Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival in China with a long history. Like other traditional festivals, it developed slowly. The ancient emperors had a ritual system of offering sacrifices to the sun and the moon in spring and the sun and the moon in autumn. According to historical records, the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" was recorded as early as Zhou Li. In the Wei and Jin dynasties, there was a record of "telling Shangshu Town about the cow's confusion, crossing the river in mid-autumn, and traveling incognito around". It was not until the early years of the Tang Dynasty that the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. The Book of Emperor Taizong recorded the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15. The prevalence of Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Song Dynasty, and in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was as famous as New Year's Day and became one of the major festivals in China. Later, nobles and scholars followed suit. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, they watch and worship the bright and round moon in the sky to express their feelings. This custom spread to the people and formed a traditional activity. Until the Tang Dynasty, people paid more attention to this custom of offering sacrifices to the moon, and the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. The Book of Emperor Taizong recorded the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, which was very popular in the Song Dynasty. There are many customs and forms of Mid-Autumn Festival, but all of them are entrusted with people's infinite love for life and yearning for a better life.
August 15th of the lunar calendar is the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. This is the middle of autumn, so it is called Mid-Autumn Festival. In the China lunar calendar, a year is divided into four seasons, and each season is divided into three parts: Meng, Zhong and He, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Mid-Autumn Festival. The moon on August 15 is rounder and brighter than the full moon in other months, so it is also called "moonlit night" and "August Festival". On this night, people look up at the bright moon in the sky as jade, and naturally look forward to family reunion. Wanderers who are far away from home also take this opportunity to pin their thoughts on their hometown and relatives. Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival is also called "Reunion Festival".
Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival in China. According to historical records, the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" first appeared in Zhou Li. In the Wei and Jin dynasties, there was a record of "telling Shangshu Town about the cow's confusion, crossing the river in mid-autumn, and traveling incognito around". It was not until the early years of the Tang Dynasty that the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. The Book of Emperor Taizong recorded the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15. The prevalence of Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Song Dynasty, and in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was as famous as New Year's Day and became one of the major festivals in China. This is also the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival.
According to the China calendar, the eighth month of the lunar calendar is in the middle of autumn, the second month of autumn is called the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the fifteenth day of August is in the middle of the Mid-Autumn Festival, so it is called the Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival has many nicknames: it is called "August Festival" and "August and a half" because it falls on August 15; Because the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival are 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". The record of "Reunion Festival" was first seen in the Ming Dynasty. Travel Notes on the West Lake says: "August 15th is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and people send moon cakes to show their reunion". "A Brief Introduction to the Landscape" also said: "On August 15th, the moon is sacrificed, cakes are round, melons are divided by mistake, and petals are carved with lotus flowers." ..... People who have wives returning to Ning will return to their husbands' homes one day, and this day is called "Reunion Festival". On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, there is a custom of "reunion" in most parts of our country, that is, a small cake symbolizing reunion and shaped like a moon cake, which contains sugar, sesame, osmanthus and vegetables, and the moon, osmanthus trees and rabbits are pressed outside. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the elders at home will divide the cake into several pieces according to the number of people, one for each person, and if someone is not at home, leave one for them to show family reunion.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, there are less clouds and fog, and the moonlight is bright and bright. In addition to a series of activities such as enjoying the moon, offering sacrifices to the moon, eating moon cakes and wishing for reunion, there are activities such as dancing grass dragons and building pagodas in some places. In addition to moon cakes, all kinds of seasonal fresh fruits and dried fruits are also delicious dishes in the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Another explanation about the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival is that the 15th day of the eighth lunar month happens to be the time when rice is ripe, and all families should worship the land god. Mid-Autumn Festival may be the legacy of Qiubao.
This is also the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has a long history, and the legends about it are also very rich. Myths such as the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, Wu Gang's felling of laurel and Jade Rabbit's smashing medicine are widely circulated.
One of the legends of Mid-Autumn Festival-the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon
According to legend, in ancient times, there were ten days in the sky at the same time, crops died in the sun and people lived in poverty. A hero named Hou Yi has infinite power. He sympathized with the suffering people, climbed to the top of Kunlun Mountain, made full use of his divine power, opened a bow, shot down more than nine suns in one breath, and ordered the last sun to rise and set on time to benefit the people.
Hou Yi was respected and loved by the people. He married a beautiful and kind wife named Chang 'e. Besides hunting, Hou Yi spends all his time with his wife, and people envy this beautiful and loving couple.
