Moms and Dads, did you know that according to old Chinese belief, the Moon Minister of Marriage Yue Lao set you both up to marry many, many first-full-moon-of-the-year years ago?

Yes, it is said that this distinguished deity matches baby boys and girls on the 15th night after the Chinese New Year, when the first full moon of the year is out. He matches pairs by binding a magical red thread around them.

Here is something that describes this bonding found in old Chinese poems:

"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet,
regardless of time, place, or circumstance.
The thread may stretch or tangle,
but it will never break."


Yue Lao is often depicted as an old man with flowing beard, holding a staff with orbs in one hand, and a scroll tied with red thread on the other. The scroll supposedly contains the names of all the matched pairs who would become husband and wife eventually. In other depictions he holds red thread or a red scarf.

Yue Lao also has temples, and people wishing for relationships and marriage visit his temple to honor him.

You may like to see ChildBook products about Lantern Festival and celebrating the Chinese New Year :

Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes

	Lanterns and Firecrackers A Chinese New Year Story by Jonny Zucker, English

Lin Yi's Lantern, A Moon Festival Tale by Brenda Williams, English, Hardcover

Labels: ChildBook products, chinese new year, Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival is this Sunday, Feb.28. The Lantern Festival signals the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations and it is time to face the year with good intentions.

In Taiwan, people write prayers on their lanterns, wishing for good health, love and happiness. Then they let the paper lanterns fly off into the night sky.

Here is a video taken during the Lantern Festival of 2007 in Pingshi, Taiwan by Diagonal View UK.

It's too beautiful to not share!

Labels: chinese new year, Lantern Festival