Why is the Mid-Autumn Festival called Ghost Festival?
Why is the Mid-Autumn Festival called Ghost Festival in legend? From July 1st every year, Yan ordered to open the gates of hell, so that those ghosts who have suffered and been imprisoned in hell all the year round can get out of hell, get a short wandering and enjoy human blood. Therefore, people call July a ghost month, and this month is considered an unlucky month. They are neither married nor moved. On this night, people should not only worship their ancestors, but also prepare some dishes, wine, rice, gold and silver clothes and paper to worship ghosts and gods at the intersection.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a complicated festival, which is not only a folk ghost festival, but also a Taoist Mid-Autumn Festival, a Buddhist orchid festival and a festival integrating Buddhism and Taoism.
Taoism has so-called heavenly officials, local officials and water officials, which are collectively called the three officials. These three officials are the representatives sent to the world by the Jade Emperor. Every year, they inspect the good and evil on earth and report to heaven. The birthdays of the three officials are the fifteenth day of the first month, the fifteenth day of July and the fifteenth day of October, also known as Sanyuan. July 15th, known as the Central Plains, was the time when local officials were pardoned. On this day, he will take out a thick roster and draw a picture according to the performance of immortals, mortals and animals, so as to atone and avoid punishment. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, people engage in some sacrificial activities to save those ghosts and ghosts, which should be related to the forgiveness of sins by local officials.
July 15, is the bonin festival of Buddhism. It is said that Sakyamuni had a disciple named Mulian. Although her mother is young and beautiful, she has no good words and deeds, loves money and is stingy, and especially hates monks. After her death, she was thrown into the ranks of evil spirits. In accordance with the instructions of the Buddhist group, Mulian prepared all kinds of fruits and utensils on July 15th and put them into pots to support ten monks. Her mother just left the evil world and ascended to heaven. In view of this, the Buddha, by extension, asked Buddhist disciples to be filial, making bonsai, being a Buddha and being a monk on July 15th every year to repay their parents' kindness. The significance of Buddhist bonsai coincides with Confucian filial piety, and this day has become a ghost festival for folk sacrifices to deceased parents and ancestors.
The "Orchid Festival" has a long history in Liang Wudi and matured in the Song Dynasty. After being attacked by Taoism, this festival became the "local officials' festival" among the three officials' festivals (namely, heavenly officials, local officials and water officials). Local officials are in charge of hell, so people say: on this day, the leader has a holiday, and the hell is unguarded. The dead in the underworld will return to the world along the light of the Milky Way. Therefore, every household puts on river lanterns in order to continue the galactic road in the world and meet their ancestors. Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival is also called "Ghost Festival".
Conclusion The above is what I brought to you for reference only. In fact, when you are free, you can learn about the sources of other festivals and why there is such an auspicious day. I think it's quite interesting after learning about it, but it looks a bit like the horror of Halloween. I'm leaving first!