May 8 (Lunar calendar: March 19), 2023 Monday | Dawnxisoul393art

  

《The Red Lantern and Koi Fish - Celebration》, painted by dawnxisoul393

An energetic and beautiful Koi jumps under a hung red lantern. Its strange beauty and majesty tell a rich and possible story. Koi are usually associated with strong strength, great perseverance, and courage, success, and prosperity. A high-hanging traditional oval red lantern adds a happy atmosphere to the festive atmosphere. It is not only a light source, not only a simple paper decoration, but also a gift that brings warmth and good luck, represents happiness and love in traditional culture, and symbolizes the celebration of a prosperous life. Here, Koi and red lanterns show that it is time to celebrate. When beautiful red lanterns illuminate the world around us, we can see the light of our future. Oval red lanterns and beautiful Koi invite us to open our hearts and enjoy the sweetness of every day. With excitement and new discoveries, joy welled up from the heart.

Feel the world gratefully, and wonderful blessings will appear in some form. Celebrate and appreciate our desire, which is fully transmitted to us. When the happy Koi swims around us, our life is so happy. The old and unhealthy ways no longer serve us. It's time to think and act in a new creative way. We can always find a new direction in life and do something different. Feel our inner curiosity, embrace creative ways of existence, and get new experiences. Put on a new suit, try a new hairstyle, walk on a new path, explore the woodland, park, river, or mountain where we live, write a new article or start a new art project. Get rid of the dust and make our senses look new. Every new dawn is a new beginning full of joy and happiness.

Illustrated by dawnxisoul393

A legend, an ancient legend, tells the story of the enduring red lantern. In ancient times, there was a city called "Caozhou", where people did not do good deeds, beat their fathers, scolded their mothers, women spoiled their babies, strong people bullied the weak with strength, oppressed the small with greatness, and did all kinds of evil. This situation was reflected in the Jade Emperor in heaven by the gods who passed through the earth. The Jade Emperor was angry and ordered the "Martian Lady" to go down quickly and burn all the villain's door to door. The Jade Emperor said, "you must burn Caozhou on the night of the 15th day of the first lunar month. If you violate the order, you will be killed!" The Martian Lady obeyed the order, soared through the clouds, and soon came to the world. After landing on the ground, she turned into a village woman who went to relatives, but because she landed too early, she was hundreds of miles away from Caozhou city. At this time, suddenly saw a team of donkey merchants coming. The Martian Lady hurried forward and asked, "where are you going?" a caravan member walking in front replied, "we are going to Caozhou to do business!" The Martian Lady said, "I also went to Caozhou to visit relatives. It's inconvenient to walk because the road is too far. Please give me a ride, will you?"

The caravan members thought that it was really not easy for a woman to go so far, so they agreed without hesitation. Halfway through the trip, the Martian lady thought to herself: “The members of the caravan are so kind that I burn the villains in Caozhou, can I burn these kind people together without distinction?” So she asked: "Where will you live in Caozhou?" The caravan member replied, "we are the first to go back to Caozhou. We are not familiar with our place of life. We can live wherever it is convenient, so we haven't decided where to live yet." The Lady of Mars was in a difficult position and did not know how to help them, so she said to the caravan members, "I have carefully calculated that the day you arrive at Caozhou City should be the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar." The Martian lady then said, "because the people of Caozhou are evil, the Jade Emperor is angry and will bring disaster in the near future. In which hotel do you live, hang a red lantern high at the door of the hotel, which can turn bad luck into good luck." The members of the caravan were horrified and trembled with fear. 

Illustrated by dawnxisoul393

While talking, the Martian Lady disappeared, and the caravan members believed her words. After the donkey team entered Caozhou, they found a hotel to stay. They found the hotel owner, told him about Miss Mars on the way, and urged the hotel owner to put up the red light as soon as possible. In addition to quickly arranging to hang red lanterns at the door of the hotel, the hotel owner also secretly informed his relatives and friends of the matter. Unexpectedly, one person passed on ten people, and ten people passed on a hundred people. In an instant, countless and various red lanterns were hung in the city. In the middle of the night, the Martian lady led the soldiers to Caozhou in the clouds. The Martian Lady held a torch and pointed out where the soldiers would burn. The city of Caozhou was ablaze with flames, and all places without red lanterns were burned down. Since then, on the 15th night of the first lunar month every year, people scramble to hang red lanterns at the door of the house to avoid disasters and slowly form a habit.

Red lanterns originated in the Western Han Dynasty more than 1800 years ago. Before and after the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year, people hanged red lanterns symbolizing auspicious significance to create a festive atmosphere. Later, red lanterns have become a symbol of festivity. Through the inheritance and development of Lantern artists of previous dynasties, they have formed rich and colorful varieties and superb craftsmanship. In terms of types, they included palace lanterns and gauze Lanterns, chandeliers, etc. in terms of modeling, there were figures, landscapes, flowers and birds, dragons and phoenixes, fish and insects, etc. in addition, there were horse lanterns for people to enjoy. Lanterns were made of bamboo, wood, rattan, wheat straw, animal horn, metal, silk, and other materials produced in various regions. Among the lanterns made in ancient times, palaces were used Lanterns and gauze lanterns were the most famous. Lanterns were connected with people's life. There were lanterns everywhere in temples and living rooms. 

We believe that the Lantern Festival is one of the most anticipated festivals for people to enjoy every year. The custom of watching lanterns on the Lantern Festival originated in the early years of the Han Dynasty, when lanterns were made to celebrate the peace and prosperity of the country by flashing lights, symbolizing the "auspiciousness of the colorful dragon and the wealth and strength of the people". The custom of making lanterns for the Lantern Festival became popular and later evolved into the custom of carrying lanterns for the Lantern Festival. When Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty established his capital in Nanjing, people set off thousands of fish shaped lanterns on the Qinhuai River. Lanterns also play an important role in home decoration, but now some of the materials of lanterns have changed from paper and bamboo to cloth, plastic, and iron wire. Moreover, the shape and color of lanterns are very different from traditional ones. The size and color of lanterns change according to personal preferences. "Si Shu" (ancient private schools) were opened on the first month of each year, at the beginning of school, parents would prepare a lantern for their children, which would be lit by the teachers, symbolizing a bright future for the students.

Illustrated by dawnxisoul393

In areas inhabited by overseas Chinese, such as Chinatown, red lanterns are prepared to be hung in the doorway or house during the Chinese New Year Festival, which not only lights up the night but also warms the whole family's heart looking forward to peace and happiness. This tradition is permeated with rich cultural heritage, and the red lantern has become a cultural symbol. Britain is the country with the largest number of immigrants from Hong Kong, and London has the whole world The largest Chinese community in Europe. Every new year and Spring Festival, the Chinese community hangs all kinds of bright red lanterns, one by one, row by row. Red lanterns symbolize family reunion, career prosperity, and red fire, implying happiness, brightness, vitality, fulfillment, and wealth, so everyone likes them. Each red lantern is lit, red, and grand Today, as a traditional folk handicraft, the red lantern is more exquisite and is a part of intangible cultural heritage.

The red celebration lanterns shine like stars, and the happy Koi join the excitement of the celebration. Let the feeling of bright and happy power fill our vibration. In the wave of celebration, our inner happiness energy will activate more happiness and abundance on the way to our journey.

Original by dawnxisoul393,

The Thoughts behind Our《The Red Lantern and Koi Fish - Celebration》Painting (One of Our Spiritual Self-Healing Thoughts)