Many people with lofty ideals came here to study, and Meng Peng with ulterior motives joined in.
One day, Hou Yi went to Kunlun Mountain to visit friends and seek truth. He happened to meet the Queen Mother passing by and asked her for a bag of elixir. It is said that taking this medicine can instantly ascend to heaven and become immortal. However, Hou Yi couldn't bear to leave his wife, so he had to temporarily give the elixir to Chang 'e. Chang 'e hid the medicine in the treasure box of the dresser, but the villain Meng Peng saw it. He wants to steal the elixir to make himself immortal.
Three days later, Hou Yi led his entourage out hunting, and Meng Peng with ulterior motives pretended to be ill and stayed. Shortly after Hou Yi led the crowd to leave, Meng Peng broke into the backyard of the Inner Hall with a sword and threatened Chang 'e to hand over the elixir. Chang 'e knew that she was no match for Meng Peng. She kept calm in the face of crisis, made a decisive decision, turned around and opened the treasure box, took out the elixir of life and swallowed it in one gulp. Chang 'e immediately floated off the ground after swallowing the medicine and rushed out of the window to fly into the sky. Because Chang 'e cared about her husband, she flew to the nearest moon and became a fairy.
In the evening, when Hou Yi came home, the maids cried and told what happened during the day. Hou Yi was surprised and angry, so he drew his sword and killed it. Meng Peng escaped early. Angry and sad, Hou Yi looked up at the night sky and called out the name of his beloved wife. At this time, he was surprised to find that today's moon is particularly bright and bright, and there is a figure swaying like Chang 'e. He desperately chased the moon, but he chased it three times, the moon retreated three times, he retreated three times, and the moon advanced three times, but he couldn't catch up.
Hou Yi had no choice but to miss his wife, so he had to send someone to Chang 'e's favorite back garden, put on a table sweetmeats, put on her favorite honey and fresh fruit, and make a distant sacrifice to Chang 'e who was attached to him in the Moon Palace. After hearing the news that the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon became an immortal, people made an incense table under the moon and prayed for good luck and peace to the kind Chang 'e.
Since then, the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival in Yue Bai has spread among the people.
WU GANG, the second legend of Mid-Autumn Festival, won the laurel.
There is also a legend about the Mid-Autumn Festival: It is said that the osmanthus trees in front of the Guanghan Palace on the moon are flourishing, with a height of more than 500 feet. There is a man who often cuts it down, but after each cut, the cut place will be closed immediately. For thousands of years, this laurel will never be cut down. It is said that this tree cutter named WU GANG was a native of Xihe in Han Dynasty. He once went to heaven with the immortal, but when he made a mistake, the immortal demoted him to the Moon Palace and did this futile chore every day as a punishment. In Li Bai's poem, there is such a record: "If you want to be in the middle of the month, you will pay for the cold."
Legend of Mid-Autumn Festival III —— Zhu Yuanzhang and Moon Cake Uprising
It is said that eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Yuan Dynasty. At that time, the broad masses of the people in the Central Plains could not bear the cruel rule of the ruling class in the Yuan Dynasty and rose up against the Yuan Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang combined with various resistance forces to prepare for the uprising. However, the officers and men of the court searched very carefully and it was difficult to pass on the news. Liu Bowen, a military adviser, came up with a plan and ordered his subordinates to hide a note with the words "Uprising on the evening of August 15th" in the cake, and then sent people to the uprising troops in various places to inform them to respond to the uprising on the evening of August 15th. On the day of the uprising, all the rebels responded together, such as a single spark can start a prairie fire.
Soon, Xu Da captured the Yuan Dynasty and the uprising was successful. When the news came, Zhu Yuanzhang was very happy. He quickly gave a message that all soldiers would be happy with the people in the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, and he would give the "moon cakes" secretly sent when the battle began that year to his ministers as seasonal cakes. Since then, the production of "moon cakes" has become more and more elaborate, with more and more varieties, such as disc shapes, and has become a good gift. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the custom of eating moon cakes spread among the people.
The Fourth Legend of Mid-Autumn Festival-Houyi Shooting the Sun
Legend has it that Hou Yi and Chang 'e are both Yao people. According to the myth, in the Yao period, ten suns appeared in the sky at the same time, which scorched the land, dried up the crops, and made people breathless and fainted on the ground. Due to the hot weather, some strange birds and wild animals also ran out from dry rivers and lakes and burning forests, hurting people everywhere.
