2023 Traditional Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a combination of various customs and events, such as the moon on the eve of the emperor, the autumn society, the moon watching, and the legend of the moon palace. It originated in the Pre Qin Dynasty and was finalized in the Tang Dynasty.

 

Xiyue refers to the ancient autumnal equinox of the emperor worshipping the moon. In the book "Zhou Li, Chun Guan Zong Bo, Dian Rui", Zheng Xuan annotated: "The emperor always divides the morning sun in spring, and the evening moon in autumn." In the book "Records of the Grand Historian, Filial Piety and Martial Arts", Pei Yinji quoted Ying Shao as saying: "The emperor's spring morning sun, autumn evening moon, pays respects to the east gate of the sun. The morning sun is in the morning, and the evening moon is in the evening." Now, the Moon Altar in Beijing, formerly known as the Xiyue Altar, is the place where the Ming and Qing emperors worship the moon at the autumn equinox.

 

Due to the fact that there may not be a moon on the evening of the autumnal equinox, and the moon may not be round, which may greatly spoil the scenery, people gradually put the autumnal equinox festival on the Mid Autumn Festival.

 

The Mid Autumn Festival in August is the harvest season, and ancient people held ceremonies to worship the Earth God, called "Autumn News" and "Autumn Society". According to White Tiger Pass, "In the middle of the autumn, choose the first day and order the people's commune." The Divine Aid Deed says: 'Pray for grain in the middle of the spring, harvest grain in the middle of the autumn, and offer sacrifices to the millet by the newspaper.' "The Xiyue and the autumn commune can be regarded as the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival.