Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of the sky and evolved from the festival of the moon in ancient times. Offering to the moon is a very old custom in our country, and it is a worship activity of the ancients in some places of ancient China to the "moon God". In the Autumn equinox season of the 24 solar terms, it is the ancient "moon Festival". The Mid-Autumn Festival comes from the traditional "Autumn equinox offering moon". As one of the important folk festivals, moon worship has gradually evolved into activities such as appreciating the moon and praising the moon.

The Mid-Autumn Festival was popularized in Han Dynasty. Han Dynasty was a period of economic and cultural exchange and integration between the north and the south of China. The word "Mid-Autumn Festival" is the earliest existing written record in the Han Dynasty literature, written between the Han Dynasty "Zhou rites" (written by the Duke of Zhou, actually written between the Han Dynasty), said that before the Qin Dynasty had "autumn night to welcome cold", "Mid-Autumn Festival to offer good Qiu Qiu", "Autumn equinox evening moon (worship)" activities. According to records, in the Han Dynasty, and in the Mid-Autumn Festival or the beginning of Autumn day to respect the elderly, elderly care, to male rough cake activities. In Jin Dynasty, there are also written records of appreciating the moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival, but it is not very common, and the Mid-Autumn Festival in the northern part of China is not popular.

The Mid-Autumn Festival custom was popular in the north of China in the Tang Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival became an official national holiday around the Tang Dynasty. The Book of Tang · Taizong records "August 15 Mid-Autumn Festival". The custom of enjoying the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival flourished in Chang 'an in the Tang Dynasty, and many poets had poems about chanting the moon in their famous articles. And the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chang 'e to the moon, Wu Gang felling GUI, jade rabbit pound medicine, Yang Guifei into the moon God, Tang Ming Emperor tour moon palace and other mythic stories combined, so that it is full of romantic color, play the moon wind just flourishing. The Tang Dynasty was an important period when the traditional festival customs were mixed and formed, and its main part has been passed down to the present.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was officially set on August 15 of the lunar calendar. Literary works appear in "small cakes such as chewing moon, with crisp and Yi Yi" seasonal food. Such as Meng elder "Tokyo Menghualu" said: "in the autumn night, your home decorated terrace, the folk to occupy the restaurant play month"; And "String heavy boiling, near extended residents, the sound of Sheng taro at night, like clouds outside." Children in the room, even night marriage play; The night market is rhythmical, as well as knowing."

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the worldly interest became stronger and stronger every day. The Ming and Qing dynasties of the moon activities, "its offering fruit cake will be round", each family to set up "moonlight position", in the direction of the moon "to the month and worship." Lu Qihong's "Beijing Yuhua Record" says: "In the autumn night, people each place the moon palace symbol, the symbol is free from such as people stand; Chen melon fruit in court, cake surface painting moon palace toad free; Men and women worship and burn incense, and then burn them." "Emperor scenery" also said: "On the fifteenth day of August, the cake will be round, the melon will be wrong teeth, petals carved like lotus. ... It has a woman to return to the home, is the day will return to the husband, said the Reunion Festival also."

So far, eating moon cakes has been a necessary custom in the north and south of China to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Mooncakes symbolize happy reunion. People regard them as festival food, offering sacrifices to the moon and presenting them to relatives and friends. In addition to mooncakes, a variety of seasonal fresh and dried fruits are also delicacies in the autumn night. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the clouds and fog are less, the moon is bright and bright, and there are a series of festival activities such as enjoying the moon, offering sacrifices to the moon, eating moon cakes, eating sweet potatoes, carrying lanterns, dancing grass dragons, trees and building pagodas.