What is the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival?

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the worship of the autumn moon in ancient times.

Mid-Autumn Festival is popular in the Han Dynasty, and the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" was first recorded in the documents of the Han Dynasty. Li Zhou Guan Chun, a book between the Han Dynasty, said that activities such as "welcoming the cold in the mid-autumn night", "giving good clothes in the mid-autumn festival" and "reflecting the moon at the autumn equinox (Yue Bai)" had been held in the pre-Qin period. In the Han Dynasty, on the Mid-Autumn Festival or in beginning of autumn, the elderly were respected and provided with male coarse cakes.

Mid-Autumn Festival also existed in Jin Dynasty, but it was not very common. In the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was combined with fairy tales such as the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, Wu Gang cutting laurel, Jade Rabbit smashing medicine, Yang Guifei changing the moon god, and Tang Dynasty's visit to the moon palace, which made it full of romance and made the wind of playing the moon flourish. The custom of Mid-Autumn Festival was formed in the early Tang Dynasty.

Mid-Autumn Festival prevailed in Song Dynasty. During the Northern Song Dynasty, August 15th was officially designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival, and seasonal foods such as "small cakes are like chewing the moon, with crisp and stuffing inside" appeared.

Meng Yuanlao's Dream of Tokyo said: "On the Mid-Autumn Festival night, your home decorates the terrace, and people compete for restaurants to play the moon"; And "string full of enthusiasm, close to the residents. At night, it is like a cloud. Children in the room, even the wedding drama at night; As for the night market, as for familiarity. "