元宵节始于汉明帝统治时期（公元前58 – 75年在位），是中国最早的灯光节。汉明帝提倡佛教，并下令全国全有的寺庙、家庭以及皇家宫殿在每年的农历正十五日点亮灯笼以表示对佛的尊重。随着这一习俗的发展，点灯与赏灯便成为了一大文化活动。
如今，中国全国各地还都在举办元宵节。挂满大街小巷的各种不同形状、大小的灯笼吸引了无数的观众。孩子们也兴奋地提着自制或是购买的灯笼穿梭于大街小巷玩耍。
不仅如此，现代国际灯光节通过应用新技术为都市景观增添了一份新的艺术气息，同时也提高了商业价值。为迎接2013年的到来，上海将该市的故事制作成多媒体内容，投射在上海外滩的几处历史建筑外墙上。这场融合创意与最新光声技术的灯光秀为我们带来了一个难忘的2012年倒计时活动。并且在中国的其它城市，如北京与广州，通过向一些国际性灯光节学习，比如法国里昂灯光节、日本札幌灯光节，也开始为圣诞节、元旦、春节以及元宵节进行照明装饰并举办灯光节。节日灯光不仅美化了城市夜景，还在丰富节日活动、增加商家收入的同时带动了当地经济的发展。
当玛雅人关于黑暗的世界末日2012年12月21日预言成为一个笑话，其实这只是玛雅纪年一个循环的结束。让我们从享受节日的灯光话题，转向欢度中国传统新年吧！蛇年是中国传统纪年循环的二分之一。
Lantern Festival is the earliest Chinese lighting festival. It originated during the reign of the Emperor Hanmingdi (58 – 75 BC). He advocated Buddhism and ordered all the temples, households and royal palaces to light lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to show respect to Buddha. With the customs development, lighting and watching lanterns became a major cultural activity.
Till today, this lantern festival is still held each year aroundChina. Lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the streets, attracting countless visitors. Children hold self – made or bought lanterns while strolling on the streets, extremely excited.
On the other hand, modern international lighting festivals bring new artistic looks into the cityscape, apply new technologies and add business values.Shanghaigreeted 2013 with artistic media contents made of stories of the city projected onto a few historical buildings on the Bund. Creativity, combined with the latest lighting and sound technologies made that final 2012 countdown unforgettable. Other cities inChina, such asBeijingandGuangzhou, have started putting lighting decorations or organizing lighting festivals during Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival, learning from international lighting festivals such as Lyon andSapporo.Holidaylighting not only beautifies the urban nightscape, but also contributes to the local economy with enriched holiday activities and higher income with its load of holiday gifts.
Having passed over the foolish darkness of the December 21st, 2012 based on an ambiguous Mayan belief related to the end of a calendar full cycle, let’s instead enjoy the switched on holiday lighting, celebrating and welcoming the arrival of 2013, the year of Snake, marking the middle of the Chinese zodiacal cycle.
