The origin, legends, allusions, stories, customs and culture of Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival in China, and it is also called the four traditional festivals of Han nationality in China along with Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day. According to historical records, ancient emperors had a ritual system of offering sacrifices to the sun and the moon in spring, and the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" first appeared in the book Zhou Li. It was not until the early years of the Tang Dynasty that the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. The Book of Emperor Taizong recorded the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15. The prevalence of Mid-Autumn Festival began in Song Dynasty. The festival falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, which coincides with the half moon in Sanqiu, hence the name "Mid-Autumn Festival", also known as "Mid-Autumn Festival". Because this festival is in autumn and August, it is also called "Autumn Festival", "August Festival" and "August Festival". There is also the belief in praying for reunion and related holiday activities, so it is also called "Reunion Festival" and "Daughter's Day". Because the main activities of Mid-Autumn Festival are around the moon, it is also commonly known as Moon Festival, Moon Festival, Moon Festival, Moon Festival and Moon Festival. In the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was also called "correcting the moon". About the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival, there are roughly three kinds: it originated from the worship of the moon in ancient times, and the custom of singing and dancing under the moon to find a spouse is the legacy of paying homage to the land god in ancient autumn.

Mid-Autumn Festival has been a national legal holiday since 2008. The state attaches great importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage. On May 20th, 2006, this folk custom was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.

The word "Mid-Autumn Festival" first appeared in Zhou Li. According to the ancient calendar of China, the 15th day of the eighth lunar month is in the middle of August in autumn, so it is called the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are four seasons in a year, and each season is divided into three parts: Bangladesh, China and Kyrgyzstan. In Sanqiu, the second month is called Mid-Autumn Festival, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called "Mid-Autumn Festival". In the Wei and Jin dynasties, there was a record of "telling Shangshu Town about cattle confusion, crossing the river in mid-autumn and evening". It was not until the early years of the Tang Dynasty that the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. The Book of Emperor Taizong recorded the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15. The prevalence of Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Song Dynasty, and it became one of the major festivals in China in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This is also the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival.

According to the China calendar, the eighth month of the lunar calendar is in the middle of autumn, which is the second month of autumn, and it is called "Mid-Autumn Festival", while the fifteenth day of August is in the middle of it, so it is called "Mid-Autumn Festival". Mid-Autumn Festival has many nicknames: it is called "August Festival" and "August and a half" because it falls on August 15th; Because the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival are all around the moon, it is also commonly known as the "Moon Festival" and "Moon Festival". The full moon in Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes reunion, so it is also called "Reunion Festival". In the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was also called "correcting the moon". The record of "Reunion Festival" was first seen in the Ming Dynasty. "Journey to the West Lake" says: "August 15th is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and people send moon cakes to show their reunion". "A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital" also said: "On August 15th, the moon was sacrificed, the cakes were round, the melons were wrongly divided, and the petals were carved with lotus flowers. ..... Those who get married and stay at home will return to their in-laws in the future. This is the so-called reunion festival.

With the continuous development of society, the ancients endowed the moon with many legends, from the toad on the moon to the jade rabbit, from WU GANG to the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, and the rich imagination painted a colorful and beautiful scene for the moon palace world. From the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, Mohist poets chanted about the moon and its events, and the full moon on August 15 became an excellent moment for them to express their feelings. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, August 15 was officially designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was originally intended to be in the middle of Sanqiu, and the whole people would celebrate it then. On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, the bright moon is in the sky, and the light is scattered all over the earth. People regard the full moon as a symbol of reunion, and August 15 is the day for family reunion. Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival is also called "Reunion Festival".

Mid-Autumn Festival has become an important festival in a year, which has a very subtle relationship with the imperial examination. In China's feudal society, it has always been a major event that rulers attach great importance to. The triennial autumn competition has just been scheduled for August. When scenery and passion are combined, people will regard the person who took the senior three exam as the person who won the laurel in the middle of the month. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, we should celebrate it ceremoniously, which has become an important custom of the whole society. From generation to generation, Mid-Autumn Festival has gradually become one of the three major festivals of the Han nationality in China (Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival).

The Goddess Chang's fly to the moon

According to legend, there were ten suns in the sky one year in ancient times, which made the earth smoke and the sea dry up, and the people could no longer live.

This incident alarmed a hero named Hou Yi. He climbed to the top of Kunlun Mountain, drew his bow and shot down nine redundant suns in one breath.

Hou Yi has made great achievements in the world and is respected and loved by the people. Many people with lofty ideals come here to study and be teachers. The treacherous and cunning Meng Peng also mixed in.

Soon, Hou Yi married a beautiful and kind wife named Chang 'e. Besides hunting, Hou Yi spends all his time with his wife, and people envy this beautiful and loving couple.

One day, Hou Yi went to Kunlun Mountain to visit friends and seek truth. He happened to meet the Queen Mother passing by and asked her for a bag of elixir. It is said that taking this medicine can immediately ascend to heaven.

