元宵節來歷的傳説一：玉帝降罪避禍説
傳説在很久很久以前，兇禽猛獸很多，四處傷害人和牲畜，人們就組織起來打它們，有一隻神鳥因為迷路而降落人間，卻意外的被不知情的獵人給射死了。
Once upon a time, a lot of fierce beasts, hurt people and livestock everywhere, people organize play them, there is a bird lost and landed on earth, but the accident was not informed of the hunter to shoot.
天帝知道後十分震怒，立即傳旨，下令讓天兵於正月十五日到人間放火，把人間的人畜財產通通燒死。天帝的女兒心地善良，不忍心看百姓無辜受難，就冒着生命的危險，偷偷駕着祥雲來到人間，把這個消息告訴了人們。眾人聽説了這個消息，就如頭上響了一個焦雷，嚇得不知如何是好。
Jungmun know after very angry, immediately ordered the soldiers to deliver an imperial order, the fifteen day set fire to the world, the world of human and property all burned to death. The daughter of emperor kind-hearted, do not bear the suffering of innocent people, they risk their lives, secretly driving auspicious clouds came to earth, told the news to the people. They heard the news, just as head rang a jiaolei scared, I do not know what to do.
過了好久，才有個老人家想出個法子，他説：“在正月十四、十五、十六日這三天，每户人家都在家裏張燈結綵、點響爆竹、燃放煙火。這樣一來，天帝就會以為人們都被燒死了。”
After a long time, only an old man come up with a way, he said: “in the first month of fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, three days, every household in the home decorations, off firecrackers, fireworks. As a result, the emperor will think people are dead.”
大家聽了都點頭稱是，便分頭準備去了。到了正月十五這天晚上，天帝往下一看，發覺人間一片紅光，響聲震天，連續三個夜晚都是如此，以為是大火燃燒的火焰，心中大快。人們就這樣保住了自己的生命及財產。為了紀念這次成功，從此每到正月十五，家家户户都懸掛燈籠，放煙火來紀念這個日子。
When everyone heard the nod and said it was, they were ready to go. To the fifteen night, the emperor looked down and found a piece of red earth, loud, so it is for three consecutive nights, that is the burning flame, heart big fast. People have saved their lives and property. In memory of this success, every household hung lanterns and laid fireworks to commemorate this day at fifteen of the first month of the month.
元宵節來歷的傳説二：漢文帝紀念平呂説
傳説元宵節是漢文帝時為紀念“平呂”而設。漢高祖劉邦死後，呂后之子劉盈登基為漢惠帝。惠帝生性懦弱，優柔寡斷，大權漸漸落在呂后手中。漢惠帝病死後呂后獨攬朝政把劉氏天下變成了呂氏天下，朝中老臣，劉氏宗室深感憤慨，但都懼怕呂后殘暴而敢怒不敢言。
The legend of the Lantern Festival is the Han emperor to commemorate the “Ping Lu” and set up. The Han emperor after the death of Liu Bang, the son of lvhou reign of Han Emperor Liu Ying. Hui cowardly, irresolute and hesitant gradually fall in the hands of LV power, after the Han emperor died. After the court Liu Lu would become the world's world, veteran, Liu clan deeply indignation, but are afraid lvhou brutal and resentment.
呂后病死後，諸呂惶惶不安害怕遭到傷害和排擠。於是，在上將軍呂祿家中祕密集合，共謀作亂之事，以便徹底奪取劉氏江山。
After lvhou illness, fear of being hurt and pushed the Libyans on tenterhooks. Then, a secret meeting at the general Lu: home, conspiracy insurrection things, to completely take over Liu jiangshan.
此事傳至劉氏宗室齊王劉囊耳中，劉囊為保劉氏江山，決定起兵討伐諸呂隨後與開國老臣周勃，陳平取得聯繫，設計解除了呂祿，“諸呂之亂”終於被徹底平定。
This spread to Liu Liu clan room king Liu Nanger, Liu Bao Liu Jiangshan capsule is decided, qibingtaofa second and then founding veteran Zhou Bo, Chen Ping made contact, the lifting of the design Lu Lu, “chulu: Chaos” finally be completely calm.