The disaster on earth alarmed the gods in heaven, and the Emperor Chang ordered Hou Yi, who was good at archery, to come down to earth to help Yao get rid of the people's suffering. Hou Yi came to the world with a red bow, a bag of white arrows and his beautiful wife Chang 'e.
Hou Yi immediately started shooting at the sun. He took the red bow from his shoulder, took out the white arrows and shot them at the arrogant sun one by one. In an instant, nine out of ten suns were shot down. Just because Yao thought that leaving a sun was useful to the people, he stopped Hou Yi from continuing filming. This is the story of the famous Houyi Shooting Day.
However, Hou Yi's great achievements were envied by other gods, who went to Heaven to slander him, so that Heaven finally alienated Hou Yi and condemned him to the world forever. After being wronged, Hou Yi and his wife Chang 'e had to live in seclusion and make a living by hunting.
How did Chang 'e fly to the moon? There are different versions in ancient books. According to Huai Nan Zi, Hou Yi felt sorry for his wife who was banished to the world because of the disaster, so he went to the Queen Mother of the West to ask for the elixir of life, so that the husband and wife could live in harmony forever. However, Chang 'e is not used to living a poor life. When Hou Yi was not at home, she stole all the elixirs and fled to the moon. Another way of saying it is that Qu Yuan (about 340 letters? 78) According to Tian Wen, Hou Yi later cheated Chang 'e and had an affair with Hebo's wife, which caused Chang 'e's great dissatisfaction, so he left Hou Yi and went to heaven. After the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, she soon regretted it. She remembered her husband's kindness to her at ordinary times and the warmth of the world. Compared with loneliness in the moon, she felt desolate.
Regarding the death of Hou Yi, Mencius, a thinker in the Warring States period (about 372 BC? Mencius (89) and Liu An (BC 179? 22) Huai Nan Zi said that he was assassinated by a disciple named Feng Meng. There are different records about the means of ambush. Some people say that they were killed by mahogany sticks, and some people say that they were killed by backstabbing. In short, the hero of the earth died at the hands of conspirators.
Some legends also say that after the death of Hou Yi, the hero's soul lingered and became a ghost playing with Zhong Kui. This statement has been verified by Gu Jiegang (1893- 1980), a famous historian in China, according to the records of Huainanzi and other ancient books. In fact, this statement reflects the infinite nostalgia of the ancient people of China for the hero who died unfortunately.
Mid-Autumn Festival customs in various places
August 15th of the lunar calendar is the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. This is the middle of autumn, so it is called Mid-Autumn Festival. In the China lunar calendar, a year is divided into four seasons, and each season is divided into three parts: Meng, Zhong and He, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Mid-Autumn Festival. The moon on August 15 is rounder and brighter than the full moon in other months, so it is also called "moonlit night" and "August Festival". On this night, people look up at the bright moon in the sky as jade, and naturally look forward to family reunion. Wanderers who are far away from home also take this opportunity to pin their thoughts on their hometown and relatives. Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival is also called "Reunion Festival".
In ancient times, the people of our country had the custom of "autumn dusk and evening moon". The moon at night is to worship the moon god. In the Zhou Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was held every year to welcome the cold and offer sacrifices to the moon. Set up a big incense table and offer sacrifices such as moon cakes, watermelons, apples, red dates, plums and grapes, among which moon cakes and watermelons are absolutely indispensable. Watermelon must be cut into lotus shapes. Under the moon, put the moon statue in the direction of the moon, red candles burn high and the whole family goes out.
Yue Bai in turn, and then the housewife will cut the reunion moon cakes. Those who chop should calculate in advance how many people there are in the whole family, including those from home and those from other places. They should not be cut more or less, they should be the same size.
According to legend, the ugly women in ancient Qi had no salt. When she was young, she was very devout to Yue Bai. When she grew up, she entered the palace with superior moral character, but she was not favored. Seeing the moon on August 15, the son of heaven saw her in the moonlight and thought she was beautiful and outstanding. Later, he made her queen, and Yue Bai came from the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the middle of the moon, Chang 'e is famous for her beauty, so Yue Bai, a young girl, hopes to be "like Chang 'e, and her face is like the bright moon".
