What is the real origin of Mid-Autumn Festival?

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival, Moonlight Birthday, Moon Festival, Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Festival, Moon Festival and Reunion Festival, is a traditional folk festival in China.

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the worship of the autumn moon in ancient times. At first, the festival of "Sacrificing the Moon" was held on the "autumnal equinox" of the 24 solar terms in the Ganzhi calendar, and later it was moved to August 15 in the summer calendar (lunar calendar). In some places, the Mid-Autumn Festival is set on August 16 in the summer calendar. Since ancient times, Mid-Autumn Festival has had folk customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, enjoying the moon, eating moon cakes, playing with lanterns, enjoying osmanthus and drinking osmanthus wine. It has been circulating for a long time.

origin

The origin of Mid-Autumn Festival is closely related to the moon, which is the relic of ancient celestial worship-the custom of respecting the moon. In traditional culture, the moon and the sun are the same, and these two alternate celestial bodies become the objects of ancestor worship. In the twenty-four solar terms, the "autumnal equinox" season is an ancient "moon festival", while the Mid-Autumn Festival comes from the traditional "autumnal equinox festival".

According to research, "Mid-Autumn Festival" was originally set on the day of autumnal equinox in the twenty-four solar terms of the Ganzhi calendar. However, due to the integration of calendars in historical development, the lunar calendar (summer calendar) was used, and then the Mid-Autumn Festival was transferred from the 24 solar terms "autumnal equinox" to August 15 in the summer calendar. Mid-Autumn Festival is a synthesis of autumn seasonal customs, most of which have ancient origins.