What kind of festival is Mid-Autumn Festival?

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival, Moonlight Birthday, Moon Festival, Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Festival, Moon Festival and Reunion Festival, is a traditional folk festival in China. The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the worship of the autumn moon in ancient times. At first, the festival of "Sacrificing the Moon" was held on the day of "Autumn Equinox" in the twenty-four solar terms of the Ganzhi calendar, and later it was transferred to the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. In some places, the Mid-Autumn Festival is set on August 16th of the lunar calendar [1]. Since ancient times, Mid-Autumn Festival has had folk customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, enjoying the moon, eating moon cakes, playing with lanterns, enjoying osmanthus and drinking osmanthus wine. It has been circulating for a long time. [2-5]

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated in ancient times, popularized in the Han Dynasty, shaped in the early Tang Dynasty and prevailed after the Song Dynasty. Mid-Autumn Festival is a synthesis of autumn seasonal customs, most of which have ancient origins. [6] The Mid-Autumn Festival is a colorful and precious cultural heritage. It is based on people's reunion with the full moon, with the hope of missing their hometown and relatives, and praying for a bumper harvest and happiness. [4]

Mid-Autumn Festival, Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and Dragon Boat Festival are also called the four traditional festivals in China. Influenced by China culture, Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival for overseas Chinese in some countries in East and Southeast Asia, especially local Chinese. On May 20th, 2006, the State Council listed it in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage. Since 2008, Mid-Autumn Festival has been listed as a national statutory holiday.