘了当时观灯规模之宏大。值得称道的，还应首推唐代诗人崔液的《上元夜》?”玉漏铜壶且莫催，铁关金锁彻明开；谁家见月能闲坐，何处闻灯不看来。”这里虽没有正面描写元宵盛况，却蕴含着十分欢乐愉悦热烈熙攘的场景。
宋代的元宵夜更是盛况空前，灯市更为壮观。苏东坡有诗云?“灯火家家有，笙歌处处楼。”范成大也有诗写道?“吴台今古繁华地，偏爱元宵影灯戏。”诗中的“影灯”即是“走马灯”。大词人
辛弃疾曾有一阙千古传诵的颂元宵盛况之词?“东风夜放花千树，更吹落，花如雨。宝马雕车香满路。风箫声动，玉壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞。
明代更加铺张，将元宵放灯从三夜改为十夜。唐伯虎曾赋诗盛赞元宵节，把人们带进迷人的元宵之夜。诗曰?“有灯无月不误人，有月无灯不算春。春到人间人似玉，灯烧月下月似银。满街珠翠游春女，沸地笙歌赛社神。不展芳樽开口笑，如何消得此良辰。”
清代元宵热闹的场面除各种花灯外，还有舞火把、火球、火雨等。阮元有羊城灯市诗云：“海螯云凤巧玲珑，归德门明列彩屏，市火蛮宾余物力，长年羊德复仙灵。月能彻夜春光满，人似探花马未停；是说瀛洲双客到，书窗更有万灯青。”清代诗人姚元之写的《咏元宵节》诗?“花间蜂蝶趁喜狂，宝马香车夜正长。十二楼前灯似火，四平街外月如霜。”更是生动、精彩别致。
充满诗情和浪漫色彩的元宵节，往往与爱情连在一起。历代诗词中，就有不少诗篇借元宵抒发爱慕之情。北宋欧阳修词“今年元夜时，月与灯依旧；不见去年人，泪满春衫袖。”抒写了对情人的思念之苦。
