Corey views Lantern Festival displays at the Zuoquan town center. On Feb. 7-8, China.org.cn reporter Corey Cooper visited Zuoquan County, Shanxi Province to view local She Huo Jie ("Community Fire" Festival) activities during the Lantern Festival at the conclusion of the Chinese New Year holiday.

Exploring local village customs

Earlier that day, we went to local villages surrounding the town to see how they were celebrating the Lantern Festival. Apart from seeing brilliantly decorated buildings, we saw that the locals were also preparing coal pyres to light on the final night of this important holiday. Our local guide explained that lighting the pyres represented a considerable financial sacrifice -- one piece of coal costs 1 yuan or more, and each pyre may contain hundreds of pieces of coal. Since the locals use coal for their heating and cooking needs, the pyres consume a month's supply or more of energy for each household.

However, each household's annual income, our guide explained, has little effect on how much coal they sacrifice in the pyres, since lighting the pyre is considered to be a good luck omen for the coming year.

In one of the villages, we chanced upon a family relaxing prior to the evening's festivities. Local children, perhaps 10 or 11 years old, were sitting around a table playing cards. The father of the house, who was a local laborer, also hinted that he was a good singer, and performed a traditional song for us with a surprisingly clear voice. The mother told me that usually the kids are busy doing their homework, but during the Chinese New Year holiday they finally have a chance to relax.

探索当地民俗

当天早些时候，我们赶往左权县周围的村镇，参观当地人如何庆祝元宵节。除了观看当地精心装扮的建筑物，我们还体验了当地人元宵节晚上笼旺火的习俗。据当地导游介绍，笼旺火要花不少钱，每块炭火值一元左右，火堆基本都由几百块炭火组成。当地人取暖和做饭都使用煤炭，每家笼旺火消耗的煤炭基本相当于一家人一个月的煤炭用量。

然而，我们的导游说，每家每户并不会因为经济收入少而减少为点旺火准备的煤炭，因为在民俗中，点旺火寓意着来年将旺气冲天、红红火火。

在一个村落里，我们看到一家住户正在自娱自乐打发时间，等待午夜十二点的点旺火仪式来临。几个大约10到11岁大的孩子围坐在桌子旁边打扑克。房子的主人在当地靠劳力吃饭，他表示自己歌唱得很好，并用他异常脆亮的嗓子为我们现场演唱了当地的一首民俗歌曲。孩子的母亲告诉我们，孩子们平时都忙着做功课，只有在过年时才有机会好好放松一下。