July 15th Customs

July 15 Zhongyuan Festival customs worship land, jumping sky lanterns, ancestor worship.

I. Worshipping the land.

1. On the half of July, it is also common for folk to offer sacrifices to the land and crops. Offerings are scattered into the fields. After burning the paper, the colorful paper cut into strips is then used to wrap around the ears of the crops.

2. Legend has it that hailstorms can be avoided and a large fall harvest obtained. In some places at the same time, they also go to the Houtu Temple to make sacrifices. Dingxiang County folk custom will hemp, grain hanging door head.

2, jumping sky lanterns.

1, Guangxi Tian and other areas in the July half of the custom of jumping lanterns. In the old days, jumping lanterns activities are more than some of the superstitious activities to welcome the gods and expel the ghosts and so on, has gradually developed into a folk sports activities.

2, jumping lanterns are generally in the village on a flat site, 72 small bowls filled with soybean oil, respectively, lined up in 9 rows, according to the front and back of the left and right distance of 0.8 a 1-meter distance from the lamp and light, jumping lanterns, wearing masks, holding a wooden fish, drums, gongs and cymbals and other musical instruments, but also holding a hanging paper flower strips of wooden stick people.

Three, ancestor worship.

1, folk believe that the ancestors will return home to visit their children and grandchildren in July half, so the need for ancestor worship. This act of ancestor worship is a manifestation of the traditional ethic of being prudent and thinking of one's roots, and is a cultural tradition of feeling for one's ancestors.

2, coinciding with the harvest of crops in the small autumn, but also just to share the joy of the harvest with the ancestors, the ceremony of worship is usually held in the evening in mid-July. Normal days to pay homage to the ancestors, usually do not move the ancestors of the tablets.

Chinese New Year's Day origin:

The first month of the fifteenth day of the Han Chinese called on the Yuan Festival, is the celebration of the Lantern Festival, ancient; July 15 Han Chinese called in the Yuan Festival, the ancestors of the festival; October 15 Han Chinese called the next Yuan Festival, is the food of the cold, in memory of the wise.

The Mid-Yuan Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, is commonly known as the half of the 7th month. Legend has it that all ghosts are released from hell on this day, and it is common for people to perform activities to honor the ghosts. Where there is a new funeral home, the example of new graves, and generally in the local area to sacrifice the ghosts, so it is the whole of the festival centered on ghosts, became the largest ghost festival in Chinese folklore.

Legend has it that the Earth's palace is in charge of the gates of hell, the day the Earth's palace opens the gates of hell, is also the day that hell opens its doors, the deceased ancestors can go home to be reunited, and therefore is the Ghost Festival, so the folk have to set up Taoist temples, put steamed bread to the lonely souls and wild ghosts to eat, the day to worship ancestors, graves, light lotus lamps for the deceased to illuminate the road home. Taoist temple held a grand puja to pray for blessings and good luck dojo, the content is for the souls of the dead super.

The Zhongyuan pujas are for the forgiveness of sins for the souls of the dead, but in no way do they completely absolve the sins, they only alleviate them a little and hope that they will rest in peace soon. In the puja, they do not only pray for the souls of the dead, but also offer salvation to the orphaned souls and those who sacrificed their lives for the country and died in the battlefield. The money obtained during the ceremony is mainly used to buy offerings.