Part 1 of a different sense of ritual during the Mid-Autumn Festival
The golden breeze blows coolly, and the sweet osmanthus fragrants. The beautiful Mid-Autumn Festival is full of people and full moon. Among the four major traditional festivals in China, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a festival that perfectly blends labor practice and poetic dwelling, and a taste of nature and Dunhua human relations. It is a festival that is overflowing with gentleness and is the least like a farming festival. Regardless of the aroma in the mooncakes or the hustle and bustle of the highway, human relations and family ties are the real "C" of this festival. The small blessings of a wonderful life and the great reunion of a prosperous family and country bring light to people's eyes and warmth to their hearts.
In recent years, with the successful application of China’s “Twenty-Four Solar Terms” as a World Heritage Site and other opportunities, traditional festival culture has also ushered in a booming “Resurrection Season.” Cultivating cultural self-confidence and building a culturally powerful country are all efforts made in the mill. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches in 2018, many traditional cultural activities are also held in various places: for example, Guangxi held the finals of the xx "I Invite the Bright Moon to Praise China" Patriotic Poetry Recitation Competition. On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the traditional Chinese festival, for the people Presenting a feast of poetry; for example, Shandong scenic spots organized activities such as worshiping the moon, appreciating autumn, and enjoying half-price during the Mid-Autumn Festival... From communities to schools, from rural areas to streets, there is a strong cultural flavor and hot Chinese style. In the online and offline universal enjoyment, a "our festival" with a full sense of ritual is created.
Part 2 of the Different Ritual Sense of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The theory of the Mid-Autumn Festival first appeared in "The Rites of Zhou". "Book of Rites. Yue Ling" says: "The moon of Mid-Autumn nourishes the elderly and eats rice porridge." Some people also say that the interpretation of the word "Autumn" is: "When the crops are mature, it is autumn." Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival may be the "Autumn Festival" of the ancients. "Report" is an inherited custom. In short, for thousands of years, traditional sacrificial culture and long farming traditions have allowed this ancient festival to continue the "harmony" of Chinese civilization through customs such as worshiping the moon mother, setting off sky lanterns, indulgent antiphonal singing, and eating moon cakes. The meaning of "harmony". The Mid-Autumn Festival is a particularly important festival for the Chinese people. There are probably two reasons for this: First, the feelings of family and country. Only when there is a country can there be a family, and only when there is a family can there be a country - this is a dialectical and unified relationship. A strong family tradition and a harmonious family are the solid foundation of the country and nation. Second, spring blossoms and autumn fruits bloom. In the new era of struggle and the surging new Long March, there will always be hard work in the spring before the fruits of autumn. The so-called "yearning for a better life" is the simple desire for everything to be perfect, and this comes from the belief that it is difficult to achieve success and to strive for happiness. Perhaps because of this, since 2018, the autumnal equinox of the lunar calendar has been established as the "Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival". This is also the first festival dedicated to farmers at the national level.
"Good times, I hope you can see the Mid-Autumn Moon every year." This is a Chinese festival, and this is the most perfect time. Influenced by Chinese culture, the Mid-Autumn Festival is even a traditional festival in some countries in East and Southeast Asia, especially the local Chinese and overseas Chinese. From north to south, the full moon heralds the reunion of people, homesickness for relatives, worship and prayers, from rituals to content, from folk customs to cultural heritage - the Mid-Autumn Festival is full of Chinese stories and praises the voice of China.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole family gathers together. Why not, let us have a Mid-Autumn Festival with a traditional sense of ceremony. Follow it all the way, pass it on all the way, feel the endless feelings, thoughts, and culture in the rituals, and experience the customs, activities, and processes that last through the ages. However, we must also remember: According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics in 2017, China has a migrant population of 244 million. They work hard outside, they leave their hometown, reunite, or it is still a luxury product. Therefore, it is necessary to let our children know that the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only about mooncakes, but also for the public cultural services to have more innovations during the festival. The "root" and "soul" of excellent traditional culture cannot always stay online and nostalgic in the virtual space.
Part 3 of the Different Ritual Sense of the Mid-Autumn Festival
Folk Custom Zhoucun
Folk custom is the most relevant culture among the people’s inherited culture that is most relevant to the body, mind and life—— There are folk customs of productive labor when working, folk customs of daily life in daily life, folk customs of traditional festivals in traditional festivals, and folk customs of social organizations... Zhoucun Ancient Mall integrates the accumulation of hundreds of years of commercial culture, so to experience folk customs, It’s none other than this.
