What are the customs of Xiayuan Festival? Have you heard of these folk customs?

What are the customs of the Lower Yuan Festival? The Xiayuan Festival is an ancient Chinese festival for worshipping ancestors and is associated with a variety of folk customs. Friends who are interested, let us learn about it together.

What are the customs of Xiayuan Festival?

Ancestor worship

The Lower Yuan Festival, the Zhongyuan Festival and the Shangyuan Festival are collectively known as the "Three Yuans" and are all traditional Chinese sacrificial festivals. Although many people don't know much about the Xiayuan Festival, the folk custom of worshiping ancestors during the Xiayuan Festival is still preserved in many places. The form of ancestor worship may vary according to local customs. The general process is: when the moon comes out on the Lower Yuan Festival, place the family tree, ancestral portraits, tablets, etc. in the upper hall of the house, then set up the offering table, arrange the incense burner and offerings, and begin to worship the souls of the ancestors and pray for their blessings.

Pray to the gods

It is said that the Lower Yuan Festival is the birthday of the Water God, and rural families hold related sacrificial activities. Before nightfall on the day of the Lower Yuan Festival, every household in Putian, Fujian Province, would offer sacrifices to the water god in their own fields. Generally, vegetarian food is placed on the table and incense sticks are scattered on the ridges of the fields to show loyalty. The purpose is to pray for moisture in the dry winter so that the crops can survive the winter safely.

Fasting and offering sacrifices

During the Lower Yuan Festival, Taoist temples hold related fasting ceremonies. Because the Lower Yuan Festival is also a day for fasting as stipulated in Taoist fasting rules, Taoism believes that fasting is necessary for anything that requires relying on divine power, such as praying for blessings, warding off disasters, relieving suffering, apologizing, seeking immortality, prolonging life, and saving the souls of the deceased, etc. If you are interested, you can go to a nearby Taoist temple to participate in the fasting ceremony on the day of the Lower Yuan Festival.

Dietary Customs

Food customs are also an important part of festival customs. Since ancient times, there has been a custom among the people to eat meat during the Lower Yuan Festival. As the folk custom goes: "Eat glutinous rice cake in the morning and fish in the evening." On the day of the Lower Yuan Festival, people usually eat glutinous rice cake, glutinous rice cake, taro buns, etc. in the morning. After the Lower Yuan Festival, the family will gather together to eat sumptuous dishes. Meat, fish, pork, etc. are all indispensable festive delicacies on the table.