What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Everyone knows that there is such a festival as Mid-Autumn Festival, but now everyone calls it Ghost Festival. Let's have a look.

Ghosts'Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival is the name of Taoism, which is called July 30 and July 14 in folklore and ancestor worship festival in Buddhism. Festival customs mainly include offering sacrifices to ancestors, setting off river lanterns, offering sacrifices to the dead, burning paper ingots and offering sacrifices to the ground. Its birth can be traced back to ancestor worship and related festivals in ancient times. July is auspicious month and filial month, and July 30 is a festival for people to celebrate the harvest and repay the earth in early autumn. Some crops are ripe, so people should worship their ancestors according to the law and report Qiu Cheng to them with new rice and other sacrifices. This festival is a traditional cultural festival to remember the ancestors, and its cultural core is to respect the ancestors and do filial piety. ?

In the Book of Changes, "seven" is a changing number and a resurrected number. I ching: "repeat the same thing and come back in seven days. It will be fine." The seventh is yang number and days. After the sun between heaven and earth is extinguished, it can be resurrected after seven days. This is the way of heaven and earth, the principle of yin and yang circulation. People choose to worship their ancestors on July 14 (February 27), which is related to the number of resurrection. The Mid-Yuan Festival in Taoism and the Kasahara Festival in Buddhism are both on July 15. ?

"July 30th" was originally an ancient folk festival to worship ancestors, but it was called "Central Plains Festival" and originated from Taoism after the Eastern Han Dynasty. Buddhism calls July and a half the "Kasahara Festival". In a sense, the ancestor worship festival in July and a half belongs to folk customs, the Mid-Autumn Festival belongs to Taoism, and the Arahara Festival belongs to Buddhism. ?

Sacrificing ancestors on July 14/ 15 is a traditional cultural festival popular in Chinese character cultural circles of various countries and overseas Chinese areas, and it is also a traditional festival to worship ancestors on the same footing as New Year's Eve, Tomb-Sweeping Day and Chung Yeung Festival. 20 10 in may, the "mid-autumn festival" declared by the Ministry of culture in the hong kong special administrative region was selected into the national intangible cultural heritage list. ?

The customs of various countries

But there are many countries with this festival, and the customs are certainly different.

Chinese custom

Mid-Autumn Festival "Miaopu"

Hebei: Botou City and Nanpi County carried fruits, bacon, wine and money to their ancestral graves on July 15. It is called "recommending new things" to hold a hemp valley to a field stalk. The Mid-Autumn Festival in Guangping County offers fresh food to worship ancestors, and prepares fruits and vegetables and steamed sheep for grandchildren, which is called "sending sheep". On July 15, Qinghe County went to the grave to pay a sacrifice and offer steamed sheep to her daughter.

Shanxi: Scholars in Yonghe County sacrifice Kuixing on this day. The shepherd family in Zhangzi County slaughtered sheep in the Mid-Autumn Festival, competing with the gods. It is said that this can increase the output of sheep. Meat is also given to relatives, while those who are poor and have no sheep use steamed noodles in the shape of sheep instead. Farmers in Yangcheng county make cats, tigers and grains from wheat crumbs and sacrifice them in the fields, which is called "going to the fields". People in Mayi County take wheat flour as the shape of children in the Mid-Autumn Festival, named "Mianren", and give each other children from relatives. Farmers in Xinxian County hang colored paper on the stalks of fields on the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Henan: In Shangqiu County, when the Central Plains worships local officials, a paper flag is hung at the door, which is said to prevent insects. Flying kites during Mid-Autumn Festival in Mengjin County. On July 15, the magistrate of a county drew a gray circle in front of the door and burned paper gongs in the circle to worship the ancestors.

Shandong: Fishermen in Long Island made boats out of wooden boards, put "XX" notes on them or memorial tablets for drowning people, put food, clothes, shoes and socks on them, and then lit candles. The married man put the boat into the sea. In Zhanhua County, every household collects Kyle and fresh grass leaves to build a shed, which is called "Horse House" and asks ancestors to put it in for sacrifice. Ling Du county calls the Mid-Autumn Festival "pinch festival", and every family eats humble meals.

Shaanxi: Lintong County burned paper to worship Ma Gu on July 15. In Chenggu County, farmers will drink alcohol on the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is called "hanging hoes". Farmers in Yantai went to the fields on the morning of Mid-Autumn Festival, selected the highest and densest ears of rice, hung up five-color paper flags and named them "Tian Fang".

The Mid-Autumn Festival "Lanpen Festival" was held in Qibao Ancient Town, Shanghai.

