Guess the answers to traditional Lantern Festival riddles
As a tradition of Chinese Lantern Festival, guessing lantern riddles is as important as eating dumplings on the day.
The custom is a unique form of Chinese folk culture, showcasing people's good wishes for the new year and inspiring wisdom.
There are usually hundreds of colorful lanterns in various shapes lighting up the night, and the riddles are often attached to the lanterns.
The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This year it falls on February 15.
Here are some lantern riddles, let's have a try!
1. What table is in the field?
2. What can you catch but never throw?
3. Can you name three consecutive days without using Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday?
4. What question can you never answer "yes" to?
5. Mr and Mrs Mustard have six daughters and each daughter has one brother. How many people are there in the Mustard family?
6. I am not alive, but I grow; I don't have lungs, but I need air; I don't have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?
(Find the answers at the bottom.)
Lanterns attached with riddles highlight the Lantern Festival.
As this is the Year of the Tiger, the big tiger lantern has been lit up early in downtown Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden. It is attracting a huge number of visitors.
Hundreds of lanterns showcase the Chinese New Year festivities.
Answers:
1: Vegetable.
2: A cold.
3: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
4: Are you asleep?
5: Altogether nine people in the Mustard family. Since each daughter shares the same brother, there are six girls, one boy and the parents.
6: Fire.
