Mid-Autumn Festival Origin, Legends, Tales, Stories, Customs, Culture

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival in China, and the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Qingming and known as the four traditional Chinese Han festivals. According to historical records, the ancient emperors had the ritual of sacrificing the sun in the spring and the moon in the fall, and the term "Mid-Autumn Festival" first appeared in the book of "Zhou Li"; it was not until the early years of the Tang Dynasty that the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival, and the record of "Book of the Tang Dynasty - record of Emperor Taizong" recorded "Mid-Autumn Festival in the fifteenth day of the eighth month"; The popularity of the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Song Dynasty. Festival for the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, is the day coincides with the half of the three autumns, so the name "Mid-Autumn Festival", also known as "Mid-Autumn Festival"; and because of this festival in the fall, August, it is also known as the "Autumn Festival", "August Festival" "August Meeting"; and pray for reunion of faith and related festivals and activities, so also known as "reunion festival", "Daughter Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the "Reunion Festival" and "Daughter's Festival". Because the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival are centered around the "moon", it is also commonly known as the "Moon Festival", "Moon Festival", "Moon Chasing Festival "In the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was also known as the Moon Festival of Duanzheng. About the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there are three kinds of origins: it originated from the worship of the moon in ancient times, the custom of singing and dancing under the moon to look for puppets, and the legacy of worshiping the god of the land in the ancient Autumn Annals.

The Mid-Autumn Festival has been a national holiday since 2008. The state attaches great importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage, on May 20, 2006, the folklore approved by the State Council included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.

The term "Mid-Autumn Festival" first appeared in the Zhou Li. According to China's ancient calendar, the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, in the middle of the 8th month of the year's fall, so called "Mid-Autumn Festival". There are four seasons in a year, and each season is divided into three parts: Meng, Zhong, and Quarter, and the second month of the three autumns is called Zhongqiu, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as "Zhongqiu". To the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there are "Oracle Shangshu town cattle confusion, Mid-Autumn Festival with about the evening of the micro-suits Pan River" record. It was not until the early Tang Dynasty that the Mid-Autumn Festival became a regular festival. The Book of Tang - Taizong records that "August 15 Mid-Autumn Festival". The popularity of the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Song Dynasty, and by the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it had become one of the major festivals in China, on a par with New Year's Day. It is also the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival.

According to China's calendar, the eighth month of the lunar calendar is in the middle of autumn, the second month of autumn, known as "mid-autumn", and the fifteenth day of the eighth month is in "mid-autumn", so it is called "Mid-Autumn". "The Mid-Autumn Festival has many aliases. The Mid-Autumn Festival has many aliases: because the festival is held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, it is called the "August Festival" and the "Half of August"; because the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival revolve around the "moon", it is also commonly known as the "Moon Festival" and the "Festival of the Moon". "Moon Festival" "Moon Festival"; Mid-Autumn Festival moon is complete, symbolizing reunion, and therefore also called "reunion festival". In the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was also known as the "Duanzheng Moon". The earliest record of the "Reunion Festival" can be found in the Ming Dynasty. West Lake Tourism Zhiyu" said: "August 15 is called the Mid-Autumn Festival, the folk with moon cakes to send each other, take the meaning of reunion. The Imperial Capital Scenic Spectacle" also said: "August 15 moon festival, the cake must be round, the melon must be wrong teeth, petals carved like a lotus flower. ...... its women return to the Ning, is the day will return to the husband's home, said reunion festival.

With the continuous development of society, the ancients gave the moon many legends, from the moon toad to the Jade Rabbit pounding medicine, from Wu Gang to the Chang'e moon, rich imagination for the moon palace world depicted a picture of the mottled landscape. From the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, scholars and writers have been chanting about the moon and the things in the moon, and the 15th day of the 8th month when the moon is full has become an excellent time to express their feelings. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the government officially designated the 15th day of the 8th month as the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was meant to be the middle of the three autumns, when all the people celebrated together. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon is bright in the sky, and its light fills the earth, so people take the full moon as a symbol of reunion, and take the 15th day of the 8th month as a day for loved ones to get together, and therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the "Reunion Festival".

