Unique customs of Mid-Autumn Festival

River lanterns are also called "lotus lanterns". Generally, lights or candles are placed on the base, and they are placed in rivers, lakes and seas during the Mid-Autumn Festival, allowing them to float. The purpose of river lanterns is to pray and pray.

It is said that the Lantern Festival evolved from the Lantern Festival (Lantern Festival) custom. According to the folk saying, Shangyuan is a festival of people, while Zhongyuan is a festival of ghosts. People are Yang, ghosts are Yin, the ground is Yang, and water is Yin, so Shangyuan lantern is on land and Zhongyuan is in water. The mysterious darkness underwater reminds people of the legendary hell and the place where ghosts sink. So Shangyuan lanterns are on land, and Zhongyuan lanterns are in water. Today's river lanterns have become a happy activity.

2. ancestor worship

People believe that ancestors will go home to visit their children in July and a half, so they need to worship their ancestors. This kind of ancestor worship is a reflection of the traditional ethics, and it is also a cultural tradition of being grateful for morality. When crops are harvested in autumn, the joy of harvest is just shared with ancestors. Worship ceremonies are usually held in the evening of mid-July.

Step 3 burn paper

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, burning paper is the most prominent folk belief. According to legend, the dead paper is money from the underworld, and people burn paper to give money to their dead ancestors and relatives. Usually, when you burn paper on the grave, you should leave a few copies and burn them at the crossroads, in order to give some alms to homeless wild ghosts so that they won't rob their ancestors again.

Step 4 burn incense and shoot

Every night on July 14 or 15, we burn incense and set off firecrackers outside the door, and at the same time "burn bags" (also called "recommended bags").

Step 5 sacrifice land

In July and a half, people still worship land and crops. Scatter sacrifices in the fields. After burning the paper, wrap it on the ears of crops with cut five-color paper. Legend has it that autumn can avoid hail and get a bumper harvest. At the same time, some places have to go to Houtu Temple to offer sacrifices. Hemp and valley are hung at the gate of Dingxiang county folk custom.

Step 6 pray for a bumper harvest

Sacrifice in July and a half is usually associated with the hope of a bumper harvest. On the night of the stone drum, every household should burn incense and pray at home and put incense on the ground. This is called "planting rice" (transplanting rice). The more you plant, the better, which symbolizes the bumper harvest of rice in autumn.

Step 7 eat ducks

Many places in the country will choose to eat ducks in July and a half, because ducks swim in the water, taking the meaning of their river lanterns to pray. There is also a saying that "duck" means "pressure", which is homophonic. Eating duck is to suppress the "soul", which is a bit far-fetched, because "duck" and "pressure" are different in many places. People in Dongguan usually eat duck stewed with lotus root.

8. Purdue in Central Plains

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, many people will hold sacrificial activities with wine, meat, sugar cakes, fruits and other sacrifices between the first day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, in order to comfort many ghosts who are playing on earth and pray for their safety and success all the year round.