What are the folk activities of the Zhongyuan Festival?
During the period from the first to the thirtieth day of the seventh lunar month, many people will choose a day to hold a sacrificial ceremony with offerings such as wine, meat, sugar cakes, and fruits to comfort the wandering souls of the deceased and pray for their own safety and smoothness throughout the year. More solemn ceremonies even invite monks or Taoist priests to recite scriptures and perform rituals to liberate the souls of the dead. Some people also bring out images of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha and the Arhat Maudgalyayana during this time, placing them on high platforms, or have performers act as the exorcist deity Zhongkui (some use puppets controlled by performers) to eliminate the negative energy of the spirits.It is said that the middle of the seventh lunar month coincides with the transition between summer and autumn, which is precisely the turning point between the yin and yang of heaven and earth. At this time, the yang energy reaches its peak and begins to wane, while the yin energy becomes evident. At this moment, the palace of the earth opens the gate of hell, releasing the souls, so it is common to conduct activities of worshiping the souls. Later generations also believe that the entire lunar July should be considered as the "Ghost Festival", where the King of Hell opens the gates of the underworld on the first day of the seventh lunar month, letting the ghosts come to the human world to eat and enjoy the offerings made by people. On the last day of the seventh lunar month, the gates are closed again, and all the souls return to the underworld.
Offering Ancestral Rites
The folk believe that ancestors return to their homes to visit their descendants during the middle of the seventh lunar month, so ancestral rites need to be performed. This practice reflects the traditional ethics of respecting the end and remembering the origin, as well as the cultural tradition of expressing gratitude to ancestors. At the same time, it is also a time of harvest for small autumn crops, making it an appropriate time to share the joy of the harvest with ancestors. The ritual of offering sacrifices is generally held in the late afternoon of mid-July. Normally, people do not move the tablets of the ancestors during regular days. However, during the "middle of the seventh month", they will take out each ancestor's tablet one by one, place them respectfully on the special offering table, and insert incense sticks in front of each ancestor's tablet. Incense is burned three times a day, morning, noon, and evening, with tea and meals offered. Because there are slight differences in customs among different regions, the way of celebrating the festival also varies, and the timing of the celebration may differ as well.
Burning Paper Money
Among the folk beliefs during the Zhongyuan Festival, the most prominent activity is burning paper money. According to legend, paper money in the mortal world is equivalent to money in the underworld, and burning paper money is like sending money to deceased ancestors. When burning paper money at graves, some people leave a few pieces to burn at a crossroads, intending to give some alms to homeless ghosts so they won't steal the money intended for their ancestors.
Many places across the country choose to eat ducks during the middle of the seventh lunar month, as ducks swim in water, symbolizing the meaning of river lanterns for the salvation of souls. There is also a saying that "duck" means "press", a homophone, and eating ducks is meant to "press" the "spirits", but this explanation seems a bit forced because in many areas, "duck" and "press" are not pronounced the same. People in Dongguan usually eat lotus root stewed duck.
Praying for a Bountiful Harvest
The custom of offering sacrifices and praying for a bountiful harvest often go hand in hand during the middle of the seventh lunar month. During the night of the offerings, every household burns incense and prays for a good harvest of rice, then inserts incense sticks into the ground, which is called "plowing the fields" (planting seedlings), and the more you plant, the better, symbolizing a bountiful autumn harvest.
Dancing with Lanterns
In areas like Tendeng in Guangxi, there is a tradition of dancing with lanterns during the middle of the seventh lunar month. In the past, the activity of dancing with lanterns was often associated with religious events such as welcoming deities and driving away plagues, but it has gradually developed into a form of folk sports. Dancing with lanterns usually takes place on flat grounds near the village entrance, with 72 small bowls filled with soybean oil arranged in nine rows, spaced 0.8 to 1 meter apart. The dancers wear masks and carry instruments such as wooden fish, small drums, gongs, and cymbals, and some carry sticks with paper flowers. It starts with one person leading the beat of the wooden fish, and then everyone jumps and dances rhythmically through each row of lamps. At the corners of the rows, everyone performs some dance moves and turns, blowing and beating the instruments and props they hold. At night, watching the dance with lanterns is like seeing a long dragon moving in the starlight.
Releasing the Flame Mouth
One important activity during the Ullambana Assembly is "Releasing the Flame Mouth." "Flame Mouth" refers to hungry ghosts in Buddhist teachings, and the purpose of this activity is to liberate the souls of the dead and offer food to lonely and wandering spirits. "Releasing the Flame Mouth" is usually conducted in the evening or at night and can last for a long time, sometimes until early next morning. First, monks recite scriptures and perform rituals, and finally, the host sprinkles rice and clean water around, offering food to the spirits.
Every evening on the fourteenth or fifteenth of the seventh lunar month, incense is burned and firecrackers are set off outside the house, along with "burning packages" (also called "recommending packages").
Sacrificing to the Earth God
During the middle of the seventh lunar month, it is also common to sacrifice to the Earth God and the crops. Offerings are scattered into the fields. After burning paper money, five-colored paper strips are cut into small pieces and wrapped around the ears of crops. It is said that this can prevent hailstorms and ensure a bountiful autumn harvest. Some places also conduct sacrifices at the Temple of the Earth God. In Dingxiang County, people hang millet and grain at the door.
Releasing River Lamps
River lamps, also known as "lotus lamps," are typically placed with a lamp or candle on the base and floated on rivers, lakes, and seas during the Zhongyuan Festival. Releasing river lamps during the Zhongyuan Festival is said to have evolved from the tradition of hanging lights on the Lantern Festival (the first day of the first lunar month). The folk believe that the Lantern Festival is a human festival, while the Zhongyuan Festival is a ghost festival. Humans are yang, ghosts are yin, land is yang, water is yin, so the lanterns are hung on land during the Lantern Festival and on water during the Zhongyuan Festival. [2] The dark and mysterious water makes people think of the legendary underground hell, where souls are trapped. Hence, the lanterns are hung on land during the Lantern Festival and on water during the Zhongyuan Festival. [32] Nowadays, releasing river lamps has become an enjoyable activity. According to the Buddhist rituals of the Ullambana Assembly, releasing river lamps is just a minor part and not particularly significant. However, in the folk customs of the Zhongyuan Festival, releasing lamps is relatively important.
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