What festival is August 23rd?
After beginning of autumn, it means that autumn has officially entered, but the hot weather is not over yet, and we will welcome an "autumn tiger" again. Autumn is the harvest season, and water and land are the harvest season.
In 2023, after the beginning of autumn solar term, August 23rd will be the summer solar term. This solar term is the14th solar term among 24 solar terms. After this solar term, it means the end of the hot summer, and cool weather will come, because when the sun is in summer, the height of the sun will decrease, the heat will weaken, and the weather will naturally cool.
In ancient times, people relied on solar terms to distinguish the mature seasons of crops. Summer is such an important solar term, representing the moment of harvest. There is a corresponding custom on this day, praying for a good harvest between heaven and earth.
Summer customs:
1, discharge lamp
River lanterns, also known as "lotus lanterns", are generally performed on the banks of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. Legend has it that river lanterns can eliminate disasters and avoid disasters, and gradually become folk entertainment and harvest celebration activities.
splash
Water splashing is a folk custom of the Dai people in Yunnan. Before and after the summer solar term, Dai people will set up colorful sheds in spacious and easy-to-gather places such as streets and village squares to worship various gods. Everyone will sit around the colorful shed, beating gongs and drums, singing and dancing, splashing water and playing, praying for good weather and abundant crops.
2. ancestor worship
Around the summer vacation, there will be folk activities to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as "July 30" or "Mid-Autumn Festival". In the old society, people began to open the gate of hell on the first day of July, and it didn't end until the end of the month. During this period, Purdue giving activities were held.
Step 3 worship the land
The summer solar term coincides with the harvest season of crops, and farmers hold various ceremonies to thank the land god. Some killed animals to worship in the land temple, some planted flags in the middle of the field to express their gratitude, and some didn't wash their feet when they came home from work in the field on this day, for fear of washing away the harvest.
On July 15th, offering sacrifices to land and crops is still a folk custom. Scatter sacrifices in the fields. After burning the paper, wrap it on the ears of crops with cut five-color paper. Legend has it that autumn can avoid hail and get a bumper harvest. At the same time, some places have to go to Houtu Temple to offer sacrifices. Hemp and valley are hung at the gate of Dingxiang county folk custom.