What will be the customs of the Mid-Yuan Festival

Customs of the Mid-Yuan Festival

1. Release of river lanterns. The purpose is to universalize and pray.

2. Ancestor worship. Sacrifice to ancestors. July is the first harvest of crops, and it is customary to offer cooked new rice to the ancestors and share it with them.

3. Burning paper money. Give money to the deceased ancestors' relatives, worrying that they have no money to spend underground; burn it at the crossroads to give some alms to the homeless wild ghosts, hoping that they will stop robbing the money given to their ancestors.

4, burn incense and firecrackers. Burning incense and firecrackers, on the one hand, to scare off the passing ghosts, on the other hand, to give them offerings (the living are really contradictory ah).

5, land worship. Folk worship of the land and crops is also prevalent, the offerings will be scattered into the field. After burning paper, then cut into strips of colorful paper, wrapped around the ears of crops. Legend has it that it can avoid hailstorms and get a good harvest in the fall. In some places, sacrifices are made at the same time at the Houtu Temple. In some places, folklore has it that hemp and grain are hung at the head of the door (e.g. Dingxiang County).

6. Praying for a good harvest. Households should burn incense in front of their homes to pray for a good harvest, in the incense sticks inserted in the ground, which is called "Butian" (a symbol of "rice-planting"), inserted the more the better, as a symbol of the autumn harvest of a bumper crop of rice.