Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional cultural festival popular among many ethnic groups in China. Because it is just half the value of Sanqiu, it is named. It is said that the moon is the biggest, roundest and brightest this night. From ancient times to now, people have the custom of drinking and enjoying the moon on Mid-Autumn Festival night, in order to express the meaning of perfection and auspicious celebration. It originated in ancient times, popularized in the Han Dynasty, shaped in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, prevailed after the Song Dynasty, and was called the four traditional festivals in China together with the Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and Dragon Boat Festival.
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 and drinking osmanthus wine.
According to "Zhou Li", in the mid-August of the Zhou Dynasty, it was the harvest of autumn grain, and people held a series of ceremonies and celebrations to thank the gods for their protection, which was called "Autumn Newspaper". In the Mid-Autumn Festival, the temperature is cool but not cold, the sky is crisp and the moon is bright, which is the best season to watch the moon. Therefore, the composition of the moon festival was gradually replaced by the appreciation of the moon, but this festival continued and was given a new meaning.
In the Northern Song Dynasty, August 15th was officially designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Mid-Autumn Festival was as famous as New Year's Day and became the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival. After thousands of years of inheritance, it has changed several times, and finally it has become the main cultural connotation of today's Mid-Autumn Festival with the spirit of "family reunion".
Traditional customs of Mid-Autumn Festival:
After the formation of Mid-Autumn Festival, colorful traditional customs gradually developed. Among them, the most important ones are enjoying the moon, getting together and eating moon cakes. Appreciating the moon is the most traditional activity in Mid-Autumn Festival. During festivals, people look up at the sky, appreciate the bright moon, and place their thoughts and expectations. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "people have joys and sorrows, and the moon is full of ups and downs". The change of the moon's ups and downs complements the joys and sorrows in the world.
On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, people gather in high-rise buildings to watch the autumn moon and look for the legendary Chang 'e, in order to pin their yearning for a better life. The scene of "high and bright moon" witnessed the cultural complex of the Chinese nation's worship of the moon and the round.
Reunion is the core connotation of Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a full moon reunion, but also an important moment for family reunion. On this day, no matter whether you are a wanderer far away from home or a busy urbanite, you will seize this opportunity to go home for reunion. The whole family sat together, tasted moon cakes, watched the bright moon and enjoyed family happiness. The Mid-Autumn Festival reunion dinner has become a symbolic custom of this festival.