Origin One of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival gradually evolved from ancient moon worship. In ancient calendars, each season was divided into three months, known as Mengyue, Zhongyue, and Jiyue. The eighth month of the lunar calendar is exactly the second month of autumn, so it is called "Zhongqiu" (Mid-Autumn), and the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month is exactly halfway through autumn, so it is called "Zhongqiu" (Mid-Autumn). This day was originally set as a festival for ancient emperors to worship the moon, and gradually evolved into the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Origin Two of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival evolved from the worship of the land god. In agrarian society, crops were crucial for farmers, so people often worshipped the land god. During the autumn harvest, farmers would worship the land god. The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month coincides with the time of crop harvest, so it gradually evolved into the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Origin Three of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival evolved from the story of Chang'e Flying to the Moon. After Houyi shot down the nine additional suns, he was rewarded by heaven with a potion for immortality. He didn't want to leave his wife Chang'e, so he entrusted the potion to her for safekeeping. On the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, Chang'e took the elixir and flew to the moon. Houyi missed Chang'e, so every year on this day, he would set out her favorite foods in the garden, hoping she would return for reunion.
Can You Wash Clothes on the Mid-Autumn Festival?
You Can Wash Clothes on the Mid-Autumn Festival. Washing clothes has nothing to do with the festival; you can wash clothes on any day of the year. In some parts of the country, there are local customs that specify certain days when you cannot wash clothes. If your area has such a custom, you can wash your clothes the next day.
Do Not Give Single Gifts
Mid-Autumn is a day of reunion, so giving gifts to relatives and friends is essential. However, you must be careful when choosing gifts. When selecting gifts, make sure not to choose an odd number. Both the type and quantity of gifts should be even. As the saying goes, "Good things come in pairs," and giving gifts in even numbers also carries a good meaning.
Men Do Not Worship the Moon
Worshipping the moon is an activity that has been passed down from ancient times. In ancient times, moon worship activities were usually carried out by women. There is an old tradition that on the Mid-Autumn Festival, "men do not worship the moon, and women do not offer sacrifices to the stove." Regarding the saying "men do not worship the moon," one explanation is that men belong to yang, while the moon belongs to yin. Generally, yang is stronger than yin, so yang cannot worship yin.
It Is Not Suitable to Hold Weddings
The idea that the Mid-Autumn Festival is not suitable for holding weddings comes from the story of Chang'e Flying to the Moon. After Chang'e ascended to the moon palace, she was separated from Houyi. Houyi could only express his longing for his wife by making mooncakes and gazing at the moon palace every year. Therefore, it is considered unlucky to get married on the Mid-Autumn Festival, fearing that couples might separate like Chang'e and Houyi.
