Mid-Autumn Festival is called "Ghost Festival". What is its legendary story?

The Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as Ghost Festival, is called July 30 in our place, because it is the 15th day of the seventh lunar month every year. Anyway, it's not a good holiday. Today is Ghost Festival.

Mid-Autumn Festival is a Taoist festival. Every year, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is Shangyuan Festival, which is the birthday of Tianguan. The meaning of Shangyuan Festival is to pray for the world. The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival, the birthday of local officials, and its significance is to atone for the world. October 15th of the lunar calendar is the next Yuan Festival, the birthday of Shuiguan, and its significance is to free the world. Celestial officials, local officials and water officials are collectively called the three official emperors, also known as ternary.

As the saying goes, in July and a half, ghosts scurry around. Legend has it that the underworld will release ghosts to the world on the Mid-Autumn Festival, that is, the underworld is forbidden and ghosts celebrate the New Year. Therefore, on this day, people not only offer sacrifices to local officials and ancestors, but also give ghosts some food, hence the name: Ghost Festival.

Buddhism calls July and a half the Bonsai Festival. In Sanskrit, bonsai means to save the upside down. Bonsai is a container made of bamboo, which can hold paper money or sacrificial offerings.

This festival originated from the story of Mulian saving his mother. Mulian, a Buddhist disciple whose mother didn't believe in Buddhism, was sent to Abi Hell after his death. Mu Lian saw her mother being bullied by a group of hungry ghosts in hell, and she was in great pain, so she cast a spell to deliver food to her mother. However, when the food is about to reach her mouth, it turns into burning charcoal, so her mother can't eat it naturally. Eyes even nasty, ran to ask the Buddha. Buddha said: On July 15th, monks settled in summer and prepared various fruits to support the Ten Virtues. Mom Manglietia really got rid of the entanglement of hungry ghosts.

Later, it became a ritual held by Buddhist disciples again on July 15 every year. According to the Chronicle of Jingchu, on July 15, the Buddhist monks and nuns society set up a camp for Buddhists. Later, this festival became a festival of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.