The first statement:
Every July 14 is the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Ghost Festival or Magnolia Festival, which is a big festival to worship ghosts.
The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from Taoism, and later Buddhism changed to what is now commonly known as Ghost Festival. In India, Magnolia Festival means "hanging upside down". "Hanging upside down" means that after the death of the mother of the ten sons of Sakyamuni, she was hungry and could not eat. Later, I got help from Sakyamuni. Support the ten gods and buddhas with a hundred flavors and five fruits, and save the mother with merits. So now, in order to worship the ghosts, Purdue Festival is held in July of the lunar calendar, which is now called Ghost Festival.
Generally speaking, in ancient times, people were reluctant to do important things such as getting married this month.
The second statement:
As for the origin of the Ghost Festival, it is said that the Bodhisattva Diksitigarbha, also known as [the Lord of Hell], came to the underworld after her mother died, was imprisoned in her cell, and suffered from various eighteen levels of hell. Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is a dutiful son and can't bear to see his mother suffer. On July 15, he had an affair and asked the boy guarding the cell to secretly open the cell door and let his mother out. Who knows it's not important? Those ghosts who run back to their hometown ask for money from home, let them go back to life and get through their joints, hoping to support their lives as soon as possible. Later, people designated this day as Ghost Festival.
On Halloween, people burn paper money and offerings to pay homage to their dead relatives.
Ghost Festival, the legendary day when the door of hell is wide open, is generally considered to be the exact day of Ghost Festival and the day when the door of hell is wide open. At this time, Yin is the heaviest. That night, people will kill chickens and ducks, burn incense and clothes, worship the hungry ghosts coming out of the underworld, and resolve grievances so as not to harm the world. There are candles and cigarettes everywhere in the wild, and all parties have owners, and there are no ghosts and ghosts. Over time, it formed the custom of Ghost Festival. Watermelon is also called Melon Festival, because it is essential to sacrifice. You'd better not go out that night, lest you run into ghosts. In addition, it's best not to go to the river or the seaside, lest you accidentally slip and become body double, a water ghost. In addition, it is best not to say anything unlucky or offend the spirit world, so as not to provoke the ghost.
It is generally believed that July 14 is the day when the gates of hell are wide open, so few people go out at night. This is just a one-sided idea. In fact, the ghost gate was opened and closed before midnight on July 14, that is, before July 15 12. According to ancient records, this time should be the deadline for ghosts to return to the underworld.
The official opening date of the gate of hell should be the second day of the seventh lunar month. On this night, nine caves in all cities around the world will be opened, and all ghosts can go in and out freely and enjoy the offerings prepared by the world for them until the early morning of July 15 12. On the eighth day of the first month of the following year, there are still 14 days to wait until the gate of hell is reopened and travel around the world of three thousand flowers. Those who want to offer sacrifices should offer sacrifices on the second day of the seventh month, or their ancestors will be hungry for a few days. Maybe they will think you are unfilial when they see the offerings given to the seven fairies on the seventh day of July, and they only know how to marry and forget their ancestors.
On the eighth day of the first month of the following year, that is, the day after the festival, the gate of hell will be opened again, allowing ghosts to travel around the world again. Probably these two gates of hell are wide open, that is, the cold in hell and the summer holidays.
In the previous Ghost Festival, we also had to worship, but in different ways. It is "private" to visit the grave at home; Choosing a day to worship alone is a "street"; "Dapudu" is a "city shop" dedicated to Guanyin, the ghost king. The night of Ghost Festival is foggy, and the mysterious and romantic folk lanterns on the river are always related to ghosts. This ceremony is called "Lighting a Ghost". When the river lantern bound for heaven was released from people's hands in the fog, it disappeared before sinking. If you fool takes a river lantern, the ghost that can't be lifted up will be lifted up. Children are in pain during Halloween. It is said that children's eyes are particularly effective and can see things they shouldn't. In order not to scare them, most parents leave their children at home before it is too late. As for adults, most of them tie river lanterns for their ancestors and "lantern-bearers" and cook for them. This is also a harmonious scene, and Ghost Festival should be a happy festival. Worship and burn paper, the terrible thing is not ghosts, but the departure of Yin and Yang is the most terrible thing at that time, because we are separated and will never see each other again!
There are three ghost festivals in China: Tomb-Sweeping Day Festival, Zhongyuan Festival and Han Festival.
Tomb-Sweeping Day is the time to go to the grave, and at the same time, it has the custom of climbing high, adding new soil to the grave and adding graves. In the past, Tomb-Sweeping Day was also called Cold Food Festival, which lasted for one hundred days. Cao Cao changed it to one day, and the Tang Dynasty changed it to three days before Qingming. All fires must be put out. After the cold food was served, a new fire broke out in the palace. Tomb-Sweeping Day, we're going to insert willow branches, wear wicker hats, fly kites and swing.
Legend has it that people who died in Tomb-Sweeping Day on this day cannot be reincarnated and will always be wild ghosts. Because there are many sacrifices to the ghost of the deceased on this day, such as roast pig, chicken, steamed bread, fruit and so on. But ghosts can't tell as usual. If the people who died on this day are eaten as sacrifices such as roast pigs, the new fools will not be able to enter the gate of hell and have to wander among the dead without rest. After 749 days, his resentment condensed and he became a fierce spectre.
Shangyuan Festival is the Lantern Festival on earth, and people decorate lanterns to celebrate it. "Central Plains" comes from Shangyuan. The Central Plains (July 15) was originally a day for people to worship their ancestors, and later it was designated as Christmas in the underground palace, which was in charge of the gates of hell. On this day, the underground palace opened the door to hell, and it was also a day when the dead ancestors could go home and reunite, so it was also Ghost Festival. People think that the Mid-Autumn Festival is a ghost festival, and lights should be lit to celebrate the festival for ghosts. But people and ghosts are different, so the lanterns in the Central Plains are different from those in Shangyuan. People are yang, ghosts are yin; The earth is yang and the water is yin. The mysterious darkness underwater reminds people of the legendary hell and the place where ghosts sink. So Shangyuan lanterns are on land and Zhongyuan lanterns are in water. July 15th is the most important of the three ghost festivals in China. Because July 15 is close to the harvest season, it is also the most important lukewarm time of the year, which is most suitable for ghosts to turn over. There is a Dojo that makes steamed bread for ghosts. On this day, ancestors are worshipped, graves are visited and lanterns are lit to light the way home for the dead. The Taoist temple held a grand ceremony to pray for the auspicious Dojo, the content of which was to cross over the soul of the deceased.
The most important thing is to make a ghost dress, buy paper, wrap it up and burn it in front of the door at night. Qin Tian Jian will release the new imperial calendar on this day.
Because people in China like to talk about ghosts, there are more and more "ghosts" in China, including American ghosts, Russian ghosts, Japanese ghosts and niggers. Men are collectively called "ghosts" and women are collectively called "ghost sisters". In the past, people didn't talk about ghosts at night, but now there are more and more "ghosts", and people talk about ghosts at any time.