Gui Yuxing Sports | Moonlight asks not of dreamers; time never lets down those who are earnest.


2021-09-22

Gui Yuxing Sports

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, heralding the Mid-Autumn Festival of reunion.

The Milky Way is sparse, yet every encounter brings a cherished moment.

When the flowers bloom and the moon is full, you and I share the beauty of the night.

1. Eating mooncakes is the principal custom of the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to existing records, the practice of consuming mooncakes originated as early as the Tang Dynasty; by the Song Dynasty, mooncakes had acquired elegant names such as “golden flowers” and “hibiscus,” and their preparation had become even more refined.
2. Moon worship: In ancient times, there was a custom of worshipping the moon at dusk in autumn; “xiyue” referred to the ritual of paying homage to the moon deity.

3. Moon-gazing: On every Mid-Autumn night, people hold ceremonies to welcome the cold and worship the moon, setting up incense altars laden with food and wine, and gathering together to admire the moon.

Origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival:
“The Mid-Autumn Festival originated in the sacrificial rituals of ancient emperors. According to the Book of Rites, ‘In spring, the Son of Heaven worships the sun; in autumn, he worships the moon.’ Worshipping the moon in autumn—known as ‘xiyue’—indicates that as early as the Spring and Autumn period, emperors had already begun to offer sacrifices to and pay homage to the moon. Later, aristocrats, officials, and scholar-officials followed suit, and over time, this custom spread to the common people.”

 

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon-Worshipping Festival, the Birthday of the Moon, the Moon Evening, the Autumn Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Moon-Bowing Festival, the Moon Lady’s Festival, the Moon Festival, and the Reunion Festival, is a traditional folk holiday in China.