However, Hou Yi was reluctant to leave his wife, so he had to temporarily give the elixir to Chang 'e. Chang 'e hid the medicine in the dresser's treasure chest, but Meng Peng saw it.

Three days later, Hou Yi led his entourage out hunting, while Meng Peng with ulterior motives pretended to be ill.

Shortly after Hou Yi led the crowd to leave, Meng Peng broke into the backyard of the back room with a sword in his hand, threatening Chang 'e to hand over the elixir.

Chang 'e knew that she was no match for Meng Peng. In times of crisis, she made a decisive decision, turned around and opened the treasure chest, took out the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp.

Chang 'e swallowed the medicine and immediately floated off the ground, rushed out of the window and flew into the sky. Because Chang 'e was worried about her husband, she flew to the nearest moon and became a fairy.

In the evening, when Hou Yi came home, the maids cried and told what happened during the day. Hou Yi was surprised and angry, and drew his sword to kill the villain. Meng Peng has escaped. I was so angry that Hou Yi beat his chest and shouted. The grief-stricken Hou Yi looked up at the night sky and called the name of his beloved wife. At this time, he was surprised to find that today's moon is particularly bright and bright, with a swaying figure resembling Chang 'e.

Hou Yi hurriedly sent someone to Chang 'e's favorite back garden, set up a table sweetmeats, put on her favorite honey-eating fresh fruit, and offered a memorial service to Chang 'e at the Moon Palace.

After hearing the news that the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon became an immortal, people set up an incense table under the moon and prayed for good luck and peace to the kind Chang 'e. Since then, the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival in Yue Bai has spread among the people.

This story of the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon eulogized Chang 'e's bright posture and brilliant colors. Compared with the records of Chang 'e in ancient literature, we can see that people have done a lot of processing and modification to the story of the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, which makes the image of Chang 'e as beautiful as the moon and accords with people's pursuit of beauty.

Contrary to the goddess the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, which was widely circulated in modern times, all the ancient Chinese character series Lingxian in China recorded the story of "Chang 'e became a toad": "Chang 'e married his wife, stole the elixir from the Queen Mother and took it to the moon. Will go, occupy the grave. Zhi said, "Ji, you go back to your sister, and you go west alone." . You won't be surprised or afraid when it's dark, but you will prosper in the future.' Chang 'e entrusted herself to the moon for the sake of toad. "After Chang 'e became a toad, she was punished in the moon palace all day and lived a lonely and miserable life. Li Shangyin once lamented Chang 'e in a poem: "Chang 'e should regret stealing the elixir and stay awake at night. "

Japanese don't eat moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival.

In Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th of the lunar calendar is called "Fifteen Nights" or "Mid-Autumn Festival". Japanese also have the custom of enjoying the moon on this day, which is called "see you on the moon" in Japanese. The Japanese custom of enjoying the moon originated in China. /kloc-After it was spread to Japan more than 0/000 years ago, the local custom of holding a banquet while enjoying the moon began to appear, which was called "Moon Watching Banquet". Unlike China people who eat moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival, Japanese people eat zongzi while enjoying the moon, which is called "looking at zongzi on the moon". Because this period is the harvest season of various crops, in order to express gratitude to nature, the Japanese will hold various celebrations. Although Japan abolished the lunar calendar and changed to the solar calendar after the Meiji Restoration, the custom of enjoying the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival is still maintained in all parts of Japan, and some temples and shrines will hold special parties to enjoy the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival children play the leading role

With the approach of the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the "moon cake war" and "toy war" among merchants make the festive atmosphere in various parts of Vietnam particularly strong. Unlike the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, the Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival focuses on children. There are all kinds of moon cakes, colorful lanterns, colorful children's toys and other holiday foods and toys with different tastes in the market, and children's faces are full of yearning for festivals. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, shops selling moon cakes on the streets of Hanoi, the capital, are red and green. Red lanterns with the words "moon cakes" are hung in front of the shops, and various brands of moon cakes are filled with shelves.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, lantern festivals are held all over Vietnam, and the design of lanterns is evaluated, and the winners will be rewarded. In addition, some places in Vietnam will organize lion dance activities during festivals, usually held on the evening of August 14th and 15th of the lunar calendar. During the festival, local people sit on balconies and yards, or go out with their families, put on snacks such as moon cakes and fruits, enjoy the moon and taste delicious moon cakes. The children are carrying all kinds of lanterns and playing in small groups.

With the gradual improvement of Vietnamese people's living standards in recent years, the custom of the Millennium Mid-Autumn Festival has quietly changed. Many young people get together at festivals or at home, sing and dance, or go out to enjoy the moon together to enhance understanding and friendship between peers. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam, in addition to the traditional family reunion accident, is adding new connotations and is gradually favored by young people.

Singapore: Mid-Autumn Festival also plays "tourist card"

Singapore is a country with an overwhelming Chinese population and has always attached great importance to the annual Mid-Autumn Festival. For Chinese in Singapore, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a godsend opportunity to connect feelings and express gratitude. Friends, relatives and business partners exchange moon cakes to express greetings and wishes.

