The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival with a long history in our country, and a lot of culture has also been formed during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Here are the activities I have compiled for the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is for reference only. I hope it can help. Everyone.
Contents
What activities are suitable for the Mid-Autumn Festival
Legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival
Traditional customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival
What is the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival
How the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in various places
What activities are suitable for the Mid-Autumn Festival
1. Moon appreciation
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the oldest and most famous festival in my country. It is an important custom of the festival.
2. Moon Sacrifice
Our people have had the custom of "autumn twilight and evening moon" in ancient times. On the eve of the moon, worship the moon god. By the Zhou Dynasty, every Mid-Autumn Festival night would be held to welcome the cold and worship the moon.
3. Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern Festival
In the Huguang area, there is a custom of stacking tiles on top of a tower to light lanterns. In the Jiangnan area, there is a festival custom of making lantern boats.
4. Eating moon cakes
Eating moon cakes is a Mid-Autumn Festival eating habit. "Mooncake" was first seen in Wu Zimu's "Meng Liang Lu" in the Southern Song Dynasty.
5. Tide watching
In ancient times, besides admiring the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, watching the tide was another Mid-Autumn event.
6. Chasing the moon
The so-called "chasing the moon" means that after the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the excitement is still not over, so the next night, many people invited Relatives and friends, continue admiring the moon, which is called "Chasing the Moon".
7. Riddles
On the full moon night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, many lanterns are hung in public places. People gather together to guess the riddles written on the lanterns, because most young people It is a favorite activity for men and women, and stories of love are also spread in these activities. Therefore, guessing lantern riddles during the Mid-Autumn Festival has also been derived as a form of love between men and women.
8. Eating moon cakes
Moon cakes, also called moon cakes, harvest cakes, palace cakes, reunion cakes, etc., were offerings to the moon god during the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times. Mooncakes were originally used as sacrifices to worship the moon god. Later, people gradually regarded appreciating the moon and tasting mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival as a symbol of family reunion.
9. Appreciate osmanthus and drink osmanthus wine
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, look up at the osmanthus in the middle of the moon, smell the fragrance of osmanthus, drink a glass of osmanthus honey wine, and celebrate the sweetness of the family Honey has become a beautiful enjoyment during festivals.
10. Mid-Autumn Festival
In some places in Guangdong, there is an interesting traditional custom during the Mid-Autumn Festival called "Tree Mid-Autumn Festival". The tree also means erecting, which means erecting the lights high, so it is also called "erecting the Mid-Autumn Festival".
11. Playing Luzi
"Playing Luzi" was a very popular children's game during the Mid-Autumn Festival in the past. Flowers were carved out of grapefruit shells, with lanterns hung in the middle, and children carried the fruit. Play in groups.
12. Tie lanterns
In ancient times in Guangdong, when the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, children, with the help of their parents, used bamboo paper to make rabbit lanterns, star fruit lanterns or square lanterns. .
gt; gt; gt;
Legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival
First: Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty and "Jiejie Cake"
Mooncakes Legend has it that the more popular view was in the Tang Dynasty. In the early Tang Dynasty, the Eastern Turks were powerful. When Li Yuan raised troops in Taiyuan, he surrendered to the Turks Shibi Khan in exchange for relative stability in the north. After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, the Turks supported separatist forces such as Xue Ju and Liu Wuzhou on the one hand and fought against the Tang Dynasty on the other. On the other hand, relying on the strength of their troops and horses, they continued to send troops south to invade. In order to quell the foreign aggression in the north, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty Li Yuan appointed Li Jing, a famous general at the time, as the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition to counterattack the Turks and ultimately win.
The day of Li Jing's triumphal victory happened to be on August 15th. It happened that that night some people from Turpan presented cakes to Li Yuan to celebrate his victory. Li Yuan was sharing the good news of Li Jing's victory with the ministers at that time. He was very happy when he saw the round cakes celebrating victory. He smiled to the sky and blurted out, "You should invite the toads with the cakes." The general meaning of this sentence is that the God of the Moon should be invited to come down to earth and share this delicious biscuit with everyone. Li Yuan then distributed the Hu cakes to the ministers, and they tasted them together and admired the moon. It is said that the custom of eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th came from this and was spread from the palace to the people.
Second: Concubine Yang named "mooncake"
In the early days, people did not call mooncakes "mooncakes", but they had many names. In the Tang Dynasty, the most popular name was Hu Cake. In the past, the Han people collectively referred to the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Di, Qiang, Tubo, Turks and other nomadic peoples living in northern and western China as "Hu people". Their unique daily bread was called "Hu cake" by the Han people. . This kind of cake is round, filled with sugar and packed with nuts, etc., and is delicious.
So, how did Hu cakes change their name to moon cakes?
One year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Longji and Yang Guifei ate Hu cakes and admired the moon together. The romantic Li Longji pretended Fengya felt that the name Hu Cake was unpleasant and wanted to change her name. But what’s a good name? I can’t think of it at the moment. Concubine Yang looked up and saw that the full moon hanging high in the sky was just like this round cake, so she blurted out - moon cake. When Li Longji heard this, he clapped his hands and praised him. The name "Mooncake" was thus called out.
