Introduction to the Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditional Customs and Stories)

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of China's traditional festivals, held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar every year. This festival celebrates the autumn equinox, as well as commemorating ancient love stories and honoring the moon god. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in traditional Chinese culture and a time for family reunion and thanksgiving.

Traditional Customs

1. Moon Appreciation

One of the biggest customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival is moon appreciation. On this day, people will enjoy the moon outdoors or indoors to view the beauty and mystery of the moon. At the same time, moonwatching is also a way to express the emotion of remembering the deceased and thinking of relatives.

2. Eating Mooncakes

Another important custom of the Mid-Autumn Festival is to eat mooncakes. Mooncake is a traditional pastry usually made of glutinous rice flour, bean paste, egg yolk and other ingredients. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people give mooncakes to their friends and relatives to express reunion and gratitude.

3. Lighting lanterns

Lanterns are another traditional custom of the Mid-Autumn Festival. People will hang colorful lights and lanterns in front of their homes or public **** places to create a warm and festive atmosphere. At the same time, lighting lanterns is also a way to pray for peace and happiness.

Stories and legends

1. Chang'e Runs to the Moon

Chang'e Runs to the Moon is one of the most famous legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to legend, there was an ancient hero named Hou Yi who shot down ten suns and saved the people. Hou Yi was thus honored as a god, but his wife, Chang'e, flew to the moon because she mistakenly consumed an elixir of immortality. Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people pray to Chang'e for happiness and prosperity.

2. Fragrance of Osmanthus

There is another legend about the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to legend, there was an ancient man named Wu Gang who was exiled to the moon for committing a crime. Wu Gang cut down the osmanthus tree on the moon, but the osmanthus tree was able to heal itself. Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people taste osmanthus wine and osmanthus cakes as a way to honor the legend of Wu Gang and osmanthus.

Operation steps

1. Enjoy the moon

The steps to enjoy the moon are very simple, you just need to find a suitable place and wait for the moon to rise. If you're watching the moon outdoors, you can choose a high place like a park or a mountain where you can see the moon more clearly. If you are enjoying the moon indoors, you can open the windows or balcony doors to let the moonlight in.

2. Eat mooncakes

The steps to eat mooncakes are also very simple, all you need to do is to buy or make mooncakes and then share them with your friends and family. When eating mooncakes, you can pair them with tea or other snacks to add flavor and interest.

3. Lighting lanterns

Lighting lanterns is also very simple, you just need to buy or make a good lantern, and then hang it in front of your home or public **** place. When lighting lanterns, you can choose different colors and shapes to create different atmosphere and style.

End

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in traditional Chinese culture and a time for family reunion and gratitude. During this festival, people can enjoy the moon, eat mooncakes, light lanterns and feel the atmosphere of reunion and happiness. At the same time, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a time to remember the deceased and think of relatives, so let's pray for the harmony and beauty of the family and society together.