The Mid-Autumn Festival began in the early Tang Dynasty and became popular in the Song Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it had become one of the traditional Chinese festivals as famous as the Spring Festival. Influenced by Chinese culture, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival in some countries in East and Southeast Asia, especially the local Chinese and overseas Chinese. Since 2008, the Mid-Autumn Festival has been listed as a national statutory holiday. On May 20, 2006, the State Council included it in the first batch of intangible cultural heritage lists.
Part 4 of the different rituals of the Mid-Autumn Festival
Military Mid-Autumn Festival knowledge - worshiping the moon
You must know that the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times is not the same as the Mid-Autumn Festival today. concept. In the Tang Dynasty, which had the most holidays, August 15th was not a legal holiday. Despite this, this day was also a carnival day for the "little sisters" of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, "women worshiping the moon" was as ritualistic as taking a selfie. Later, the custom of "moon worship" by women in the Tang Dynasty gradually became the most unique Mid-Autumn Festival custom for Chinese women, hoping to "look like Chang'e and face like the bright moon."
Mid-Autumn Festival Cold Knowledge - Mid-Autumn Festival Freestyle of the Ancients
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, when culture was flourishing, admiring the moon and writing poems became the Mid-Autumn Festival reservations of the ancients.
The literati climbed the buildings to gaze at the moon or went boating to gaze upon it, drank wine and wrote poems, leaving behind countless popular poems and songs. Su Shi, a literary giant from the Song Dynasty, wrote a timeless line that has been passed down to this day: "People have joys and sorrows, and the moon waxes and wanes."
There are those under the moon who are high-spirited, and there are those under the moon whose "baby's heart is bitter". "Moon on the 15th of August" and "Remembering My Brother on a Moonlit Night"...
"Poetry Saint" Du Fu can be said to be the first person to be homesick on a moonlit night. He was either stranded in another place due to the war, or was arranged by the court to work in a different place. It is impossible to break the curse of "it is difficult for a person to be full when the moon is full".
Part 5 of the Different Rituals of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The custom of worshiping the moon flourished in ancient times, originating from the ancestors’ natural worship and deification of the moon. After the Zhou Dynasty, random kneeling to the sun and moon evolved into a fixed time and place and programmed sacrificial system, and became a symbol of imperial power. "Guoyu Zhouyu 1" records: In ancient times, the kings not only owned the world, but also worshiped God and the gods and served them. Therefore, there were sun and moon to teach the people and rule. After the Southern and Northern Dynasties, ancient Chinese culture entered a new period of development. Especially after the Sui and Tang Dynasties, national strength and economic prosperity laid a solid economic foundation for festival entertainment. The Mid-Autumn Festival, which was formed in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, developed the moon worshiping activities monopolized by the royal family into a romantic festival for thousands of households to enjoy the moon. Customs such as parties, banquets, moon worshiping, and poetry writing followed.
The ritual process of worshiping the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival
1. Take a bath, change clothes, take a bath, and put on Hanfu.
2. Display
After moonrise, set up the sacrificial table in the direction of the moon, place the sacrifices, light the red candles, and lay out the mats.
3. Taking place
The participants are sitting on the altar. The deacons and eulogists are in place.
4. Sacrifice to the moon
Sing in praise: Sacrifice to the moon. The officiant takes his place, goes to the memorial table, and kneels on the table.
5. Offer incense and offer wine
Sing in praise: Three incense offerings. The deacon handed over three sticks of incense, the officiant lit the candles, bowed to the moon god, and then placed the incense in the incense burner. Three times. Praise singing: three offerings of wine. The deacon filled the wine cup and handed it to the officiant. The officiant sprinkled the wine on the ground in front of the banquet, and then placed the wine cup on the altar table. Three times.
6. Reading blessings
The deacon handed over blessings praising the moon, and the officiant used moonlight and candlelight to recite to the moon.
7. Burn the blessing inscriptions and moonlight paper
The officiant puts the blessing inscriptions and moonlight paper into a small basin in front of the banquet and burns them.
8. Worship the moon
Sing in praise: Worship the moon. Worship-hing-wow-hing-flat body. The chief priest and the participants worship the Moon God together (i.e. worship twice)
9. Follow the Offering
The hymn is sung: Follow the Offering. The chief priest leaves the ceremony, and the attendees go to the ceremony in order of age, kneel down, offer incense (take three sticks or one stick), pray silently for their wishes, and then bow to the Moon God once. Until all female participants have finished praying.
10. The ceremony is completed
Praise and sing: The ceremony is completed. At this point, the Mid-Autumn Festival moon worship ceremony is completed.
11. Divide the mooncakes and watermelon evenly
The officiant will hold a cutter and divide the mooncakes evenly into pieces for each person. One segment of watermelon per person, you can help yourself to the fruit.
12. Drinking and banquet
Remove the sacrificial table and set up a Mid-Autumn family banquet under the moon, where everyone can enjoy the moon and have a banquet together.