What are the origins of traditional festivals?

The traditional festivals in China mainly include: Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Dragon Head Rise, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Festival, Winter Solstice Festival and New Year's Eve. In every festival, all kinds of unique customs have been formed.

1. Spring Festival is the most solemn traditional festival of the Chinese nation, commonly known as "Chinese New Year" among the people, which originated from ancient agricultural sacrifices. The original meaning of "year" refers to the maturity of crops, which was formed in the Han Dynasty and is closely related to the completeness of the calendar. 1 September, 949, the first plenary session of China People's Political Consultative Conference officially stipulated that the Gregorian calendar 1 month1day was called "New Year's Day" and the first day of the first lunar month was called "Spring Festival".

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated in ancient times, popularized in the Han Dynasty, shaped in the early Tang Dynasty and prevailed after the Song Dynasty. Mid-Autumn Festival is a synthesis of seasonal customs in autumn, and most of them have ancient origins. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a colorful and precious cultural heritage. The full moon is a symbol of people's reunion, a sustenance for missing their hometown and relatives, and hopes for a bumper harvest and happiness. Since ancient times, Mid-Autumn Festival has had folk customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, enjoying the moon, eating moon cakes, playing with lanterns, enjoying osmanthus and drinking osmanthus wine. It has been circulating for a long time.

3. Tomb-Sweeping Day, also known as Youth Day, is the most important festival in China. China people have been polite and respectful to their ancestors since ancient times, so the tradition of the Spring Festival gradually took shape during the Qingming period. Tomb-Sweeping Day, Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival are also called the four traditional festivals in China. On May 20th, 2006, with the approval of the State Council, Tomb-Sweeping Day announced by People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Ministry of Culture was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list. Dragon Boat Race: The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the annual Dragon Boat Festival, which is very lively. Usually, people spontaneously organize dragon boat races, eat zongzi, drink realgar wine and hang wormwood at the door. "Dragon Boat Race" is a custom that existed during the Warring States Period. There are many legends about dragon boat racing, but the meaning of making a good start and working hard has not changed.

4. Appreciating the Moon in Mid-Autumn Festival: Since ancient times, there have been customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, appreciating the moon, eating moon cakes, enjoying osmanthus flowers and drinking osmanthus wine in Mid-Autumn Festival, which have been passed down to this day and last forever. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a colorful and precious cultural heritage, which symbolizes people's reunion with the full moon, their feelings of missing their hometown and relatives, and their hope for a bumper harvest and happiness.

5. Climbing on the Double Ninth Festival: There is a custom of climbing on the Double Ninth Festival. In autumn and September, the sky is crisp, and climbing high in this season can achieve the purpose of relaxing body and mind and being healthy and sick. The custom of eating Chongyang cake is related to mountain climbing. Gaohe cake is homophonic. As a holiday food, it was originally to celebrate the harvest of autumn grain and like to taste new grain. Later, people had the auspicious intention of climbing high to eat cakes and taking a step-by-step approach. There is a custom of climbing mountains on the Dragon Boat Festival. In autumn and September, the sky is crisp, and climbing high in this season can achieve the purpose of relaxing body and mind, keeping fit and getting rid of diseases. The custom of eating Chongyang cake is related to mountain climbing. Gaohe cake is homophonic. As a holiday food, it was originally to celebrate the harvest of autumn grain and taste new grain. Later, people had the auspicious meaning of climbing high and eating cakes step by step.

6. Laba porridge: The ancient emperor of China will hold a La Worship to celebrate the harvest on Laba Festival; Pray for good weather in the coming year. Villagers should offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, ancestors and gods, be grateful for the kindness and protection in the past year, and pray for continued kindness in the coming year. Laba porridge is also called "Fushou porridge", which means to increase happiness and longevity.