When did the Mid-Autumn Festival originate?

As early as the Han Dynasty, there was already a Mid-Autumn Festival in China. But not on August 15th, but on that day in beginning of autumn. On this day, princes and nobles went out hunting and brought their prey to the temple. In the Tang Dynasty, there were no records of Mid-Autumn Festival stories in various books. In the Song Dynasty, there were more records about the Mid-Autumn Festival. At that time, in the Mid-Autumn Festival, "the family complained about getting married, and the people fought for restaurants", and even the poor citizens "undressed and drank, barely welcoming guests". Since then, the Mid-Autumn Festival has become the second largest festival in China after the Spring Festival. Origin of Mid-Autumn Festival: Goddess the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon said that as early as the end of the Warring States period, the book "Returning to Tibet" recorded: "The fairy medicine of Chang 'e, the queen mother of the West, convinced her, so she went away with the moon as the essence. People expressed sympathy for Chang 'e, saying that she was very lonely when she boarded the backyard of Emperor Tiandi. Therefore, in the Tang Dynasty, the night of August 15th was renamed as the Moon Festival, hoping that Chang 'e would return to the world. According to the theory of "solar terms", the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" first appeared in Zhou Li at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period: "In mid-spring, drummers advocate elegance to meet the summer heat; On the Mid-Autumn Festival night, the cold is like a cloud. "

Dunli Chen wrote "Yanjing Age" and said, "The August Festival of Jingshi Day is also the Mid-Autumn Festival. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the official residence Zhumen presents mooncake fruit, and when the moon is full in May, the old fruit is presented to the court for the month, and the green bean crown is spent.

This book was written 40 years ago, and the customs seem to have not changed much so far. Although people's livelihood is depressed, everything is more than five times that of two years ago. I'm afraid I won't give up eating moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but I may not be interested in enjoying the moon. Originally, it was just a pleasure for literati, till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon. The autumn is crisp and the moonlight is particularly bright, which is even more interesting. It is specially designated as a festival. If it is not very interesting among the people, it is probably an accounting matter, followed by moon cakes. I recall the general view of the moon in rural areas, which is quite different from that of scholars.

Scholars admire the moon

The custom of enjoying the moon comes from offering sacrifices to the moon, and serious sacrifices have become relaxed pleasures. Folk Mid-Autumn Festival began in Wei and Jin Dynasties, but it did not become a habit. In the Tang Dynasty, it was quite popular to enjoy and play with the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many poets wrote poems about the moon in their masterpieces. In the Song Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival centered on appreciating the moon was formed and officially designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The custom of Mid-Autumn festival

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as August Festival, is one of the three major festivals of the lunar calendar (Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival). Because August 15th is the middle day between July, August and September, it is called "Mid-Autumn Festival". Mentioning the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival, people will naturally think of moon cakes.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, people's main activities are enjoying the moon and eating moon cakes. Mid-Autumn Festival, China has the custom of enjoying the moon since ancient times. There is a record of "autumn twilight and the moon" in the Book of Rites, that is, worshipping the moon god. In the Zhou Dynasty, every Mid-Autumn Festival night, activities to welcome the cold and offer sacrifices to the moon were held.

Watching the moon and eating moon cakes have become an indispensable custom in Mid-Autumn Festival in all parts of China. As the saying goes, "August 15th is full, and Mid-Autumn moon cakes are sweet". The word moon cake originated from Wu's dream in the Southern Song Dynasty, when it was just a snack. Later, people gradually associated moon viewing with moon cakes, symbolizing family reunion and bearing their thoughts. At the same time, moon cakes are also an important gift for friends to contact their feelings during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

In the south of China, China people in Hongkong and Southeast Asia will carry lanterns or hang them in front of their doors on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival. Or hang lanterns in front of the door.