In the Tang dynasty, it was quite popular to enjoy the moon and play with it on the Mid-Autumn Festival. During the Northern Song Dynasty. On the evening of August 15, the people of the whole city, rich and poor, old and young, put on adult costumes, burned incense to express their wishes to Yue Bai and prayed for the blessing of the Moon God. In the Southern Song Dynasty, people gave mooncakes to each other, which meant reunion. There are some activities in some places, such as dancing grass dragons and building pagodas. Since Ming and Qing Dynasties, the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival has become more popular. Many places have formed special customs such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting tower lanterns, putting sky lanterns, walking on the moon and dancing dragons.
Nowadays, the custom of playing under the moon is far from prevailing in the past. However, feasting and enjoying the moon are still very popular. People drink and pray for the moon to celebrate a better life, or wish their distant relatives health and happiness and "live a better life together" with their families.
There are many customs and forms of Mid-Autumn Festival, but they all place people's infinite love for life.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people's main activities are enjoying the moon and eating moon cakes.
Enjoy the bright full moon.
Whenever the Mid-Autumn Festival comes, China has the custom of enjoying the moon since ancient times, and it has become an enduring topic for people to talk about.
Tracing back to the origin of enjoying the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to "Preface to Poems on the Moon in Chang 'an Opera", "When autumn is here, summer is in winter; August is in autumn, and the season begins and ends in Meng. On the fifteenth night of the month. If you take it from the sky, it will be hot and cold; If you take it from the months, it will be round. " In other words, August 15 is the middle of August in autumn, hence the name "Mid-Autumn Festival". Why do people like to enjoy the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival? There is a poem saying, "There is a bright moon at four o'clock, so why celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival? Yaotai Baojian should be the highest person in charge of Yuyu; Release Bai Haoqian feet, scattered into the too empty color. Everything comes into my eyes, the stars avoid brilliance, and the wind dew helps quiet. "
From the seasonal point of view, it is the "Autumn Harvest Festival", and the grain sown in summer and spring should be harvested in autumn. Since ancient times, people have been drinking and dancing in this season to celebrate the joy of harvest, which is described in The Book of Songs, the earliest collection of poems in China. From the origin, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a "Moon Festival", which originated from the worship of nature by ancient humans. In the ritual system of ancient emperors, there were two festivals in the Spring and Autumn Period: the Spring Festival for the sun and the Mid-Autumn Festival for the moon. At first, the day of offering sacrifices to the moon was in the "autumnal equinox", and August was different every year, so there was not necessarily a moon in the autumnal equinox. It is a great luck to sacrifice the moon without the moon, and people gradually fixed the day of sacrificing the moon on August 15. From the scientific observation, the inclination of the earth and the sun increases in autumn, and the warm and humid air flow over China gradually fades, while the northwest wind is still very weak. In this way, when the moisture has gone and the dust has not started, the air is particularly fresh, the sky is particularly clean, and the moon looks round and big. This is the best time to enjoy the moon. As the ancient poem said: "Brilliant, both ancient and modern, but enjoying the Mid-Autumn Moon, I wonder if it is moonlight?" The sky is clear. "
In the Book of Rites, there is a record of "autumn dusk and evening moon", that is, worshipping the moon god. In the Zhou Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was held every year to welcome the cold and offer sacrifices to the moon. Set up a big incense table with seasonal fruits such as moon cakes, watermelons, apples, plums and grapes, among which moon cakes and watermelons are absolutely indispensable. Watermelon must be cut into lotus shapes.
Folk Mid-Autumn Festival activities began in Wei and Jin Dynasties and flourished in Tang and Song Dynasties. In the Tang Dynasty, Mid-Autumn Festival was quite popular. According to Song and Zhu Yi's Old News, "When did the Mid-Autumn Festival enjoy the moon?" Archaeologists began to write poems in Du Zimei. "Browsing the Tang poetry, there are indeed many Mid-Autumn Festival poems, such as Wang Jianyou's poem:" The moon is like a circle, the color is gradually condensed, and the jade basin is filled with water. Let the family sleep until dawn at night. Xu Ning's poem says: "The moon is full in August, and Chang 'e corrects fresh cassia twig;" "A year is not as good as today's night, and I can't sleep before the Twelve Peaks."
