According to China's calendar, August in the lunar calendar is in the middle of autumn, that is, the second month of autumn, which is called "Mid-Autumn Festival", and August 15th is among them, so it is called "Mid-Autumn Festival".
Because this festival falls on August 15, it is called "August Festival" and "August and a half". Because the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival are all around the moon, it is also commonly known as the "Moon Festival" and "Moon Festival". The full moon in Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes reunion, so it is also called "Reunion Festival". In the Tang Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was also called "correcting the moon".
Myths and legends
1, the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon
The myth of "the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon" originated from the ancient people's worship of the stars, and the story of the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon first appeared in "Returning to Tibet". Later, the story was further developed by the people and evolved into several story versions. Chang 'e boarded the moon palace. According to Huai Nan Zi in the Western Han Dynasty, it was because she ate the elixir that her husband asked Xi Wuniang for, flew into the Moon Palace and became a toad.
2. WU GANG won the crown.
WU GANG boarded the Moon Palace and won the laurel. According to the novel Youyang Za in the Tang Dynasty, it is precisely because of WU GANG's error in cultivating immortals that he was punished by cutting the laurel every month. This osmanthus tree grows with cutting, and it will never stop cutting. Li Bai wrote in the poem "To Cui Hu Si Wen Kun Ji": "If you want to stay in the middle of the month, you will be rewarded if you are cold."