Jiangsu: Residents of Wuxian County fold gold ingots with tin foil during the Mid-Autumn Festival and burn them along the road, which is called "ghost fate". There is still a kind of paper ghost circulating in Yizheng county, which contains bowl lamps, gamblers, drunkards and senior officials. There are four boats in the Zhongyuan Festival River in Yixing County, one is the flame mouth, the other is the Buddha chanting, the other is the tin foil ingot burning, and the other is the river lantern. On this day, villagers in Dong Xian eat flat food, which is a dustpan-shaped food made of flour and sugar. When releasing river lanterns in Shanghai, the stern is decorated with red and green paper lanterns, which is called "Dugu".

Sichuan: In Sichuan Province, there is a custom of burning paper to worship ancestors in the Central Plains. That is, a stack of paper money is sealed in a small envelope, and the name and title of the recipient, the number of envelopes received, and the name and time of the silk changer are written on the envelope. It is said that the Gate of Ghost was closed on July 15, and all families had to "send their children to Shigu". Chengdu people tied a "flower tray" with paper, put paper money and fruit offerings on it, and walked around the room, saying, "Dear friends, neighbors, former residents, ghosts who can't bear to go back, please put on the flower tray and send you back!" After that, the back end is incinerated outside the house.

Zhejiang: The rain during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Jiashan County indicates a bumper rice harvest. In Tonglu County, people sing gongs and scatter rice in the wild on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, which is called "giving food". The Lanshe Society in eastern Zhejiang invited 24 old ladies to recite the scriptures and "walk eight knots". Eating "jiaozi Cake" on the rooftop during Mid-Autumn Festival is similar to spring rolls. There is also the custom of putting up street lamps. There are six able-bodied men as a group: one who knocks gongs, one who banges, one who carries lanterns, one who scatters salty rice along the way, one who makes incense along the way (inserted on a sweet potato or taro), and one who makes tofu and rice balls along the way (placed on a big tree), with a sacrifice about every hundred steps.

Jiangxi: People in Ji 'an burn paper ingots in Mid-Autumn Festival, and pregnant women are forbidden to fold paper ingots. It is said that the paper ingots folded by pregnant women cannot be carried by ghosts after being burned, and it is also impossible to send them to the underworld. When releasing the flame, the mage threw buns and fruits at the audience. Legend has it that a woman grabbed a steamed stuffed bun and had a child the next year. A child who robs steamed stuffed buns will never be afraid in his life. Ancestor worship in Anyuan County began on July 12, and incense and tea were burned in the morning and evening. On the fifteenth night, burn clothes and give paper money.

Fujian: When people in southern Fujian worship in July and a half, they will first put lights in various waters to welcome guests, help the dead to light the way and invite them to share incense, which is called "water lanterns". Paper paste is like a palace, with wax oil inside and colorful triangular paper flags inside, which is called "Pudu Banner". On the flag, the words "Praise and Praise the Chinese Yuan", "Give to Guanglan", "Worship the Shade Light" and "Glow in the Dark" are written with a brush, and their names are written to let the good brothers (in Minnan language, respect the dead) say that the farther the water lamp floats, the more blessed the benefactor is. ? [20-2 1]?

Mid-Autumn Festival Lotus Leaf Lantern

Guangdong: In the south of China, there is a tradition of offering sacrifices on July 14. On this day, no matter rich or poor, people should prepare dining tables, incense sticks and paper money to pay homage to their ancestors to show their memory. Cantonese people call it "July 14th". In the old days, residents went to ghost shops to buy gold and silver paper clothes (that is, all kinds of colored paper, which is generally considered to be used to make ghost clothes), silver coins (Mingbi) and ingots, which were packed in paper bags and sealed, commonly known as "bags". In the afternoon, ancestors are worshipped with sacrifices and fruits, and ghost clothes (bags) are burned after worship, commonly known as "burning clothes". At night, all kinds of ghosts, rice, vegetables, wine, incense paper, etc. Was enshrined in front of the door and given to the ghost without the owner. After the sacrifice, you burn the ghost, leaving the sacrifice (wine and rice) outside the door and not taking it back, commonly known as "burning the secluded place." The customs of Central Plains in Hong Kong and Macao are consistent with those in Guangdong. ?

Guangxi: People in Guilin usually take the 4th of the month/kloc-0 as the ancestor worship festival. The whole festival starts from July 7th to the evening of July 14, and its process is the process of welcoming ancestors, sending them off and chasing them. In some places, ancestors are welcomed from July 7, and in some places, ancestors are welcomed on July 13, but on July 7, meals are prepared (that is, sacrifices); On the evening of July 14, we bid farewell to our ancestors. After the sacrifice before dinner, we will hold a ceremony to bid farewell to our ancestors until about 10 in the evening. At the same time, the "wallet" engraved with the ancestor's name (how many generations of ancestors are written in different families) and the "wallet" paper money of the ticket holder and the guide king were burned at the intersection to sprinkle rice, water and rice. Its complicated and serious process is the most complicated festival in local ceremonies, and it is also a festival that local people attach great importance to. In Guangxi, July 14 is also called "Duck Festival". People think that the dead can stand on ducks and travel freely between the dead and the dead through ducks' carriages. In addition, there is a custom of "burning steamed stuffed buns", which is generally to worship ancestors first and then burn clothes for ghosts. Food and wine for ancestor worship must be put in a flat basket, which means that wild ghosts are not allowed to rob them. ?

