Life always flies by, and time passes before you know it. The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming before you know it. The activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival are very rich, and it is also a rare festival of the year. It is a family time. During reunions, not only are there all kinds of delicious mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is also the traditional custom of betting on cakes in the south.
The specific time of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The time of the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2022 is: September 10, the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Saturday. The time of the Mid-Autumn Festival is calculated according to the lunar calendar. It is fixed on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The time of the New Calendar changes every year. This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival happens to be on the same day as Teachers’ Day, which is September 10th of the New Calendar. According to folklore experts Introduction, the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the "Reunion Festival", officially became a festival as early as the Tang Dynasty. It is the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival and has a history of more than a thousand years. Mid-Autumn Festival, Qingming Festival and Dragon Boat Festival have become national statutory holidays. Experts said that the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival can be said to be directly related to the ancient Chinese moon sacrifices and moon worship. In the eyes of ancient people, the moon was second only to the sun and has always been an important object of worship.
Ancient records about the Mid-Autumn Festival
There are many ancient poems about the Mid-Autumn Festival, most of which record the moon and homesickness. There are also relevant records about the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient books, " In the book "Zhou Rites", there is a record of "welcoming the cold on the Mid-Autumn Festival night and offering beautiful furs on the Mid-Autumn Festival". During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there is a record saying: "I ordered the minister to suppress the cattle confusion, and on the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, I went to the left and right people in private clothes to flood the river." "It can be seen that people already had some folk activities during the Mid-Autumn Festival at this time. By the early years of the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. "Tang Shu Taizong Ji" records "Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th." The popularity of the Mid-Autumn Festival began From the Song Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was as famous as New Year's Day and became one of the major festivals in our country.
Lighting Lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the year, and at this time the moon is a day. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is at its fullest, it is customary to light lanterns on top of towers. Today, in the Huguang area, there is still a custom of making lantern boats on towers. The custom of lighting lanterns has become even more popular. An article written by Zhou Yunjin and He Xiangfei in "Trying to Talk about Seasonal Events" by Zhou Yunjin and He Xiangfei said: "The lighting of lanterns is the most popular in Guangdong, and every family uses bamboo sticks to tie lanterns ten days before the festival. Make shapes of fruits, birds, animals, fish and insects, and words like "Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival", and paint them on colored paper in various colors. The Mid-Autumn night lanterns have internal burning candles tied to bamboo poles with ropes, and are erected high on the eaves or terraces, or small lamps are built into Chinese characters or various shapes and hung high in the house. They are commonly known as "tree Mid-Autumn Festival" or "vertical Mid-Autumn Festival". Wealthy families would hang lanterns that could be several feet high, and their families would gather under the lanterns to drink and have fun. Ordinary people would erect a flagpole and two lanterns to enjoy themselves. The lights all over the city are like a glass world. "It seems that the custom of lighting lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival has been second only to the Lantern Festival since ancient times.