The history of the Mid-Autumn Festival

The word "Mid-Autumn Festival" was first seen in "Book of Rites of Zhou". "Book of Rites·Yue Ling" says: "The moon of Mid-Autumn nourishes the elderly and promotes aging." "Porridge and food." - This probably means that in the autumn of each year (i.e. "Mid-Autumn"), (the local county and provincial government investigates the household registration and registers the elderly), the imperial court gives these elderly people porridge to drink. "Zhongqiu" means "Mid-Autumn Festival".

The "Mid-Autumn Festival" originated from the sacrificial activities of ancient emperors. The "Book of Rites" records: "The emperor worships the sun in spring and the moon in autumn" - meaning that the emperor worships the sun in spring and the moon in autumn; in the early morning Worship the sun and worship the moon at dusk.

The origin of the "Mid-Autumn Festival" is related to agricultural production. Autumn is the day when crops mature. The Mid-Autumn Festival in August is the season when crops and various fruits are gradually maturing. In order to celebrate the harvest and express their joy, farmers use the "Mid-Autumn Festival" as a festival.

Extended information:

Mid-Autumn Food Customs

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, people eat moon cakes to show "reunion". Moon cakes, also called Hu cakes, palace cakes, moon cakes, harvest cakes, reunion cakes, etc., were offerings to worship the moon god during the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times. Mooncakes

According to legend, in ancient my country, emperors had the ritual of worshiping the sun in spring and the moon in autumn. Among the people, during the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, there is also the custom of worshiping or offering sacrifices to the moon. "The moon is full in August and the fifteenth, and the Mid-Autumn moon cakes are fragrant and sweet." This famous proverb describes the custom of urban and rural people eating moon cakes on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Mooncakes were originally used as sacrifices to worship the moon god. Later, people gradually regarded the Mid-Autumn Festival to admire the moon and taste mooncakes as a symbol of family reunion. Gradually, mooncakes became a symbol of the festival. A must-have gift.

Moon cakes originally originated as a food for the Tang Dynasty army to celebrate victory. During the reign of Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, General Li Jing conquered the Turks by relying on mooncakes to convey hidden messages. He returned triumphantly on August 15th. Since then, eating mooncakes has become an annual custom

At that time, some Turpan people doing business offered gifts to the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Cake to celebrate victory. The great ancestor Li Yuan took the gorgeous cake box, took out the round cake, pointed at the bright moon in the sky with a smile and said: "You should invite the toad with the Hu cake." After speaking, he distributed the cake to the ministers to eat together.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Mid-Autumn Festival Folk Customs

Baidu Encyclopedia - Mid-Autumn Festival