Is it true that Chinese people can take fifteen days off for the Spring Festival? It sounds a bit exaggerated, almost like a joke. But if you’ve been following our earlier episodes on Chinese culture, especially the one where we talked about the Spring Festival, you might remember this detail. Today, we’re going to pick up right where that story ends and talk about the very first festival after the Spring Festival — the Lantern Festival.

After Duke Xian of Jin swallowed up the states of Guo and Yu, the court officials all came to offer congratulations. Only Li Ji felt unhappy in her heart.She had hoped to send Crown Prince Shensheng to lead the campaign against Guo, but instead Li Ke took his place and succeeded in one stroke. For the moment, she could find no chance to charge Shensheng with a crime.

At the Kuiqiu alliance meeting.Zhougong Kong was also present. Meanwhile, the new ruler of Song, Duke Xiang of Song, had just suffered a death in the family, yet he still came to the meeting in mourning clothes. This showed both his respect for ritual and his respect for Qi. Guan Zhong judged that Duke Xiang of Song was the best choice. So Duke Huan publicly took Duke Xiang’s hand and solemnly entrusted Prince Zhao to him.

The Qixi Festival , also known as the Qiqiao Festival is a Chinese festival celebrating the annual meeting of Zhinü and Niulang in Chinese mythology.The festival is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Qi, Song, and Cao camped at Niebei and did not move. They stayed there for two full months. During that time, the Di forces kept attacking Xing day and night.

Xing could not hold out. In the end, it was crushed. The people of Xing fled in panic and ran to the Qi camp to beg for help. Among them, one man collapsed to the ground crying.It was the ruler of Xing, Shuyan.

At the critical moment, the main Qi army arrived.The Qi general Prince Chengfu charged bravely, defeated Sùmai, and rescued Hu’er Ban. Hu’er Ban led the remaining Rong troops back to Duke Huan, his face filled with shame.Duke Huan encouraged him, saying.“Victory and defeat are the common fortunes of war.Do not take it to heart.” He also bestowed a fine horse upon him, moving Hu’er Ban to tears of gratitude.

If you ask a Chinese person, “What is the most important festival of the year?” Most people will answer without hesitation: the Spring Festival. For Chinese people, the Spring Festival has never been just a holiday. It is more like a time ritual that has lasted for thousands of years, a collective dialogue between humans and nature, between family and society.

In the first month of the first year of King Xi of Zhou. Duke Huan of Qi held court. After the ministers finished their audience, Duke Huan asked Guan Zhong. “By following Zhongfu’s guidance, our state has risen quickly.Now our troops are strong, our grain is abundant, and the people understand ritual and justice.I want to build alliances and bring peace to the four directions.What do you think?”