The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in China. The calendar says that the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month is in the middle of August in autumn, so it is called "Mid-Autumn Festival". Gregorian calendar September 29th, Friday, August 15th. In 2023, the Mid-Autumn National Day will be closed continuously. The specific holiday time is: September 29th to1October 6th, and it will be suspended for 8 days. 1Saturday, October 7th,1Sunday, October 8th.
Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival, Moonlight Birthday, Moon Festival, Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Festival, Moon Festival and Reunion Festival, is a traditional folk festival in China. The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and evolved from the worship of the moon in autumn and evening in ancient times. Since ancient times, Mid-Autumn Festival has had folk customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, enjoying the moon, eating moon cakes, watching lanterns, enjoying osmanthus flowers, drinking osmanthus wine, etc., which have spread to this day and lasted for a long time.
The custom of Mid-Autumn festival
1, offering sacrifices to the moon: It is a very old custom in China, and it is actually a worship activity of the ancients to the "Moon God". In ancient times, there was a custom of "autumn dusk and evening moon". Evening moon, that is, worship the moon god. Since ancient times, in some parts of Guangdong, people have the custom of worshipping the Moon God (Moon Mother and Moonlight) on the Mid-Autumn Festival night.
2, burning lights: Mid-Autumn Festival night, there is a custom of burning lights to help the moonlight. Nowadays, there is still a custom of burning lamps on the tower with tiles stacked on it in Huguang area. There is a custom of making lantern boats in the south of the Yangtze River. The custom of burning lanterns in modern Mid-Autumn Festival is more prosperous.
3. Appreciating the moon: The custom of appreciating the moon comes from offering sacrifices to the moon, and serious sacrifices have become relaxed pleasures. It is said that the moon is closest to the earth this night, and the moon is the largest, roundest and brightest, so there is a custom of drinking and enjoying the moon since ancient times.
4. Eat moon cakes: moon cakes, also called moon group, harvest cake, palace cake, reunion cake, etc., are offerings to worship the moon god in ancient Mid-Autumn Festival. Moon cakes were originally used as offerings to worship the moon god. Later, people gradually took the Mid-Autumn Festival to enjoy the moon and taste moon cakes as a symbol of family reunion. Moon cakes symbolize a happy reunion. People regard them as holiday food, and use them to worship the moon and give them to relatives and friends.