Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional customs - What are the customs and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

What are the customs and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

What are the customs and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

What are the customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

The origin and legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival. What are the traditional customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival? What are the origins and customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

The Mid-Autumn Festival originates from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the worship of the moon on Autumn Eve in ancient times.

Originally, the "Moon Sacrifice Festival" was set on the "autumn equinox" day of the 24th solar term of the Ganzhi Calendar. However, due to historical development, the calendars were later integrated and the lunar calendar (summer calendar) was used, so the "Moon Sacrifice Festival" was changed to the 24th solar term of the Ganzhi Calendar.

The "autumn equinox" is adjusted to the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

Since ancient times, the Autumn Festival has included worshiping the moon, appreciating the moon, eating moon cakes, playing with lanterns, appreciating osmanthus flowers, and drinking osmanthus wine.

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival, Moonlight Festival, Moon Eve, Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Worship Festival, Moon Mother Festival, Moon Festival, Reunion Festival, etc., is a traditional Chinese folk festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival originates from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the worship of the moon on Autumn Eve in ancient times.

Initially, the "Moon Festival Festival" was held on the Autumn Equinox day of the 24th solar term of the Ganzhi calendar. Later, it was moved to the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. In some places, the Mid-Autumn Festival is set on the 16th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

Since ancient times, Mid-Autumn Festival has included worshiping the moon, appreciating the moon, eating moon cakes, playing with lanterns, appreciating osmanthus flowers, drinking osmanthus wine and other folk customs, which have been passed down to this day and lasted for a long time.

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated in ancient times, became popular in the Han Dynasty, was finalized in the early Tang Dynasty, and became popular after the Song Dynasty.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a synthesis of autumn seasonal customs, and most of the festival elements contained in it have ancient origins.

The Mid-Autumn Festival uses the round moon as a sign of people's reunion, expressing the feeling of missing one's hometown and relatives, and praying for a good harvest and happiness. It has become a colorful and precious cultural heritage.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival and Dragon Boat Festival are also known as the four traditional festivals in China.

Influenced by Chinese culture, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival in some countries in East and Southeast Asia, especially the local Chinese and overseas Chinese.

Customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival 1. Worshiping the moon is a very ancient custom in our country. It is actually a worship activity of the "Moon God" by the ancients.

In ancient times, there was the custom of "autumn twilight and evening moon".

On the eve of the moon, worship the moon god.

Since ancient times, people in some areas of Guangdong have had the custom of worshiping the moon god (worshiping the moon goddess and worshiping the moonlight) on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

To worship the moon, set up a large incense table and place moon cakes, watermelons, apples, dates, plums, grapes and other sacrifices.

Under the moon, the "Moon God" tablet is placed in the direction of the moon, with red candles burning high, and the whole family worships the moon in turn and prays for blessings.

Offering sacrifices to the moon, appreciating the moon, and remembering the moon express people's best wishes.

As one of the important rituals of the Mid-Autumn Festival, moon worship has continued from ancient times to the present, and has gradually evolved into folk activities of appreciating and praising the moon. It has also become the main form of modern people's desire for reunion and their good wishes for life.

2. The custom of admiring the moon comes from offering sacrifices to the moon, and the solemn offering has turned into a relaxed and joyful one.

It is said that the moon is closest to the earth on this night, and the moon is the largest, roundest and brightest. Therefore, there has been a custom of drinking and feasting to admire the moon since ancient times. The daughter-in-law who returns to her parents' home must return to her husband's home on this day to express perfection and good luck.

Written records of folk Mid-Autumn moon appreciation activities appeared in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, but they did not become a custom.

In the Tang Dynasty, admiring and playing with the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival was quite popular, and many poets included poems praising the moon in their famous works.

3. Eat moon cakes Moon cakes, also called moon cakes, harvest cakes, palace cakes, reunion cakes, etc., are offerings to worship the moon god during the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times.

Mooncakes were originally used as offerings to the moon god. Later, people gradually regarded appreciating the moon and tasting mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival as a symbol of family reunion.

Moon cakes symbolize reunion, and people regard them as festive food, using them to worship the moon and as gifts to relatives and friends.

Today, eating mooncakes has become a must-have custom for the Mid-Autumn Festival in all parts of north and south China. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, people eat mooncakes to show "reunion."

4. Appreciate osmanthus and drink osmanthus wine. People often eat moon cakes and enjoy osmanthus during the Mid-Autumn Festival. They also eat various foods made from osmanthus, with pastries and candies being the most common.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, looking up at the osmanthus in the middle of the moon, smelling the fragrance of osmanthus, drinking a glass of osmanthus honey wine, and celebrating the sweetness of the family has become a beautiful enjoyment of the festival.

In modern times, people mostly use red wine instead.