What is the story behind Mid-Autumn Festival?
What is the story behind Mid-Autumn Festival?
The central legend associated with Mid-Autumn Festival concerns the goddess Chang’e. This tale tells of how, long ago, the Earth had 10 suns, the heat of which ravaged the world with a terrible drought. At the request of the Emperor of Heaven, the great archer Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns, saving life on Earth.
What dynasty did Mid-Autumn Festival start?
the Tang Dynasty
In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), appreciating the moon on Mid-autumn festival prevailed and people attached much importance to the worship of the moon. Mid-autumn festival began to become a permanent festival in the Tang Dynasty. Mid-autumn festival became prosperous in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.).
Whats the story behind moon cakes?
The fable of Moon Goddess Chang’e is an integral one during the Chinese Moon Festival. It is the tale of an ancient hero Hou Yi—a heroic archer—who shoots down nine of ten suns during a disastrous year when ten suns arose at once (and you thought this summer was sweltering).
Why the Chinese celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival a brief history of the occasion?
The festival probably originated as the worship of the moon among ancient peoples. As the nation grew in size and sophistication, the various traditions of lunar veneration amalgamated into a celebration of the full moon in autumn. Scores of poems were written eulogising the moon at mid-autumn.
What does the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolize?
The Mid-autumn Festival is associated with the moon and “moon appreciation” (shangyue) parties, particularly because the moon is at its brightest during this time. The festival also coincides with the end of the autumn harvest, marking the end of the Hungry Ghost Festival, which occurs during the seventh lunar month.
What do you eat on Mid-Autumn Festival?
The most popular Mid-Autumn Festival foods include mooncakes, pumpkin, river snails, taro, wine fermented with osmanthus flowers, duck and hairy crabs.
Are mooncakes religious?
While moon worship, along with many other facets of Chinese popular religion, was eradicated as an obstruction to the realization of Communism, mooncakes, like other festival foods such as glutinous rice balls at the Lunar New Year or zongzi, steamed rice dumplings, at the springtime Dragon Boat Festival, were deemed a …
Why do people carry lanterns during Mid-Autumn Festival?
In ancient times, lanterns were used as lighting tools, i.e. a traditional lamp; nowadays, lanterns have become handicrafts and ornamentals and people light the Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns to symbolize family reunion and to pray for good fortune.
Why do we carry lanterns during Mid-Autumn Festival?
As ubiquitous as the mooncake, lanterns have been associated with the festival since the Tang dynasty, possibly because of their traditional symbolization of fertility. The lanterns also serve a practical purpose of lighting the way as friends and family stay up to appreciate the full moon late into the night.
Why are mooncakes so bad for you?
“Mooncakes are typically considered as unhealthy because of the high calorie, sugar and fat content,” she said. One way to assess how healthy a mooncake is is to look at its glycemic index (GI). The GI measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose level.
What are the traditions of the Mid Autumn Festival?
Mid-Autumn Festival customs focus on the theme of thanksgiving and reunion. The most common traditions for this festival are eating moon cakes and appreciating the moon.
How do people celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival?
One of the most common ways people celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival is by enjoying mooncakes — a dense sweet pastry that is baked or steamed and then cut into wedges and accompanied by tea. Traditionally, mooncakes are filled with with lotus paste and salted egg yolk.
What is the legend of the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival?
The most popular legend for the Mid-autumn Festival is said to have originated in the year 2000 B.C. This is the story of Hou Yih, an officer of the imperial guards, and his wife Chang Oh. The story is well-known as “Chang Oh Ben Yue” in Chinese, which means “The Goddess Chang’s flight to the moon”. One day, ten suns suddenly appeared in the sky.
What is the date of the Mid Autumn Festival?
Mid-Autumn Festival is on Tuesday, September 21, 2021.