This year's Mid-Autumn Festival will arrive on 9/17, are you ready to celebrate with family and friends to barbecue and enjoy the moon?
The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival is closely related to the ancient Chinese moon worship and agricultural culture, especially the connection with the autumn harvest and the moon is the most important. Therefore, the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival is a festival intertwined with history, mythology and agricultural customs, and after thousands of years of development, it has become an important traditional festival that symbolizes reunion, harmony and gratitude, and this year's Mid-Autumn Festival is on 9/17.
The 4 origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival|Moon worship
Ancient Chinese agricultural society attached great importance to the moon because its movement was related to the growth cycle of crops. The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest, symbolizing reunion and a good harvest. Therefore, ancient people would worship the moon on this day and pray for a good harvest and family happiness.
The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival|The legend of Chang'e running to the moon
This is one of the most famous myths of the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to legend, there was a woman named Chang'e in ancient times, who flew to the moon because she took the elixir of life, and lived in the Moon Palace ever since, and people will admire the moon on this day to commemorate the story of Chang'e.
The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival|The custom of sacrificing the moon
As early as in the "Zhou Li", there is a record of the moon sacrifice, and the ancients would perform the moon sacrifice ceremony in autumn. Over time, this custom developed into one of the core activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and became a symbol of folk reunion and gratitude.
The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival|The celebration of the agricultural harvest
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also associated with the harvest of crops, and this festival represents the end of autumn and the celebration of harvest. During this season, farmers celebrate the fruits of their hard work and reunite with their families to enjoy a delicious meal, symbolizing fulfillment and harmony.
10 taboos for the Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|1. Don't tease the rabbit
According to folklore, Chang'e likes rabbits very much in the world, so when Chang'e ascended to heaven, she also took the rabbit to the moon, and the jade rabbit was accompanied by Chang'e in the Moon Palace to pound the elixir, so the Mid-Autumn Festival also has the name of the Rabbit Festival, and it is recommended that people who raise rabbits before and after the Mid-Autumn Festival should be gentle with the rabbits, if they are not gentle, the rabbits in the world will have a sense to pass on to the rabbits of the Moon Palace.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|2. Boys don't worship the moon
The "Yen Ching Restaurant Chronicles" records that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, "most men do not bow during the moon." Therefore, the proverb of the Beijing master says: "Men do not worship the moon, and women do not sacrifice to the stove." Therefore, boys who worship the moon are more likely to feel unwell, or are affected by the gravitational pull of the moon, and their sleep quality is more likely to deteriorate.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|3. It is not advisable to go to the sea and river
The Mid-Autumn Festival is affected by the gravitational pull of the moon, and it is easier to have tides, and the waves are relatively large on that day, and if there is wind and rain, it will form mad dog waves, so it is recommended that it is not suitable to play in the water to the beach before and after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|4. Girls should not worship the stove
"Yen Ching Restaurant Chronicles" records: Men do not worship the moon, and women do not sacrifice stoves. The reason is that the ancient stove god is the god of masculinity, and the moon is the god of femininity, so the moon festival is a women's festival, and men do not worship yin; Teacher Xiao Meng believes that another reason is that in ancient times, in the feudal period, men and women did not give kiss as the main trend, so there will be this special taboo.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|5. Those who have miscarriage or are weak are not suitable for moon viewing
Because the full moon belongs to yin, it is also a festival with heavy yin energy, which is easy to transmit yin energy, so people who are not in good health should not enjoy the moon.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|6. Don't point your finger at the moon and the gods
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the Moon Festival, folk legend has it that Wu Gang and Chang'e live on the moon, because there are special gods who recommend not pointing their fingers directly at the moon so as not to be disrespectful to the gods.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|7. Eating Mid-Autumn moon cakes and eating fruits should not be round
In ancient times, moon cakes and full moon were in harmony with the whole family, so avoid eating cakes with diamonds and horns during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is more likely to have quarrels or conflicts, and also have unlucky symbols.
Mid-Autumn Festival Taboo|8. Women should avoid covering their foreheads with their hair
The girl's forehead is also equal to the shape of the moon, the ancient people will describe the woman's forehead as the woman's Yuan Shen Palace, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a women's festival, to pick up the forehead bangs for the moon god to see, so that you can get the blessing of the moon god to make you full of peach blossoms.
Mid-Autumn Festival taboo|9. Do not go under the banyan tree or in a place with heavy yin qi when admiring the moon
The full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival is a cloudy day, and it is not advisable to go to a place where the yin qi is too heavy on a cloudy day, so as not to offend a bad aura.
Mid-Autumn Festival taboo|10.Avoid swimming at night
At night, the moon will be reflected in the pool or the seaside, so it is not advisable to swim in the outdoor pool at night to avoid being rude to the moon god.