Why is July 15 also called "ghost solar term" in rural areas?

July 15th is also called Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival is a very important solar term for China people. On this day, people will go to the grave to worship their ancestors, so as not to miss their dead relatives. So why is Mid-Autumn Festival also called "Ghost Festival" in rural areas? According to the older generation, this day is the birthday of Rebecca, a local official. To celebrate Rebecca's birthday, the Yin Dynasty will release the souls of their ancestors and let them go home for reunion. It is a kind of welfare for the deceased ancestors. Therefore, this day is also called Ghost Festival by the people. There are also many taboos during the ghost festival in rural areas.

For example, don't go home in the middle of the night, don't go to strange, remote or sparsely populated places, don't pat people on the shoulder, don't talk nonsense, don't say the word "ghost", and don't stand chopsticks in the middle of the meal when eating. Don't swim in the river and so on. Of course, these are feudal sayings, and not many people are implementing them now. I remember that when I was a child, I always hid at home and didn't dare to go out because of the instructions of the older generation. It's really funny to think about it now.

Apart from some taboos, the most important thing is to worship ancestors. In our countryside, ancestor worship is always the top priority. No matter where you are, as long as your parents die at home, you must go home to worship on holidays, take what the deceased usually likes to eat, burn paper money and mingbi, tell your thoughts while burning them, and sometimes say some auspicious words and pray that your ancestors can bless your home.

Of course, ten miles is different in sound, and one place is the same. Although it is July 15, it is the Mid-Autumn Festival. But in some places it is July 30th, that is, July 14. For example, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Guangxi, Hunan and Fujian is very grand. People who go out to work will go home for the holidays many days in advance, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the day of reunion.