The Mid-Autumn Festival has become a major festival of the year, and with the imperial examinations have a very subtle relationship, in our feudal society, to obtain a scholar, has always been the ruler attaches great importance to a major event. And once every three years, the autumn exams than, coincidentally, arranged to be held in August. Sightseeing and passion combined together, people will be examined high school, known as the moon in the laurel people. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, must be celebrated, become an important custom of the people of the whole society, through the dynasties, the prevalence of the Mid-Autumn Festival has gradually become one of the three major festivals of the Han Chinese people (Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival).

Chang'e to the moon

Legend has it that in ancient times, there were ten suns in the sky one year, which baked the earth and dried up the sea, and the people could no longer live there.

This incident alarmed a hero named Hou Yi, he climbed to the top of the Kunlun Mountain, the power of God, pull open the bow, shot down nine excess sun.

Hou Yi was honored and loved by the people, and a lot of people came to learn from him. The treacherous Peng Meng was also involved.

Soon, Hou Yi married a beautiful and kind wife named Chang'e. In addition to the art of hunting, Hou Yi was also the first to be recognized by the Chinese government. Hou Yi, in addition to the art of hunting, all day long with his wife, people envy this couple of love.

One day, Hou Yi went to the Kunlun Mountains to visit friends and seek Taoism, and coincidentally met the Queen Mother who passed by, and asked the Queen Mother for a packet of immortality medicine. It was said that by taking this medicine, one could instantly ascend to heaven and become immortal.

However, Hou Yi couldn't leave his wife behind, so he temporarily gave the immortality pill to Chang'e to cherish. Chang'e hid the medicine in the treasure box of her dresser, but Pengmeng saw it.

Three days later, Houyi led his disciples to go out hunting, but Pengmeng pretended to be sick and stayed behind.

Shortly after Hou Yi left, Peng Meng broke into the backyard of the mansion with a sword in his hand and forced Chang E to hand over the immortality pill.

Chang E knew that she was no match for Peng Meng, and in a moment of crisis, she made a split-second decision, turned around, opened the treasure box, and took out the Pill of Immortality and swallowed it in one gulp.

Chang E swallowed the medicine, the body immediately floated off the ground, rushed out of the window, flying toward the sky. Because Chang'e attached to her husband, they flew down to the closest to the earth on the moon became immortal.

In the evening, Hou Yi returned home and his maids cried about what happened during the day. Hou Yi was shocked and furious, and drew his sword to kill the villains, but Peng Meng fled. The company's newest product is a new product, which will be available in the market in the near future. Houyi, who was devastated, looked up at the night sky and called out the name of his beloved wife. At this time, he was surprised to find that today's moon is exceptionally bright and clear, and there is a swaying figure like Chang'e.

Hou Yi hurriedly sent people to Chang'e's favorite garden, set up incense, put on her favorite honey and fresh fruits, and sacrificed to Chang'e, who was fond of herself in the Moon Palace.

When the people heard the news that Chang'e had run to the moon and become immortal, they set up incense under the moon and prayed to the kind Chang'e for good luck and peace. From then on, the custom of moon worship on the Mid-Autumn Festival spread among the people.

The story of Chang'e's journey to the moon glorifies and praises Chang'e with a distinctive attitude and brilliant colors. Compared with the records of Chang'e in ancient literature, it is evident that people have done a lot of processing and modification on the story of Chang'e's journey to the moon to make the image of Chang'e the same as that of the moon, so as to make it conform to the pursuit of people's beauty.

Contrary to the widely circulated "Chang'e Runs to the Moon" in modern times, "All the Ancient Writings", a collection of "Spirit Constitution", recorded the story of "Chang'e Turns into a Toad": "Chang'e, Yi's wife, also, stealing the Queen Mother's immortality pill to take it to run to the moon. When she was about to go to the moon, she took the medicine and occupied it with Yau Wong. There is yellow occupation: said: 'auspicious, fluttering return sister, alone will be traveling west, meet the sky obscure mang, do not be alarmed and fear, after and great prosperity.' Chang'e then took refuge in the moon and became a toad." After Chang'e turned into a toad, she was punished for pounding immortality pills all day long in the Moon Palace, leading a lonely and miserable life. Li Shangyin once wrote a poem lamenting Chang'e: "Chang'e should regret stealing the elixir, and the blue sea and the blue sky and the night are all in one mind."