In the Song Dynasty, the folk Mid-Autumn Festival became more prosperous. According to "Tokyo Dream", there is such a description of the grand occasion of enjoying the moon in Kyoto in the Northern Song Dynasty. "On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, your home is decorated with pavilions, people compete for restaurants, and they sing songs on the moon, which is heard thousands of miles away. I sit together until dawn." "New Notes on Drunken Weng" records: "Children of Qingcheng people, regardless of wealth, can go to twelve or thirteen houses by themselves, all dressed as adults." They go upstairs or in Yue Bai in the atrium. Everyone has their own period: men are willing to go to themoon early to climb the crown of the fairy; Women want to look like Chang 'e and round like the bright moon. "On this day, all the shops and restaurants in Beijing have to redecorate their facades, tie silk ornaments on archways and sell fresh fruits and refined foods. The night market is very lively. Many people visit The Upper Terrace, and some wealthy families enjoy the moon in their gazebo, and arrange food or family banquets for children to get together and talk about it together.
After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the custom of enjoying the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival remains the same. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, when the full moon rises, people will put moon cakes, pomelos, pomegranates, taro, walnuts, peanuts, paws and other fruits on the courtyard and balcony, talk while enjoying the moon until the moon is in the sky, and then share the fruits for the moon. This is happy. Many places have formed special customs such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting tower lanterns, putting sky lanterns, walking on the moon and dancing dragons. In China minority areas, Mid-Autumn Festival also has colorful activities, such as "Yue Bai", "Naughty Moon", "Walking Moon", "Jumping Moon" and "Stealing Moon".
The blue sky is like a wash, and the full moon is like a plate. When people enjoy the moon, they can't help but miss their relatives who travel abroad and live in a foreign land. Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival is also called "Reunion Festival". Many ancient poems express people's thoughts at this time. Yin Wengui, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, wrote "The Night of August 15": "Wan Li has nine continents without clouds, and the most reunion night is the Mid-Autumn Festival." Wang Jian's poem "Looking at the bright moon and sending it to Du Lang on fifteen nights" says: "I wonder who will be in Qiu Si tonight." China people have always regarded family reunion, family reunion, and sharing family happiness as extremely precious things, which have always been called "a good month and a reunion of people".
Ten places to enjoy the moon
1. Enjoy the moon in Lushan Mountain
Lushan Mountain stands on the south bank of the Yangtze River and the shore of Poyang Lake. On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, enjoying the moon in Kuanglu may be an unforgettable experience in life. Lushan Mountain is called "cool world" and "summer resort", and autumn is a good place to enjoy red leaves. The air on the mountain is fresh, and forests, flowers and birds, hot springs, waterfalls, cliffs and villas are all available, forming a perfect leisure resort. The mouth of Lushan Mountain is the best place to watch the sunrise, but it is also a good place to enjoy the moon. Sit down at Wang Po Pavilion. Poyang Lake is full of blue waves, fishing fires and breezes. Gradually, a bright moon rises slowly from the other side of the lake, and the Mid-Autumn moonlight looks clearer and clearer on the mountain, as if it is within reach, making people want to go with the wind. Or walk in Guling town and look up at the bright moon as a mirror. The moonlight is scattered on the ground and looks like a layer of silver luster.
2. Huangshan invites the moon
The beauty of Huangshan Mountain is a colorful and pure beauty. In the south of China, it is still the Mid-Autumn Festival in early autumn, but Huangshan Mountain has been completely dyed red. The red leaves all over the mountains set off the famous Huangshan welcoming pine more and more lush. At night, Yingying Yue Ming gently climbed the treetops and mountains, and the mountain fog covered it like a veil, making it more hazy and bright. The moon in Huangshan is so pure, and the night in Huangshan is so quiet. At this time, no matter you are walking on the mountain road or enjoying the moon in the mountains, you will involuntarily indulge in this world wrapped in silver.
3. Three Gorges Sunny Moon
The world-famous Three Gorges of the Yangtze River is magnificent. This canyon is full of mountains and rocks. At night, there is a bright moon on the river, listening to the waves of Jiang Tao and watching the night view of the distant mountains. The scenery of the Three Gorges in the night is unique. Influenced by the slogan "Farewell to the Three Gorges Tour" before the closure of the Yangtze River, many tourists mistakenly thought that the water level of the Yangtze River would rise after the closure, the scenic spots would be submerged and the Three Gorges could not swim. In fact, after the closure of the Three Gorges, the scenic spot is not only as beautiful as before, but also adds the magnificent landscape of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy control project in the world. On the moonlit night, it is a very pleasant thing to have tea and chat with three or five friends on the large observation deck of luxury cruise ships.