Shanghai: Qibao Ancient Town holds the Mid-Autumn Festival "Lanpen Festival", while Fujian and Taiwan set up a table to worship Pudu, which can be divided into "public pu" (also known as "Lianpu", which is jointly held by residents of various settlements, groups or temples) and "private pu" (held by individuals or single families and institutions). During the ceremony, a "Purdue Flag" with Chinese honorific words and the name of the donor will be erected on the table. Many smokers will also light cigarettes and stick them on their feet to push themselves and their "souls" to smoke for "good brothers", which is human. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the old Shanghai held an altar meeting every year in Tomb-Sweeping Day, July 30th and October 1st, with a huge city god patrolling. The old Shanghai was commonly known as the "Three Patrol Meeting". ?

Yunnan: Tengyue people burned buns after offering sacrifices to their ancestors, carved a cucumber into a boat shape, called a "cucumber boat", and incinerated it with the bag. According to folklore, July 14/ 15 is the day when the gate of hell opens wide. Yan Xi will teach those ghosts who have suffered and been imprisoned in hell all the year round to get out of hell, get a short stroll and enjoy the smoke and food on earth, so July is also called ghost month, which is considered as an unlucky month, and they will not get married or move. ?

Hunan: Shaoyang people "receive old customers" around July 12 of the lunar calendar, and burn paper bags and incense to worship their ancestors on the evening of July 15 of the lunar calendar, indicating "sending away old customers". There are inches of paper money in the paper bag, and the name on the front of the paper bag is taboo. After packaging, you must write the word' seal' on the back. On the fifteenth night, the more buns are burned, the bigger the fire, indicating that the home is more prosperous.

Hubei: People in Macheng will slaughter livestock around the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, get together with their aunts and burn paper money to worship their deceased ancestors. On the day of sacrifice, meat and wine first, and then steamed bread. Bamboo chopsticks are spread out in the dining room, brightly lit, and the sacrificial words are also complained. Every man personally printed and made paper money on paper money, burned paper and bowed down to his ancestors. After that, the family will have a feast. This festival can be held on any day from July 13 to 16. ?

Foreign customs

Thai sausage.

Thailand: The loi krathong will be held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, and people will put lanterns to pray for the dead.

Japan: The Kasahara Festival was introduced to Japan from China in the Sui and Tang Dynasties during the Asuka period, commonly known as "Kasahara" (pronounced O-bon, abbreviated as Kasahara Society). July 13 to 16 in the city, August 13 to 16 in the countryside. 13 to visit the grave, 13 to pick up the ghost of ancestors, 16 to send. There is also the habit of giving gifts in RMB. People will gather together to dance a dance called "Penyong" according to folk customs. This dance is mainly hand movements, similar to today's Parapara. The Japanese attach great importance to the Bonihara Festival, which has now become an important festival after New Year's Day. Enterprises and companies usually have a week's rest, which is called "Kogasawara Rest". Many Japanese who go out to work are choosing to use this holiday to return to China to worship their ancestors. At this time, the streets of metropolises (such as Tokyo and Osaka) are mostly deserted, somewhat similar to Tomb-Sweeping Day in China. ?

North Korea: The Mid-Autumn Festival on the Korean Peninsula, also known as Hundred Days, Hundred Days and Day of the Dead, is a traditional festival in North Korea, which originated from the Taoist Mid-Autumn Festival in China and the Bon Bon Festival in Buddhism, and later developed Korean characteristics. Compared with the Mid-Autumn Festival in China and Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival in North Korea pays more attention to ancestor worship and Purdue, while the Mid-Autumn Festival in North Korea retains the original intention of farmers to celebrate the harvest in autumn, followed by ceremonies such as ancestor worship and death sacrifice.

Singapore: In the Chinese-speaking area of Singapore, besides the traditional customs such as ancestor worship and Purdue, there is also a special performance, that is, entertaining ghosts. The local Fujian people (Minnan people) are referred to as "Songtai in July" or "Songtai". Generally speaking, these song tables set up a temporary stage in the open space, equipped with audio equipment and lighting, with rows of chairs under the stage, and the first row of chairs is usually reserved for "good brothers" (ghosts). Stage performances are usually arranged in the evening, including humorous skits, magic, singing and dancing. And performances are held throughout the lunar July. ?

Malaysia In the Chinese area of Malaysia, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Yulan Victory Festival or celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. Besides offering sacrifices to Purdue's ancestors, there are also special performances to entertain ghosts. The local people have established a culture similar to that of Taiwan Province, which is roughly similar to that of Singapore. ?