Japanese people do not eat mooncakes on Mid-Autumn Festival

In Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar is called the "15th night" or "Mid-Autumn Moon". Japanese people also have the custom of viewing the moon on this day, which is called "Tsukimi" in Japanese. The Japanese custom of enjoying the moon originated in China, and when it was introduced to Japan more than 1,000 years ago, the custom of holding a banquet while enjoying the moon began to emerge, which is known as "Tsukimi". Unlike the Chinese who eat mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Japanese eat rice dumplings called "Tsukimi Dumplings" while enjoying the moon. Since this is the time when various crops are harvested, various celebrations are held to show appreciation for the bounty of nature. Although the lunar calendar was abolished in favor of the solar calendar after the Meiji Restoration, the custom of enjoying the moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival is still practiced throughout Japan, and some temples and shrines hold special moon-viewing sessions on the festival.

Children play a leading role in Vietnam's Mid-Autumn Festival

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the festive atmosphere in Vietnam is particularly strong due to the mooncake wars and toy wars among merchants. Unlike China's Mid-Autumn Festival, Vietnam's Mid-Autumn Festival is dominated by children. Mooncakes of different flavors, lanterns of different shapes, colorful children's toys and other festive food and toys are available in the market, and children's faces are full of desire for the festival. On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, stores selling mooncakes along the streets of the capital Hanoi are decked out in red and green, with big red lanterns with the word "mooncake" hanging in front of the stores, and mooncakes of various brands filling the shelves.

Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, lantern festivals are held across Vietnam and lantern designs are judged with prizes awarded to the winners. In addition, some localities in Vietnam organize lion dances during the festival, which often take place on the 14th and 15th nights of the eighth lunar month. During the festival, local people sit around the whole family on the balcony, in the yard, or go out to the field with their families, setting up moon cakes, fruits and other kinds of snacks, enjoying the moon and savoring the delicious moon cakes. Children carry lanterns and play in groups.

With the gradual improvement of Vietnamese people's living standards in recent years, the millennium Mid-Autumn Festival custom has quietly changed. Many young people spend the festival either gathering at home, singing and dancing, or going out in groups to enjoy the moonlight and improve understanding and friendship among peers. As a result, Vietnam's Mid-Autumn Festival is adding new connotations to the traditional family reunion and is gradually gaining popularity among young people.

Singapore: Mid-Autumn Festival also plays the "tourism card"

Singapore is a country where the Chinese make up the majority of the population, and has always attached great importance to the annual Mid-Autumn Festival. For the Chinese in Singapore, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a great opportunity to bond and show appreciation. Friends, family and business associates give each other mooncakes to express their greetings and wishes.

Singapore is a tourist city, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is undoubtedly a great opportunity to attract tourists. Every year, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the famous Orchard Road, Singapore River, Chinatown and Jurong Point are decorated. At night, when the lights come on, the whole street is a red, tantalizing sight.

This year's Mid-Autumn Festival, in the Singapore River stands a 300-meter-long, 4.5-meter-high, costing $ 70,000 to make the Xiangyun giant dragon lantern. Whenever the night falls, sprayed with water, the giant dragon lamp body glowing, the Singapore River illuminated a red, the scene is very spectacular. In the traditional Chinese settlement of Chinatown, in addition to imported from Nepal, Vietnam and other countries of the giant lanterns shine, by 1364 small red lanterns composed of 44 small dragons is to make the Chinatown a lot more colorful. In Singapore quite Chinese ancient garden style of the Royal Garden, is currently organizing a large-scale Fantasy Lantern Festival. There are both the popular Disney series of lights, as well as the huge Beijing Temple of Heaven and the giant dragon-shaped lights, which are particularly eye-catching.