4. Moon-watching Tour in West Lake
The beauty of Hangzhou West Lake is world-famous. On the moonlit night of Mid-Autumn Festival, you can enjoy the poetic mood of "smoke cage, autumn water and moon cage yarn" by boating on the lake. Santan Yin Yue is one of the three islands in the West Lake, and it has been a scenic spot for enjoying the moon since ancient times. Three stone pagodas stand gracefully on the sparkling lake. Every moonlit night, especially the Mid-Autumn Festival, candles are lit in the tower, the hole is covered with tissue paper, and the light comes out from it, just like the small moon reflected in the lake. When the bright moon is in the sky, moonlight, lights and lakes complement each other, and the moon shadow, tower shadow and cloud shadow converge into a "golden lake that wants to dissolve in autumn".
5. Stone lake hits the moon
Shihu Lake is nine kilometers southwest of Suzhou City. There is a nine-ring cave bridge in the east of Shihu Lake, also called Xingchun Bridge, which is the best place to enjoy the moon in Shihu Lake. At midnight on August 17th of the lunar calendar, when the moon is westward, clear light passes through nine round holes and directly shines on the water in the north. At this time, the microwave is sparkling, and you can see the shadow of a string of moons rippling in the heart of the waves on the surface of Shihu Lake, which is the spectacle of "a string of moons on Shihu Lake". In these two or three days, the lights and boats in Shihu shuttled back and forth, and the songs of silk and bamboo continued all night. Under the mountain, the moon is in the sky, Wan Li is clear, the lake and Shan Lan are clear.
6. Xiangshan, jathyapple
In Xiangshan, Guilin, Guangxi. There is a hidden Moon Cave between the trunk and the trunk, and the river passes through it. On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, take a boat to the upper reaches of the river and drive into Shuiyue Cave. You will see "there is a bright moon underwater, and the bright moon floats on the water; Water does not go to the moon, and the moon does not go backwards.
7. The sound of oars and lights obscured the moon in the water town.
In Zhejiang, not only the autumn moon in the West Lake and the moon in Santan are moving, but also the moon in Shaoxing water town has a unique charm. Shaoxing, an ancient city, is criss-crossed with rivers, meandering water, stone bridges and numerous wine shops. Its water is intoxicating, its scenery is intoxicating, its calligraphy is intoxicating, its yellow wine is intoxicating, and its moonlight is even intoxicating. Moonlit Night in a Water Town is as smart and elegant as an ink painting. The ferryman sat on Shaoxing's unique Wu Peng boat, paddling his feet at the stern, as if riding a bicycle and tasting rice wine and fennel beans. The faint moonlight flows along the paddle sound of Inai, and the light and shadow reflected in the water in the small building with white walls and blue tiles on the river is like a dream, which makes people curious about the moon and carefully read the plot of the water. In Shaoxing, you can visit Lu Xun's former residence, Baicao Garden, San Tan Yin Yue and Lanting, and visit Jishan, Jianshui and Xianfeng Hotel, which are picturesque and contain culture, each with its own flavor. Ningbo, not far from Shaoxing, has a tradition of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 16. Looking at the moon on Tianyi Pavilion, the moon looks like it every year. I wonder who this is for. Fenghua Xikou is surrounded by mountains and waters, beautiful and quiet. Take a boat from Ningbo to Putuo Mountain, a Buddhist country in Haitian, and you can see the spectacular sight of the bright moon on the sea. Looking at the moon in the sound of the tide has an extraordinary taste.
8. Emei Mountain holds autumn for half a month.
Emei Mountain, known as "the first mountain in Emei", is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China. It is named after its peak. The whole mountain is more than 200 kilometers long and the main peak of Wanfo Peak is 3099 meters above sea level. It is magnificent and beautiful, with many temples on the mountain, dense shade and misty clouds. Twenty-four ancient temples have their own characteristics. Looking at the moon in the middle of the mountain, the peak is like Emei, and the moon is like a golden plate, which is quiet and strange. Looking at the pool and the autumn moon, the waves are full of shadows, the water is used to wash jade, and the waves are used to find pearls. The white water autumn wind, the sacred midnight bell, the fragrance of Shuangqiao and the beautiful scenery of Lingyan are one after another, which makes people think. In particular, Jinding's "Four Wonders of Emei"-sunrise, sea of clouds, Buddha's light, holy lamps and Emei monkeys along the way are more interesting. When you come down from Emei Mountain, you can visit Leshan Giant Buddha, Pingqiang Three Gorges, 23 kilometers north of Leshan, and the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River to feel the splendor of the Three Gorges. Under the bright moon, "leaves fall like the waves of a waterfall, and I watch the long river always roll forward."
