An interesting and short introduction to the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional folk festival in my country.It originated from the worship of celestial phenomena in ancient times and became a fixed festival in the Tang Dynasty.Whenever the Mid-Autumn Festival comes, people eat moon cakes, admire the moon, offer sacrifices to the moon, and light lanterns.In addition, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, there are also popular myths and legends such as Chang"e flying to the moon and the jade rabbit making medicine.
The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the Qiu Xi festival in ancient times.Sacrificing the moon, with a long history, is a kind of worship activity for the "moon god" by the ancients in some parts of our country in ancient times.The existing written records of the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" were first found in the documents of the Han Dynasty.In the pre-Qin period, there were activities such as "Welcoming the Cold on the Mid-Autumn Night", "Mid-Autumn Festival Offering Good Fur" and "Autumn Equinox Evening Moon (Worshiping the Moon)".The Mid-Autumn Festival became an officially recognized national holiday, around the time of the Tang Dynasty.During the Tang Dynasty, the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival was popular in northern my country.During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival had become a common folk festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival was officially designated on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Mid-Autumn Festival had become one of the main festivals among Chinese folk.
Folk Customs of Mid-Autumn Festival
Sacrificing to the Moon
Sacrificing to the Moon is a very ancient custom in our country.an act of worship.In ancient times, there was a custom of "autumn evening and evening moon".On the evening of the moon, worship the moon god.Since ancient times, in some areas of Guangdong, people have the custom of worshipping the moon god (worshipping the moon goddess, worshipping the moonlight) on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.To worship the moon, set up a big incense table, and put moon cakes, watermelons, apples, red dates, plums, grapes and other offerings.Under the moon, place the "Moon God" tablet in the direction of the moon, the red candle burns high, and the whole family worships the moon in turn to pray for blessings.Offering sacrifices to the moon and admiring the moon, entrusting the moon in memory, expressing people"s best wishes.
Lighting lanterns
On Mid-Autumn Festival night, there is a custom of lighting lanterns to help the moonlight.Today, there is still the custom of using tiles to stack towers on the towers to light lanterns.In the south of the Yangtze River, there is a custom of making light boats.The custom of lighting lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival is even more popular in modern times.Mid-autumn night lamp internal combustion candles are tied to bamboo poles with ropes, erected high on the eaves or terraces, or built with small lamps into a zigzag or various shapes, and hung at the height of the house, commonly known as "tree mid-autumn" or "vertical mid-autumn".The lanterns hung by wealthy families are several feet high.Family members gather under the lanterns to drink and have fun.Ordinary people put up a flagpole and two lanterns to enjoy themselves.The lights in the city are like a world of glass."The custom of burning lanterns in the Mid-Autumn Festival seems to be second only to the Lantern Festival.
Viewing the moon
The custom of viewing the moon originates from offering sacrifices to the moon, and serious sacrifices have turned into relaxed entertainment.It is said that the moon is closest to the earth on this night, and the moon is the largest, roundest and brightest, so there has been a custom of feasting and admiring the moon since ancient times; The written records of the moon viewing activities appeared in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, but they were not practiced.In the Tang Dynasty, moon viewing and playing with the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival were quite popular, and many poets" famous poems included poems about the moon.
Eating moon cakes
Moon cakes, also known as moon cakes, harvest cakes, palace cakes, reunion cakes, etc., are offerings to the moon god in the ancient Mid-Autumn Festival.Moon cakes were originally used to worship the moon god, and later People gradually take the Mid-Autumn Festival moon viewing and tasting moon cakes as a symbol of family reunion.Moon cakes symbolize great reunion, and people regard them as festive food, offering sacrifices to the moon and gifts to relatives and friends.Up to now, eating moon cakes has become a popular phenomenon in all parts of China.It is a necessary custom to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.On this day, people eat moon cakes to show "reunion".
The story of the Mid-Autumn Festival
Chang"e flies to the moon
The myth of "Chang"e flying to the moon" originated from the worship of the stars by the ancients.The story of Chang"e flying to the moon first appeared in "Returning to Tibet".Later, the folks further developed the story and developed multiple versions of the story.Huainanzi said that it was because she stole the elixir of immortality that her husband Yi asked for from Xiwumu, and flew into the Moon Palace, becoming a toad that pounded the medicine.
The jade rabbit pounded the medicine
Chang"e was surrounded by a jade rabbit.It is said that Chang"e became lighter, and when she started to lift off, she picked up the white rabbit she had been feeding.The white rabbit went to the moon with her.The medicine pestle is used to pound the elixir of immortality in the medicine mortar at night.After this myth spread to Japan, it became a jade rabbit pounding rice cakes.
Xuanzong Yuyue Palace
It is said that Tang Dynasty Xuanzong, Shen Tianshi and Taoist priest Hongdu were watching the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival.Suddenly Xuanzong thought of traveling to the Moon Palace, so the Heavenly Master did the trick, and the three walked up to the blue sky and roamed the Moon Palace together.However, there were strict guards in front of the palace, and they could not enter, so they could only overlook Chang"an from the outside.Imperial City.On this occasion, I suddenly heard the sound of the fairy, Tang Xuanzong was always familiar with the rhythm, so he memorized it in his heart.This is exactly:"This song should only be found in the sky, and it can be heard a few times in the world! "In the future, Xuanzong recalled the music and singing of the Moon Palace Xian"e, composed his own music and choreographed the dance, and created the famous "Non Clothes and Feather Clothes" in history.
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