The Origin and Customs of beginning of autumn

In ancient times, there were sacrificial activities on this day, that is, welcoming autumn. In "Sacrifice in the Later Han Dynasty", there is a passage like this:

On that day in beginning of autumn, the western suburbs ushered in autumn. Dedicated to Bai Di and Ru Shou.

The white emperor here is Shao Hao, who was called the God of Qiu Si by the ancients. On this day in early autumn, people will hold a ceremony of offering sacrifices to Shao Hao. Dai Sheng, a ritual scientist in the Western Han Dynasty, said this in The Book of Rites and the Moon Order:

On the day of beginning of autumn, the son of heaven kissed three princes, nine ministers, governors and doctors to welcome autumn in the western suburbs.

It can be seen that the ancients attached importance to this day. The emperor led his ministers to the western suburbs to welcome autumn. Is it just to welcome autumn? Of course not. I want to pray for a bumper harvest, which contains the ancient people's desire for a bumper harvest.

Of course, upward movement will definitely have negative effects. Since the court attaches importance to it, the people naturally attach importance to it. The court is a sacrifice, and the people are a carnival. In the Song Dynasty, Meng Yuanshen recorded this in "Tokyo Dream China":

At the beginning of autumn, the streets are full of catalpa leaves, and women and children cut them into various patterns and put them on. In this month, melons, pears and dates are in full bloom ... among the nobles, they are sold, full of ropes, and gold is in an endless stream. The scholar bought it, wrapped it in a small lotus leaf and tied it with musk and a small red rope. Although it sold a lot, it was not as tender as Li He.

The festivals recorded here are no worse than other festivals. In the Ming dynasty, people continued to attach importance to this point. Tian Rucheng, a scholar in the fifth year of Jiajing in Ming Dynasty, recorded a visit to the West Lake, Volume 20, Xi Chao Le;

On the day of beginning of autumn, men and women wear the leaves of Sorbus pohuashanensis, or cut the petals of heather red leaves and put them in their temples, or swallow seven red beans with autumn water.

Travels of the West Lake is a book that records folk anecdotes of the West Lake. It records many interesting folk stories and materials that are not recorded in the official history. Although it is not as serious as the official history, it plays an important role in studying the local history of Hangzhou.