Dongting Lake will be clear in two months.
Dongting grass is near Mid-Autumn Festival, and there is no wind at all. Endless reeds are swaying on the golden lake. The smoke from the eight hundred-mile Dongting is swaying in the blue sky, and the leafy boat is setting in the west. 1700 years of wind and rain did not make Yueyang Tower old. It climbed the stairs every day. Obviously, in the autumn when Chutian was thousands of miles away, the water died with the sky. At night, when you go upstairs, you can see the moon shining and the Ming River in the shadow, both inside and outside are very clear. The Eight Meanings of Xiaoxiang can be seen in Autumn Moon in Dongting, Return to Sail from Far Pu and Sunset in Fishing Village. Junshan, a small island in the lake, has many historical sites, such as ChristianRandPhillips Temple, Liuyijing and Chuanshu Pavilion, and bamboos such as Bambusa and Lilian Bamboo are dancing. If you have enough time, you can go to Changsha, a 3-hour drive, visit Yuelu Mountain and Yuelu Academy, and see the kumquat in Orange Island is ripe. The moonlight on the ancient wall of Tianxin Pavilion has an quaint and desolate taste.
10. The boundless moon is silent.
The beautiful prairie south of Lanzhou, Gansu runs through seven provinces and cities including Xiahe, Luqu, Maqu and Hezuo. Although autumn here is not as beautiful as summer, Gesang flowers, incense sticks, chrysanthemums and dandelions are dotted with colors, creating the artistic conception of flowers everywhere in Gannan. Grassland is closely related to mountains, rivers and lakes. During the embellishment of the ancient temples of Tibetan Buddhism, it added some mystery and temptation. Xiahe is the first stop of Gannan trip. Known as "Little Tibet", it has the largest collection of Tibetan Buddhism in the world-Labrang Temple in gelug sect monasteries. Sangyuan grassland and Gesanghua grassland are one after another. The grassland in Maqu is also beautiful, and the Yellow River in Maqu is also spectacular. The Yellow River flows through here and suddenly bends, forming the first beautiful landscape of "the Yellow River with nine bends and eighteen bays in the world". On the autumn night, half a moon climbs down, and the moonlight shines on the continuous peaks on the bank of the Yellow River. The breeze blows gently, and the grassland becomes quieter and quieter, even the sheepdog can't hear it, as if everything had fallen asleep. Under the bright moon, the Yellow River is clean and quiet, with shyness; The grassland under the moon is more empty and quiet. The complex of the sky and the wilderness is condensed in the grassland moonlight on the horizon. There are many temples in Luqu langmusi. The temple is hidden in a lush valley, and the temple is magnificent. Buddhist temples, monasteries and houses are all made of wooden roofs and stone walls, with different customs. The scenery of blue sky and white mountains, green grass and green water is like that of Switzerland.
Eat moon cakes
Both urban and rural residents in China have the custom of eating moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. As the saying goes, "Mid-Autumn moon cakes are sweet and fragrant on August 15th". Moon cakes were originally used to worship the moon god. The word "moon cake" first appeared in Liang Lumeng written by Wu, a poet in the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, it was just a cake-like food like Ling Hua cake. Later, people gradually combined Mid-Autumn Festival with tasting moon cakes symbolizing family reunion.
Mooncakes were originally made at home, and the practice of mooncakes was recorded in Yuan Mei's "Suiyuan Food List" in Qing Dynasty. In modern times, with workshops specializing in making moon cakes, the production of moon cakes has become more and more elaborate, with exquisite fillings and beautiful appearance. There are also various exquisite designs printed on the outside of the moon cakes, such as "the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon", "jathyapple of the Galaxy" and "Three Tans Printing the Moon". It has become the wish of people all over the world to show people's reunion with a full moon, to show people's eternal life with a round moon cake, to pin their thoughts on their hometown and relatives and to pray for a bumper harvest and happiness. Mooncakes are also used as gifts for relatives and friends and for connecting feelings.
Other Mid-Autumn Festival customs
China has a vast territory, a large population and different customs. The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in a variety of ways, with strong local characteristics.
