When is the best time to worship ancestors during the Mid-Autumn Festival
It is generally better to worship ancestors in the morning during the Mid-Autumn Festival.Because the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a reunion festival, although worshipping ancestors is part of the reunion festival, the afternoon is usually spent preparing for the family dinner or moon worship, so the morning is the most suitable time.
If you are in the Chaoshan area of Guangdong, you will worship ancestors in the afternoon before preparing dinner. Because in this local area, after worshipping the ancestors, they will collect the offerings one by one and cook them, then have a sumptuous dinner together as a family.
What things are needed to worship ancestors during the Mid-Autumn Festival
To worship ancestors during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the things needed are similar to those used for regular ancestor worship, with only some changes in the offerings.Firstly, for the items, you need an offering table, incense burner, containers, red candles, incense, and offerings. Since the offerings need to be cooked and eaten again after the worship, people often choose mooncakes, fruits, green beans, drinks, meat, and other pastries.
What are the customs and folk activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival
1. Lighting LanternsThere is a custom of lighting lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the types of lanterns vary from place to place. For example, in the areas of Huguang, people stack tiles into a tower and light it, while in the Jiangnan area, people make lantern boats.
2. Solving Riddles
Since there are lights, there are riddles. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival, like the Lantern Festival, has the custom of solving riddles. Solving riddles is a popular activity among young men and women, and love stories are often told during these activities. Therefore, solving riddles during the Mid-Autumn Festival has evolved into a form of romantic relationships between men and women.
3. Holding Banquets
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a day for moon viewing and having a family dinner. Therefore, the tradition of holding banquets has been popular since ancient times, but it is not necessarily a family banquet. In ancient China, the Mid-Autumn banquet was most elegant in the imperial court. However, whether it is a palace banquet, a family banquet, or another type of feast, crabs and mooncakes are always on the table. Mooncakes are also called "Reunion Cakes," and eating them during the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes reunion and harmony.
4. Worshiping the Moon
In all parts of China, the Mid-Autumn Festival has the custom of worshipping the moon. When worshipping the moon, set up a large incense table, place mooncakes, watermelons, apples, jujubes, plums, grapes, and other offerings. Under the moonlight, place the "Moon God" tablet in the direction where the moon is, light red candles high, and each member of the family takes turns worshipping the moon, praying for blessings and protection. Worshiping the moon and enjoying its beauty, looking at the moon and remembering the past, expresses people's good wishes.
