Why is August 15th the Mid-Autumn Festival? Should I give gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2020?
The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, the day when every family reunites. Some families may have already started preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival! This traditional festival is not only a day to celebrate family reunion, but also a good day for gift-giving. People who want to deepen their friendship will often use this day to send each other gifts. But I always feel that shouldn’t gifts be given only during the Spring Festival? Why do we give gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival? I believe many people know that gifts are needed when visiting relatives during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the real reason is not very clear. Let’s discuss this article together! Why is August 15th the Mid-Autumn Festival? Should I give gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2020? According to the Chinese lunar calendar, August is the second month of autumn, which was called Mid-Autumn in ancient times. Do you want to know more about the auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of the days in the eighth month of the lunar calendar in 2020? Let’s go to Mr. Shui Mo’s website to learn more.Why is August 15th the Mid-Autumn Festival?Legend has it that Chang'e was originally Houyi's wife. After Houyi shot down nine suns, the Queen Mother of the West gave him the elixir of immortality, but Houyi was reluctant to take it, so he gave it to Chang'e for safekeeping. Houyi's disciple Peng Meng coveted the elixir and forced Chang'e to hand it over. Chang'e had no choice but to swallow the elixir in desperation and flew into the sky. That day was the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, and the moon was big and bright. Because she didn't want to leave Houyi, Chang'e stayed at the moon closest to the earth and lived in Guanghan Palace ever since. Houyi was heartbroken after returning home, so every August 15th he would set up a banquet and reunite with Chang'e facing the moon.Should I give gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2020?The origin of Mid-Autumn Festival gift giving:It is recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian and the book "Book of Zhou" that activities related to the Mid-Autumn Festival had already appeared in the Zhou Dynasty, called "Welcoming the Cold on the Mid-Autumn Night", but it can be said to be just a hint. It really became popular during the Tang Dynasty, and later in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it began to become a festival as important as New Year's Day. There are even more records about eating mooncakes. It is said in "Wan Shu Miscellaneous Notes" that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people would make a kind of dough cake, which we call "moon cakes", and give them to each other as a day to convey holiday blessings together. The fillings are different, including fruit, bean paste, etc., and the prices are also different. The mooncakes are priced according to the materials used, size, and workmanship. It is said in "The Music of Xi Chao" that on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which is the Mid-Autumn Festival, people would send moon cakes to each other, which means reunion. According to another theory, the reason for giving gifts during Mid-Autumn Festival is due to the imperial examination system. Everyone knows how important the imperial examination system is. It is no less important than the current college entrance examination. In the ancient society with strict hierarchy and class system, if a poor person wanted to succeed and bring honor to his family, the most important thing was to achieve it through the imperial examination system. For the rulers, the imperial examination system is an important way to recruit talents for the country, so no matter what, the imperial examination system is a system that the whole nation attaches great importance to. It happened that the autumn examination was scheduled for the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which was close to the Mid-Autumn Festival. At this time, the fragrance of osmanthus was in the air, the flowers were in full bloom, and the moon was full. Those who were able to pass the exam were called winners, and it was a matter of celebration for the whole nation. In order to express their good wishes and joy to each other and follow the trend of the times, they would give each other gifts, and this custom has been passed down since then. What gifts can be given during the Mid-Autumn Festival? In ancient times, the main gifts given during the Mid-Autumn Festival were homemade cakes, which are mooncakes. After all, mooncakes are an important symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival. At first, mooncakes were used as a way for people to express their blessings for reunion. People simply made the cakes by hand, just like that simple and pure heart. With the development of socialization, mooncakes have become more and more commercialized, with a dazzling variety of packaging forms. Regardless of whether the mooncakes inside are delicious or not, people seem to pay more attention to the external packaging. I believe people have also discovered that mooncakes were simply packaged in paper bags at the beginning, and the prices have become higher and higher. In fact, giving leaders sky-high-priced mooncakes may express your feelings, but for family members, expensive gifts are not the Mid-Autumn Festival they want. What’s more important when giving a gift is the thought behind it. For example, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I would have a reunion dinner with my family, give my father a box of tea for his health, and as he pretended to look disdainful, the family would sit together, eat, and enjoy the moon. Even just drinking tea and chatting was the most important meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival. |
Recommend
Is it a good idea to move into a new home on the 17th day of the first lunar month in 2017?
Introduction: In our country, since ancient times,...
Detailed analysis of the location of the God of Wealth on July 17th of the lunar calendar in the Year of the Pig 2019!
Family harmony and a stable and prosperous life a...
Is the 12th day of December 2019 a good day for funerals? Analysis of the good and bad luck of the 2020 Xiaohan time
Introduction: The days of Minor Cold can be auspic...
Will the Dragon Raise its Head on February 24th in 2020? Is it a good omen?
The other names for the Dragon Raising its Head on...
Can I open a business on the Spring Equinox in 2022? Is it auspicious? What should I pay attention to?
The Spring Equinox is a solar term that divides sp...
Is it okay to get married and engaged on September 11th, 2019 in the lunar calendar? Can I hold the wedding?
September 11th of the lunar calendar in 2019 is a...
Where is the position of the God of Joy at each hour of the Qingming Festival in 2021? What is the image of the God of Joy?
As a solar term, Qingming means clear weather, bri...
Is the 22nd day of the sixth lunar month in 2021 suitable for funerals? What is the day like?
The choice of a day for a funeral in China is extr...
The tenth day of the fifth lunar month in 2017 is a good day?
The Dragon Boat Festival month is the fifth month...
Is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival) in 2021 an auspicious day? What are the customs of the Lantern Festival?
The Lantern Festival is one of the traditional fes...
Recommended auspicious days for praying in March of the lunar calendar in 2020
It is also important to choose a good time to pray...
Analysis of the fate and zodiac characteristics of girls born on April 22, 2020
Introduction: The fate of a person on different da...
Is it okay to get the marriage certificate on September 8, 2020, the day before the Double Ninth Festival? Why do we have to climb high places on the Double Ninth Festival?
Introduction: Generally, you need to choose an aus...
Is it appropriate to move graves on the eighth day of October 2020? When is the second day of October 2020?
Introduction: It is also necessary to choose an au...
Can I register for a marriage certificate on the Beginning of Summer (5.5) in 2020? Is the Civil Affairs Bureau open?
Marriage is a major event in everyone's life, ...