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

Eating mooncakes, enjoying the moon and carrying lanterns on parade are the Mid-Autumn Festival customs of Malaysian Chinese that have been passed down from generation to generation. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, long-established businesses across Malaysia have launched mooncakes of various colors. The capital city of Kuala Lumpur, major shopping malls are equipped with mooncake counters, newspapers, television mooncake advertisements all over the world to welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival to create a festive atmosphere. Chinese associations in some parts of Kuala Lumpur recently held lantern parades to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. In addition to dragon and lion dances, a float carrying "Chang'e" and "Seven Fairies" roamed around, and brightly-dressed entertainers and young people sang and danced, making for a lively event.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival that is highly valued by overseas Chinese living in the Philippines. Chinatown in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, was bustling with activity on the 27th, as local overseas Chinese held a two-day event to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The main commercial streets in the overseas Chinese neighborhoods were decorated with lights and banners at major intersections and on bridges into Chinatown, and many stores sold a variety of mooncakes, either homemade or imported from China. The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, which included a dragon dance parade, a parade of national costumes, a lantern parade and a float parade, drew large crowds and filled the historic Chinatown with a cheerful holiday atmosphere.

Mid-Autumn Poetry

Mid-Autumn

(Tang) Li Park

Hao Prana is in the sky when the precious mirror rises, and there is no sound of immortal music among the clouds;

The round of autumn colors is full, and the cloudy streets are thousands of miles of brightness;

The cunning rabbit falls from the outside of the strings, and the demonic toad is born in front of the eyes;

The Ling Crouch is going to make a promise to work hand in hand with him, and to wait until the Milky Way is completely clear. I'm not going to be able to do anything about it, but I'm going to do something about it.

Playing with the Moon on the Fifteenth Night of the August Moon

(Tang) Liu Yuxi

The sky will be the moon tonight, washing the world once again.

The summer has retreated from the nine skies, and the autumn is clear.

The stars give way to brilliance, and the wind and dew give rise to crystal.

The world of the world can be changed, and it is the Jade Palace.

The Song of Songs in Water (Song) Su Shi

Mid-Autumn Festival in the year of the Bichen, I drank a lot. I was very drunk, and I wrote this piece, and I also remembered Ziyu.

When is the bright moon? I'm not sure when the moon is going to come out.

I don't know what year it is in the heavenly palace.

I want to go back by the wind, but I'm afraid that the jade tower is too high to be cold!

It's a good thing that I'm here.

They are the most beautiful and the most beautiful of all, and they are the most beautiful of all.

There should be no hate, what is the reason for this?

There is no such thing as a good time, and there is no such thing as a good time.

But I wish you a long life, a thousand miles of **** Canyuan Juan.

The Mid-Autumn Moon

(Song) Su Shi

The twilight clouds are overflowing with cold, and the silver man is spinning a jade disk without a sound.

This life and this night are not long, and the bright moon will be seen next year.

Tai Chang Quotation

(Song) Xin Qiji

A round of autumn shadows turn to golden waves, the flying mirror is grinding again.

Ask Hou Yi (姮娥) about her white hair!

Ride the wind and go, the sky is ten thousand miles long,

Straight down to see the mountains and rivers. The lady's name is Hou Yi (姮娥) and her name is Hou Yi (姮娥). The human way is more clear light.

Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon/Mid-Autumn Festival

(Contemporary)

Liu Zhou

Flowers fall at this time, the moon is full at this time

On earth and in the heavens, the song rises and dances and flies in a whirlwind

Phoenixes return to their nests, and there is no more wolf smoke

Lonely beautiful Cindy.

Waves of ten thousand kinds of entanglement, the bottom of the sea reflecting the sky

Not teach the floating clouds will be covered by the moon, and the heart wants peace for ten thousand years.

I have a neon dress that blows in the wind, and the ripples in the water are smoothed out by a song

The clouds hide the submerged dragon, and the moon is hidden in the cold palace

The clouds have to be dyed in color, and the moon has a halo

Colorful clouds are chasing the moon, and the clouds are covering up the autumn sky

The moon is dipped in the coolness, and the clouds are carrying the clear wind

There is only joy, and then there is sorrow

Who can solve this sorrow? Who is the best person to talk to?

Drink this cup, **** language of peace

The good time is easy to pass away like a dream.

--Based on the song "Chasing the Moon with Colorful Clouds"