But this legend seems unreliable. There is a record that Li Xuan, Emperor Xizong of Tang Dynasty, once gave cakes to new scholars during the Mid-Autumn Festival. At that time, the cakes were not called moon cakes. Li Xuan was born 177 years later than Li Longji. It is certain that in the Tang Dynasty, at least in the late Tang Dynasty, moon cakes were not called moon cakes.
In fact, in the Song Dynasty, people did not call moon cakes "moon cakes". Literati liked to call them "gold cakes". In the Song Dynasty, the custom of eating mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival was not yet popular. In the Yuan Dynasty, the custom of eating mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival became more intense, but it was mostly called "moon cake". It was not until the Ming Dynasty that "mooncakes" were officially named, and the custom of eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival became widely popular.
Third: Eating moon cakes and "killing Tatars"
In the late Yuan Dynasty, natural and man-made disasters occurred one after another, the people were in dire straits, and the Mongols' rule over the Han people in the Central Plains became more severe. In order to enslave the Han people, some places even stipulated that the bride's right to her first night must be dedicated to the Mongols who were in charge of the local area. At that time, men did not dare to publicize their wives, and many men and women had "clandestine marriages" to avoid being known by the Tatars. In order to prevent Han people from rebelling, private possession of iron weapons was not allowed, and only ten households could have one kitchen knife. These enslavement policies aroused dissatisfaction among the Han people, and people's resistance was strong. Uprisings were brewing in various places, and they agreed to "kill the Tatars" and overthrow the Yuan regime. At that time, public gatherings were not feasible. In order to convey the signal of unified action and ensure confidentiality, Zhu Yuanzhang in the south, later the Ming Taizu, chose the opportunity to eat mooncakes on August 15th and wrapped a note with the signal of the uprising in the mooncake. Here, through this method of transmission, a massive uprising force was formed.
Fourth: Chang'e flies to the moon and the "elixir of life"
Chang'e, formerly known as Chang'e, is the wife of the mythical figure Hou Yi. In the Western Han Dynasty, the name was changed to "Chang'e" to avoid the taboo of Liu Heng, Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty.
There are two versions of Chang'e's flight to the moon. One version is that Chang'e secretly took the elixir and flew to the moon: "Yi asked the Queen Mother of the West to take the elixir, but before she could take it, Chang'e stole it and became an immortal. , running into the middle of the moon is the moon essence." The meaning of this sentence is that Hou Yi got the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. After the greedy Chang'e ate it behind her husband's back, she ran to the moon and became the moon goddess.
Another version is that Chang'e was forced to take the elixir of life: Pengmeng, who was learning archery from Hou Yi, heard that Hou Yi had obtained the elixir of life, so he went to steal it. Fengmeng failed to succeed, and evil arose from the side of courage, wanting to harm Chang'e. In desperation, Chang'e swallowed the elixir herself and flew to the sky.
gt; gt; gt;
Traditional customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival
1. Moon worship, moon appreciation, and moon worship
"Book of Rites" has long recorded that "Autumn Twilight and Xiyue" means worshiping the moon god. At this time, it is necessary to welcome the cold and worship the moon, and set up an incense table. By the Zhou Dynasty, every Mid-Autumn Festival night would be held to welcome the cold and worship the moon. Set up a large incense table and place moon cakes, watermelon, apples, dates, plums, grapes and other sacrifices. Among them, moon cakes and watermelon are absolutely indispensable, and the watermelon must be cut into lotus shapes.
2. Tide watching
In ancient times, besides enjoying the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, watching the tide was another Mid-Autumn event.
3. Burning lanterns
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is a custom of burning lanterns to help with the moonlight. Today, there is still a custom in Huguang area of ??stacking tiles on a tower and lighting lanterns on it. In the Jiangnan area, there is a custom of making light boats.
4. Riddles
On the full moon night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, many lanterns are hung in public places. People gather together to guess the riddles written on the lanterns, because most young people It is a favorite activity for men and women, and stories of love are also spread in these activities. Therefore, guessing lantern riddles during the Mid-Autumn Festival has also been derived as a form of love between men and women.
5. Eating mooncakes
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, admiring the moon and eating mooncakes are essential customs for the Mid-Autumn Festival in various parts of China. As the saying goes: "August and fifteenth month are full. Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes are fragrant and sweet.” The term mooncake originated from "Meng Liang Lu" written by Wu Zimu in the Southern Song Dynasty. At that time, it was just a snack food. Later, people gradually combined moon appreciation with moon cakes, which symbolized family reunion and expressed their longing for each other. At the same time, mooncakes are also an important gift used to connect friends during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
There is also the custom of betting on cakes in Xiamen, Fujian, and cake betting is listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item.
6. Appreciate osmanthus and drink osmanthus wine
People often eat moon cakes to enjoy osmanthus during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and eat various foods made from osmanthus, with pastries and candies being the most common.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, looking up at the osmanthus in the middle of the moon, smelling the fragrance of osmanthus, drinking a glass of osmanthus honey wine, and celebrating the sweetness of the family has become a beautiful enjoyment of the festival. In modern times, people mostly use red wine instead.
