August 15 Mid-Autumn Festival

Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, is China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. This is the middle of autumn, so it is called the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is also the second largest traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival. In the Chinese lunar calendar, the year is divided into four seasons, and each season is divided into three parts: Meng, Zhong and Ji, so the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called midautumn. The moon of August 15 is more round and brighter than the full moon of other months, so it is also called the moon night, Autumn Festival, Autumn Festival, August Festival, August meeting, chasing the moon Festival, playing the moon Festival, worship the moon Festival, Hinamatsuri Festival or Reunion Festival, which is popular in the traditional cultural festivals of many nationalities in the country. Therefore, it is also called August 15 as the "Reunion Festival".

Every month has the roundest moon, why does the Mid-Autumn moon look so big and round? From the perspective of meteorological principles - the Mid-Autumn Festival is before and after the autumn equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, the day and night time is almost as long, the moon just accepts the direct sun, the dry cold air flow from the north, forcing the warm and humid air flow that has been circling in the sky in the summer to recede, the clouds are reduced, the visibility is improved, the moon receives the most sunlight, it is particularly bright.

The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival

The word "Mid-Autumn Festival" was first recorded in the "Zhou Rites". Because of the ancient Chinese calendar, the lunar August 15th, just the autumn of the year, and is the middle of August, it is called the "Mid-Autumn Festival". The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival is related to agricultural production. Autumn is the harvest season. The word "autumn" is interpreted as "autumn when the crops are ripe". In August, the Mid-Autumn Festival, crops and a variety of fruits have matured, farmers in order to celebrate the harvest, express joy, on the "Mid-Autumn Festival" as a festival. "Mid-Autumn Festival" is the meaning of the middle of autumn, the lunar month of August is a month in the middle of autumn, and the 15th is a day in the middle of this month, so the Mid-Autumn Festival may be the custom inherited from the ancients "autumn newspaper".

Mid-Autumn Festival legend Chang 'e flies to the moon

Chang 'e flight to the moon: An ancient Chinese myth and legend story, tells that Chang 'e was forced by Pang Meng, helpless, ate a immortality pill given to her husband Houyi, and flew to the moon palace. After Houyi returned, he could only look up at the night sky, call his wife to the figure in the middle of the month, and put on the incense table, put on the fruit, and offer Chang 'e. In this way, the custom of worshipping the moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival has been passed down from generation to generation.

Wu Gang felled the laurel

According to legend, Wu Gang was punished by the emperor to cut the laurel tree in the moon palace, but the laurel tree was cut with the combination. The Emperor of Heaven took this endless labor as a punishment for Wu Gang. Wu Gang cut trees more than every day, thousands of years have passed, the magical laurel tree is still as old, full of vitality, every Mid-Autumn Festival, fragrance overflowing. Wu Gang knew that there were no cassia trees in the world, so he prepared to spread the seeds of cassia trees to the world. For thousands of years, this laurel tree can never be cut down. Li Bai has a poem saying, "To be hacked with the laurel in the middle month, hold it as the salary of those who are cold."

The Jade rabbit crushes medicine

Jade rabbit stamping medicine, is one of the Chinese myths and legends, seen in the Han Yuefu "Dong Escape". According to legend, there is a rabbit in the moon, white as jade, so it is called "Jade rabbit". This white rabbit holds a jade pestle, kneels down to pound medicine, into toad pills, take these pills can be immortal. Over time, the Jade Rabbit became synonymous with the moon.

Mid-Autumn Festival customs:

Full Moon:

The moon of August 15, bright and clear, lightly sprinkled with pure silver like water, with a few small stars, hovering in the night, looking at people's unity. The feeling of happiness arises spontaneously. Mid-Autumn Festival to celebrate the good life.

Eat mooncakes:

Eating moon cakes has become a custom in north and South China to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, when people eat moon cakes to show "reunion".

Tide watching:

Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the Qianjiang tidal surge is the largest, and the tidal head can reach several meters. When the tide comes, the sound is like thunder, overwhelming the sea, like ten thousand horses galloping, magnificent.

Light:

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the sky is as clear as water, the moon is as bright as a mirror, which can be described as a beautiful moment, but people are not satisfied with this, so they have the custom of burning lamps to help the moon.

August 15 Mid-Autumn Festival, Mid-Autumn night family. The moon carries happiness again, happiness automatically knocks on the door. A happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Home xing hundred and, full moon people Ann!