In Pucheng, Fujian, in order to live longer, women must pass through nanpu bridge during the Mid-Autumn Festival. In Jianning, hanging lanterns on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival is a good sign to ask for children from the Moon Palace. People in Shanghang County celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, and most of their children are invited to visit their parents when they are in Yue Bai. When Longyan people eat moon cakes, parents will dig out round cakes with a diameter of two or three inches in the center for their elders to eat, which means that this secret can't be told to the younger generation. This custom stems from the legend that moon cakes contain anti-meta-killing information. Before the Mid-Autumn Festival in Kinmen, Yue Bai should worship God.
There is a custom of Mid-Autumn Festival Yue Bai in Chaoshan, Guangdong, which is mainly aimed at women and children. There is a saying that "men are under the moon, and women don't sacrifice stoves." At night, when the bright moon rises, women set up a case to pray in the yard and balcony. Silver candles burned high, cigarettes lingered, and the table was filled with good fruits and cakes as sacrifices. There is also the custom of eating taro in the Mid-Autumn Festival. There is a saying in Chaoshan: "When the river talks to the mouth, taro will be eaten." August is the harvest season of taro, and farmers are used to using taro to worship their ancestors. Of course, this has something to do with farming, but there is also a popular folk legend: 1279, Mongolian nobles destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty, established the Yuan Dynasty, and brutally ruled the Han people. Mafa resisted the Yuan Dynasty. After the city was broken, the people were slaughtered. In order not to forget the suffering of Hu people's rule, later generations used taro as a homonym with "Hu tou", which looked like a human head, in order to pay homage to their ancestors and pass it down from generation to generation.
Burning towers on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival is also very popular in some places. Towers vary in height from 1-3 meters, and are mostly made of broken tiles. Large towers are also made of bricks, accounting for about 1/4 of the tower height, and then stacked with tiles, with a tower mouth at the top for transporting fuel. On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, it will be lit and burned. The fuel is wood, bamboo, chaff, etc. When the fire is booming, rosin powder will be poured to cheer, which is very spectacular. There are also regulations for burning stupas among the people. Whoever burns the pagoda to a full house will win, while those who fail or collapse in the burning process will fail. The winner will be awarded colorful flags, bonuses or prizes by the host. It is said that burning towers is also the origin of the Han people's resistance to cruel rulers and the Mid-Autumn Uprising at the end of Yuan Dynasty.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the folk customs in Jiangnan are also varied. Nanjing people love to eat moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival, so they must eat osmanthus duck, a famous Jinling dish. "Sweet-scented osmanthus duck" should be listed when cinnamon is fragrant. It is fat but not greasy and delicious. After drinking, you must eat a small piece of sugar taro and pour it with cinnamon pulp. The beauty is self-evident. "Guijiang" was named after Qu Yuan's "Chu Ci Shao Si Ming" and "Fubei closed the door and drank Guijiang". Cinnamon pulp is a kind of sweet-scented osmanthus, which is picked around the Mid-Autumn Festival and pickled with sugar and sour plum. Jiangnan women are good at turning poems and songs into delicacies on the table. Nanjing people enjoy the moon with their families, which is called "celebrating reunion", sitting and drinking together is called "full moon", and traveling in the market is called "walking on the moon".
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, there was a moon-viewing building and a moon-playing bridge in Nanjing. In the Qing Dynasty, a moon-watching building was built at the foot of Shishan Mountain, all of which were for people to enjoy the moon, and most people played the Moon-watching Bridge. When the bright moon is high, people climb the Moon Tower, play the Moon Bridge and enjoy the Jade Rabbit together. "Dayue Bridge" is located on the Qinhuai River, next to the Confucius Temple, and is the residence of the famous prostitute Ma Xianglan. On this night, scholars gathered on the bridge to play flute and sing, reminiscing about Niuzhu playing with the moon and writing poems to the moon, so it was called playing on the moon bridge. After the demise of the Ming Dynasty, it gradually declined, and later generations have a poem saying: "The romantic Southern Song Dynasty is over, leaving the west wind as a long slab bridge, but I remember sitting on the Yuren Bridge and teaching to play the flute in the moonlight." Long Banqiao, the original Moon Bridge. In recent years, the Confucius Temple in Nanjing has been renovated, some pavilions and pavilions in the Ming and Qing Dynasties have been restored, and rivers have been dredged. Until the Mid-Autumn Festival, you can enjoy playing with the moon together.
In Wuxi County, Jiangsu Province, it is necessary to burn incense in the evening of Mid-Autumn Festival. Yarn is stuck around the incense barrel.