7. Playing with lanterns
There is no large-scale lantern festival like the Lantern Festival during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Playing with lanterns is mainly done among families and children. As early as the Northern Song Dynasty, "Old Martial Arts" records the customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival, including the activity of "putting a "little red" lantern into the river to float and play." People who play with lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival are mostly concentrated in the south. For example, at the Foshan Autumn Color Fair, there are various kinds of lanterns: sesame lanterns, eggshell lanterns, wood shaving lanterns, straw lanterns, fish scale lanterns, chaff lanterns, melon seed lanterns, bird and animal flower tree lanterns, etc.
In Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other places, Mid-Autumn Festival activities are held on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the trees are also erected, which means that the lights are put up high.
In Nanning, Guangxi, in addition to various lanterns tied with paper and bamboo for children to play with, there are also very simple grapefruit lanterns, pumpkin lanterns, and orange lanterns.
Guangxi has a simple household autumn lantern, which is made of six circles of bamboo strips tied into a lantern, with white gauze paper on the outside and candles inserted inside. Hang it next to the moon festival table to worship the moon, and it can also be played by children.
8. Burning Tower
The game of burning tile lanterns (also known as burning flower tower, burning tile tower, burning fan tower) is widely spread in the south.
gt; gt; gt;
What is the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival has a long history, and like other traditional festivals, it has also developed slowly Formed, ancient emperors had a ritual system of worshiping the sun in spring and the moon in autumn. As early as the book "Zhou Li", the word "Mid-Autumn Festival" has been recorded.
Later, nobles and literati also followed suit. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, they would look at the bright and round moon in the sky, watch and worship, and express their feelings. This custom was spread to the people and became a traditional activity until the Tang Dynasty. After that, people paid more attention to the custom of worshiping the moon, and the Mid-Autumn Festival became a fixed festival. "Book of Tang·Taizong Ji" records the "Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th". This festival was popular in the Song Dynasty and became popular in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is as famous as New Year's Day and has become one of the major festivals in our country.
The legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival are very rich. Mythical stories such as Chang'e flying to the moon, Wu Gang conquering Gui, and the Jade Rabbit making medicine are widely circulated.
gt; gt; gt;
How various places celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival
Wuxi County, Jiangsu Province burns incense sticks on the Mid-Autumn Festival night. The incense cup is surrounded by gauze and silk, with scenes from the Moon Palace painted on it. There are also incense buckets made of incense threads, with Kuixing and colorful flags tied with paper inserted on them. The Shanghainese Mid-Autumn Festival feast is served with sweet-scented osmanthus honey wine.
In Ji'an County, Jiangxi Province, on the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, every village uses straw to burn earthen pots. After the crock is hot, add vinegar. At this time, the fragrance will fill the whole village. During the Mid-Autumn Festival in Xincheng County, grass lanterns are hung from the night of August 11th until August 17th.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people in Sichuan Province not only eat moon cakes, but also make cakes, kill ducks, and eat sesame cakes, honey cakes, etc. In some places, orange lanterns are also lit and hung at the door to celebrate. There are also children who put incense on the grapefruit and dance it along the street, which is called "Dancing Meteor Incense Ball". During the Mid-Autumn Festival in Jiading County, people worship the Earth God, perform dramas, vocal music and cultural relics, which is called "watching party".
In the north, farmers in Qingyun County, Shandong Province worship the God of Earth and Valley on August 15th, which is called "Qingmiao Society". In Zhucheng, Linyi, Jimo and other places, in addition to worshiping the moon, they also have to visit their graves to worship their ancestors. Landlords in Guanxian, Laiyang, Guangrao and Youcheng also entertained their tenants during the Mid-Autumn Festival. During the Jimo Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival food called "Mai Arrow" is eaten. Lu'an, Shanxi Province, hosted a banquet for their son-in-law during the Mid-Autumn Festival. In Datong County, mooncakes are called reunion cakes, and there is a custom of keeping vigil on Mid-Autumn Night.
gt; gt; gt;
Related articles on what activities are suitable for the Mid-Autumn Festival:
★ 2022 Mid-Autumn Festival activity planning and implementation plan (10 selected articles)
★ 5 Mid-Autumn Festival activity planning theme plans
★ Mid-Autumn Festival theme activity plan (10 selected articles)
★ Mid-Autumn Festival themed activity plan 2022 (10 articles)
★ Mid-Autumn Festival themed activity plan (10 articles)
★ Mid-Autumn Festival activity planning plan (Selected 5 articles)
★ 5 Mid-Autumn Festival activity plans
★ 8 Mid-Autumn Festival activity promotion planning plans
★ What activities are suitable for the Mid-Autumn Festival?
★ 5 Mid-Autumn Festival creative activity plans var _hmt = _hmt || []; (function() { var hm = document.createElement("script"); hm.src = "/hm.js ?1fc3c5445c1ba79cfc8b2d8178c3c5dd"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(hm, s); })();