平亂之後，眾臣擁立劉邦的第二個兒子劉恆登基，稱漢文帝。文帝深感太平盛世來之不易，便把平息“諸呂之亂”的正月十五，定為與民同樂日，京城裏家家張燈結綵，以示慶祝。從此，正月十五便成了一個普天同慶的民間節日——“鬧元宵”。
After the insurgency, Liu Bang made all his second sons Liu Heng ascended the throne, Emperor Wen said. Wen was not easily won the “a time of national peace and order, to quell the chaos chulu:” the fifteen day, as the capital of family and have fun with the citizens, to celebrate. Since then, the fifteen became a folk festival - “celebrate the Lantern festival”。
元宵節的節期與節俗活動，是隨歷史的發展而延長、擴展的。就節期長短而言，漢代才一天，到唐代已為三天，宋代則長達五天，明代更是自初八點燈，一直到正月十七的夜裏才落燈，整整十天。與春節相接，白晝為市，熱鬧非凡，夜間燃燈，蔚為壯觀。特別是那精巧、多彩的燈火，更使其成為春節期間娛樂活動的高潮。至清代，又增加了舞龍、舞獅、跑旱船、踩高蹺、扭秧歌等“百戲”內容，只是節期縮短為四到五天。
The festival and secular activities of the Lantern Festival are extended and expanded with the development of history. The length of the festival, the day before the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty has three days, the Song Dynasty is as long as five days, the Ming Dynasty is from the eighth day lighting, until the seventeen night just off the lights, for ten days. With the Spring Festival is the day for the city, bustling, enlightening night, spectacular. In particular, the exquisite and colorful lights make it the climax of the recreational activities during the Spring Festival. To the Qing Dynasty, but also increased the dragon dance, bohanchuan, lion dance, stilts yangko dance “opera” content, just day shortened four to five days.
從地理上來説，元宵更多的出現在北方，而湯圓更多的出現在南方。
當然，湯圓和元宵最本質的區別在於做法。
1、元宵的做法 製作元宵的時候，一般是將固體甜餡料（通常是素的，包括各種果料）切成小塊，蘸上水，然後放到盛滿糯米麪的笸籮裏滾，一邊滾一邊灑水，直至其沾滿糯米麪成為圓球。
2、湯圓的做法 湯圓的做法和包餃子的過程類似：先將糯米粉加水和成團，然後放置幾小時“醒”透，包湯圓的時候就掐取一小團，捏成圓片，然後把餡料（可葷可素）放進去，最後揉成圓球。
口感：湯圓不容易亂湯，表皮光滑圓潤，口感細膩；元宵煮後，湯會比較濃，跟糯米麪粥似的，表皮鬆軟，餡料硬實有“咬勁”，果香和米香濃郁。
吃法：湯圓的吃法一般就是水煮，而元宵的吃法種類繁多，可油炸、可拔絲、可穿衣、可蒸、可烤、可煮。
保鮮：比起元宵來説，湯圓更容易保鮮以及規模生產，加上速凍湯圓食用的方便性，湯圓的後力似乎比元宵更強。估計元宵節後湯圓將打破與元宵平分秋色的局面而獨佔鰲頭。
看過這些，大家應該清楚湯圓和元宵的區別在哪了了吧！它們並非一物，所以大家也不要混淆了哦！
元宵節是在農曆正月十五日，古代把這一天叫“上元節”，“宵”是夜晚的意思，於是就有了“元宵節”這個名稱。元宵節是農曆年的第一個月圓之夜，人們有賞燈和吃元宵的習慣。民間俗語説：“三十兒的火，十五的'燈”“正月十五鬧元宵”，因此，元宵節又叫“燈節”。
上元，含有新的一年第一次月圓之夜的意思。《紅樓夢》第七十六回林黛玉和史湘雲聯句雲“三五中秋夕，清遊似上元”，就是指的這個節日。漢末道教的重要派別五斗米道崇奉的神為天官、地官、水官，説天官賜福，地官赦罪，水官解厄，並以三元配三官，説上元天官正月十五日生，中元地官七月十五日生，下元水官十月十五日生。這樣，正月十五日就被稱為上元節。南宋吳自牧在《夢粱錄》中説：“正月十五日元夕節，乃上元天官賜福之辰。”説天官賜福，地官赦罪，而元宵節俗真正的動力是因為它處在新的時間點上，人們充分利用這一特殊的時間階段來表達自己的生活願望。
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