Singapore is a tourist city, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to attract tourists. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches every year, the local famous Orchard Road, Singapore Riverside, Chinatown and Yuhua Garden are all newly renovated. At night, the lights are on, and the whole street is red and exciting.

This Mid-Autumn Festival, a giant dragon lantern in Xiangyun, 300 meters long and 4.5 meters high, cost 70,000 US dollars. Whenever night falls, the giant dragon lantern that sprays water glows all over, turning the river in Singapore into a fiery red, and the scene is spectacular. In Chinatown, a traditional settlement in China, in addition to giant lanterns imported from Nepali and Vietnamese countries, 44 little dragons, consisting of 65,438+0,364 little red lanterns, add a lot of color to Chinatown. The Royal Garden, with the charm of ancient gardens in China, Singapore, is currently holding a large-scale dream lantern festival. There are not only popular Disney series lighting here, but also huge Beijing Temple of Heaven and dragon lighting, which is particularly eye-catching.

Malaysia, Philippines: Overseas Chinese don't forget Mid-Autumn Festival

Eating moon cakes, enjoying the moon and carrying lanterns are the Mid-Autumn Festival customs handed down from generation to generation by Chinese in Malaysia. With the approach of Mid-Autumn Festival, time-honored merchants from all over Malaysia have launched various kinds of moon cakes. There are mooncake counters in major shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur, the capital, and mooncake advertisements in newspapers and TV stations are overwhelming, creating a festive atmosphere to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Chinese communities in some places in Kuala Lumpur recently held lantern parades to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. In addition to dragon and lion dances, floats carrying Chang 'e and the Seven Fairies roam among them, and artists and young people in bright clothes sing and dance, which is very lively.

Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival that overseas Chinese living in the Philippines attach great importance to. Chinatown in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, was very lively on the 27th, and local overseas Chinese held a two-day event to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Lanterns are hung on the main commercial streets of overseas Chinese communities, colorful banners are hung on the main intersections and bridges entering Chinatown, and many shops sell all kinds of moon cakes made by themselves or imported from China. Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, including dragon dance parade, national costume parade, lantern parade and float parade, attracted a large number of spectators and filled the historic Chinatown with a cheerful festive atmosphere.

Mid-autumn poetry

Mid-Autumn Festival

(Tang) Lipu

When the mirror rises in the sky, the clouds are silent;

A full round, accompanied by Wan Liyun;

The sly rabbit falls the string, and the demon frog rests in front of him;

Lingcha plans to go hand in hand until the Milky Way is completely clear.

Play with the moon on August 15th.

(Tang) Liu Yuxi

Tonight the sky will wash the world again.

Go to Qiu Lai in summer.

The stars are shining and the breeze is bright.

What can change the human world is Yujing in You Ran.

Su Shi (Song Dynasty), Shuidiao.

Chen Bing Mid-Autumn Festival, happy drinking. Drunk, writing this article, pregnant.

When did the moon begin to appear? I take my glass from a distance.

I don't know about palaces in the sky. What year is tonight?

I want to go home by wind, but I'm afraid of Qionglou Yuyu.

It's too cold up there! Dance and enjoy the shadow of the moon, which is in the world.

The moon turned into a scarlet pavilion, hanging low on the carved window, shining on the sleepy self.

The moon should not have any resentment against people. Why is it round when people are gone?

People are sad and happy, and they are separated and reunited. The moon will darken or shine, and it will become round or round. Nothing is perfect, even in the past.

I hope people will live for a long time and have a good scenery thousands of miles away.

the mid autumn moon

(Song) Su Shi

The twilight clouds are cold, and the silver-haired people silently turn to the tracts.

If you don't meet a good night in this life, where will you see the bright moon next year?

Taichangyin

(Song) Xin Qiji

A round of autumn shadows turned to golden waves, and the flying mirror was re-ground.

Ask Heng E about wine: What should I do if I am cheated by white hair!

Riding the wind, Wan Li is in the sky,

Overlooking the mountains and rivers Go dancing in Guangxi. Human nature is clearer.

Cloud chasing the moon/Mid-Autumn Festival

(contemporary)

Liu Zhou

At this time, the flowers fall and the moon is full.

On the earth and in the sky, songs are dancing.

When a phoenix returns to its nest, there is no smoke.

Lonely, Mei Chanjuan.

The waves are boundless, and the sea floor reflects the sky.

If you don't teach clouds to cover the moon, it will be peaceful for thousands of years.

I have wind, water and smooth songs.

Clouds hide hidden dragons, and the moon hides cold palaces.

Clouds must be dyed, and the moon must shine.

Clouds chasing the moon covered the autumn sky.

The moon is cool and the clouds are breezy.

Only now is it happy, but it also leads to sadness.

Who can solve this trouble? Who is a bosom friend?

Finish this cup, * * *.

It's like a dream, which passes in an instant.

-Write lyrics according to the music of "Cloud Chasing the Moon"