元宵张灯

今俗，市上所卖诸灯未改古制，而乡镇别邑，又买自郡中，以是元宵前后，喧盛犹昔。……闻最先元夕前后，各采松枝竹叶，结棚于通街，昼则悬彩，杂引流苏，夜则燃灯，辉煌火树，衍鱼龙，列膏烛，金鼓达旦，名曰灯市，凡阊门以内，大街通路，灯彩遍张，不见天日。

清 / 顾禄 《清嘉录》

The Lantern Festival

According to the present practices, the lanterns sold in the cities nowadays have not changed much from the ancient types. People in towns and remote counties still buy their local makes. Therefore, on the days around the Lantern Festival, the scene is just as exhilarating as it was in old times. It is said that in ancient times people gathered pine boughs and bamboo leaves to put up sheds in the main streets on the days around the Lantern Festival. During the daytime, colourful silks were hung with tassels dangling in the midst. When night fell, lanterns were lit. Trees of lanterns created a luminous and resplendent scene. The lanterns shone in patterns of fish and dragons. Huge candles were lit, and drums and gongs were heard everywhere until daybreak. The celebration was called the Lantern Fair. Colourful lanterns adorned the streets and lanes within the city walls. They even eclipsed the sun and the sky.

Gu Lu (Qing Dynasty):

Worthy Records of the Qing Dynasty

（姚红 译）