What is the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival?

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, August Festival, Moon Chasing Festival, Moon Worship Festival, Daughter's Day or Reunion Festival, is a traditional cultural festival popular in many ethnic groups and countries with Chinese cultural circles in China, and falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Because its value is only half that of Sanqiu, it is named, and some places set the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 16.

The origin of Mid-Autumn Festival:

Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the ancient custom of worshipping autumn in China and Yue Bai. The Book of Rites states that the son of heaven is in spring, and the sun and moon are in autumn. The Asahi is facing the DPRK, and the evening is in the evening. " The "late moon" here refers to Yue Bai and the sacrifice of the moon. It was formed in the Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, the custom of enjoying the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival became popular and was designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival.

At first, the Mid-Autumn Festival was held on the autumnal equinox of the twenty-four solar terms in the lunar calendar, and later it was moved to August 15th in the summer calendar. In some places, the Mid-Autumn Festival is set on August 16 in the summer calendar.

On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, the moonlight is bright. The ancients regarded the full moon as a symbol of reunion, so August 15 was also called "Reunion Festival". Throughout the ages, people often use "full moon" and "lack of moon" to describe "joys and sorrows". Wanderers living in other places also rely on the moon to pin their affection. Li Bai, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, wrote poems such as "Looking up, it's moonlight, then leaning back, suddenly thinking about hometown", "Knowing that the dew is frost tonight, the moonlight at home is bright!" Du Fu's "Spring Breeze is Green in Jiang Nanan" and Wang Anshi's "When Will the Moon Shine on Me" in the Song Dynasty are all timeless masterpieces.

Other statements about the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival:

Usually, many people say that the Mid-Autumn Festival originated in the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon.

According to historical records: "Yesterday, Chang 'e took the medicine of the Queen Mother of the West to live forever, so she went to the moon with the essence of the moon. "According to legend, after Hou Yi shot down nine suns, the Queen Mother of the West gave him the elixir of life, but Hou Yi could not bear Chang 'e, so he gave it to Chang 'e for safekeeping. Later, Feng Meng, a disciple of Houyi, took advantage of Houyi's absence to force Chang 'e to hand over the fairy medicine. Chang 'e swallowed it himself and flew to the moon. Since then, people have designated this day as the Mid-Autumn Festival to commemorate Chang 'e.

The price Chang 'e paid for this move was hard labor, and she could not return to the world for life. Li Bai was very sad for this, and wrote a poem: "The white rabbit pounded medicine in autumn, and came back to life in spring. Who is the female neighbor? " Although Chang 'e herself feels good about the Moon Palace, she can't bear loneliness. She returns to Earth to reunite with her husband all night on August 15 every year, but she must return to the Moon Palace before dawn. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the world not only wants to get together with Chang 'e on the moon, but also hopes that Chang 'e can come down to see her beauty. Therefore, when many people burn incense in Yue Bai, they pray that "men would like to leave themoon early and go to immortal laurel" ... women hope that they will look like Chang 'e and be as round as the bright moon. "Year after year, people celebrate this day as a festival.

Mid-autumn festival custom

1, sacrifice the moon and enjoy it.

Appreciating the moon is an important custom. Ancient emperors had a social system of offering sacrifices to the sun and the moon in spring, and people also had the custom of offering sacrifices to the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival. Nowadays, enjoying the moon has become one of the most important activities for people in the Mid-Autumn Festival. They sit and watch the moon with their family and friends, enjoy the coolness of autumn, and hope for reunion.

2. Enjoy osmanthus and drink osmanthus wine.

People often eat all kinds of food made of sweet-scented osmanthus, especially cakes and sweets. On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, looking up at osmanthus in the middle of the month, smelling osmanthus fragrance and drinking a cup of osmanthus honey wine have become a wonderful enjoyment of the festival.

Step 3 observe the tides

"Know the jade rabbit is very round, September has frost cold. Send a message to close the door and close the key, and the night tide stays in the moon. " This is "Watching Tide on August 15th" written by Su Shi. In ancient times, Zhejiang Mid-Autumn Festival was another Mid-Autumn Festival activity besides watching the moon.

The development of science and technology facilitates communication and exchange, but the yearning for family and friends has not decreased. At the time of reunion, when you are alone in a foreign land, you might as well call the person you miss and say, "I hope people will last for a long time."