What was the Mid-Autumn Festival called in ancient times?

In ancient times, Mid-Autumn Festival was called Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, August Festival, Moon Chasing Festival, Moon Worship Festival, Daughter's Day or Reunion Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and has a long history. It evolved from the worship of autumn moon in ancient times. At first, the festival of "Sacrificing the Moon" was held on the "Autumn Equinox" of the twenty-four solar terms in the Ganzhi calendar, and later it was moved to August 15th in the summer calendar (lunar calendar). In some places, the Mid-Autumn Festival is set on August 16 in the summer calendar.

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.

Folk customs of Mid-Autumn Festival

Offering sacrifices to the moon is a very old custom in China. In fact, it is a worship activity of the ancients to the "Moon God". In ancient times, there was a custom of "autumn twilight", that is, offering sacrifices to the moon god. Since ancient times, in some places in Guangdong, people have the custom of offering sacrifices to the moon god (worshipping the moon mother and moonlight) on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

In Yue Bai, a big incense table was set up, with moon cakes, watermelons, apples, red dates, plums, grapes and other sacrifices. Under the moon, the tablet of "Luna" is placed in the direction of the moon, and the red candle burns high. The whole family went to Yue Bai in turn, praying for blessings, offering sacrifices to enjoy the moon, remembering the moon and expressing people's good wishes. As one of the important ceremonies of Mid-Autumn Festival, offering sacrifices to the moon has been going on since ancient times.