The Midyear Festival, also known as the "Ghost Festival" and "Obon Festival", is one of the most precious intangible cultural heritages of the Chinese nation, carrying profound historical and cultural heritage. This section covers the concepts of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, which were widely popular in ancient times and became a festival with a wide audience and a high degree of importance.
The Zhongyuan Festival originated from the ancient autumn taste custom, and during the Wei and Jin dynasties, Buddhism and Taoism injected religious factors into it, especially the Buddhist "Obon" inheritance is the most extensive. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Zhongyuan Festival gradually replaced the Buddhist Obon Festival and was revered by the rulers of the Tang Dynasty. From the emperors and generals to the monks and the common people, they all named the "Zhongyuan Festival" with local cultural characteristics on July 15. After the Southern Song Dynasty, the Zhongyuan Festival flourished in the south, integrating Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and folk beliefs, and evolved into a folk festival integrating ancestor worship, recommending the dead, and promoting filial piety, as well as ceremonial and entertaining, and continues to this day.
The fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar coincides with the time of Mengqiu, and the Zhongyuan Festival was originally the Taoist name for the fifteenth day of July. In the early days of Taoism, heaven, earth, and water were regarded as the three basic elements that nourish all things in the world, namely the "three elements". The fifteenth day of the first month is the upper yuan, the fifteenth day of the seventh month is the middle yuan, and the fifteenth day of October is the lower yuan. This constitutes the Taoist understanding of the triadic system of the world. Legend has it that on the 15th day of the seventh month, the earth's official forgiveness of sins will bring the spirits of the dead back to the sun, and the souls of the ancestors will inevitably return home. Therefore, future generations need to set up incense tables, welcome the spirits of the ancestors, and worship the ancestors. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the influence of Taoism was relatively low compared to Buddhism, and the Zhongyuan Festival was not widely spread among the people. However, with the expansion of the influence of the Buddhist festival of Obon, Taoism adjusted the timing of the festival in due course, changing the day of Zhonghui, which was originally attached to July 7, to July 15, in order to expand its influence with the influence of Obon.
Obon is not an Indian Buddhist scripture, but was adapted by a Chinese monk based on the relevant records in the Indian Buddhist scriptures. The original meaning is "to relieve the upside down", that is, to relieve the hardship. However, when festivals were introduced to China, they were misunderstood as pots for flowers and fruits. Obon is a touching story of filial piety and revolves around Meren's attempt to save his mother from the suffering of hungry ghosts. It is said that on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the earth officials forgave the sins and let the spirits of the deceased return to the sun, and the souls of the ancestors returned home. In order to express their gratitude to their parents, Buddhists will make offerings of all kinds of fruits and worship their ancestors. Obon was originally created to transcend and liberate the souls of the dead who were suffering in samsara, including the souls of seven generations of ancestors. This fasting meeting was originally set up for the Buddhists**, and it is a collective, large-scale Buddhist activity to purify all the ghosts.
Although the Obon Sutra is not an Indian Buddhist scripture, it was adapted in Middle-earth and became the fundamental basis for the Obon Festival. The scripture means "to relieve the upside down" and is a symbol of relieving hardship. However, with the introduction of festivals to China, people misunderstood its meaning and understood it as a potting vessel for flowers and fruits. In the literature, people used bamboo as a round frame and lotus leaves as a cover to store various foods, and placed a portrait of Mulian Mu for sacrifice. For a long time, Obon has been the subject of much attention, and people have been making obon with great care and spending their hearts and minds on the holiday decorations.
Although Obon has its origins in religious ceremonies, its influence has gradually spread to a wide range of people. After the Buddhist culture was introduced to Middle-earth, combined with China's local filial piety culture, the original Buddhist interpretation day evolved into the Obon Festival, which was deeply believed by the people. Since Emperor Wu of Liang in the Southern Dynasty, every year on July 15, both the emperor and the common people will participate in the temple's fasting meeting. Over time, Obon has evolved from a religious festival to a folk festival that continues to this day. The combination of Obon and the ancient Chinese custom of tasting autumn and worshipping ancestors makes July 15 a special place in traditional Chinese festivals.
Although the Obon festival was originally religious, its profound history and legends have added a unique meaning to the festival. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism blended in the Midyear Festival, forming a unique appearance of Chinese folk customs. Obon is not only a tribute to ancestors, but also a transmission of filial piety. Today, this ancient festival shines brightly in the traditional culture of the Chinese nation, conveying touching and profound feelings of longing for future generations.
The article "Sacrificial Inheritance: The Historical Evolution of Chinese Folk Obon Festival" details the origin, development and evolution of the Zhongyuan Festival and the Obon Festival, presenting the rich connotation of this ancient festival. With clear logic, rich historical details, and in-depth cultural interpretation, this article gives readers a more comprehensive understanding of the Midyear Festival and the Obon Festival.
First of all, this article introduces the origin of the Zhongyuan Festival, pointing out that it is influenced by Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, forming a festival with a wide audience and a high degree of attention. This not only shows the extent of the popularity of the festival in ancient times, but also reveals the contribution of different religious cultures in its evolution. This creates a clear understanding of the roots of the Midyear Festival for the reader.
Secondly, the article details the connection between the Zhongyuan Festival and Taoism, and emphasizes its sacrificial rituals for the Mengqiu season. By introducing the Taoist understanding of the world's triad system, as well as the legend of the local official's forgiveness of sins on July 15, readers have a deeper understanding of the place of the Zhongyuan Festival in Taoist culture. This part not only enriches the cultural connotation of the article, but also makes the celebration of the Midyear Festival have a more specific ritual background.
The article goes on to introduce the origin of Obon, highlighting filial piety and longing for the dead. By revealing the touching story of filial piety unfolded by Muren to save his mother, and the fact that Obon was originally a religious ritual for the transcendent of the dead, readers will have a deeper understanding of the meaning of Obon. This verse teases out the origins of Obon and emphasizes its religious nature as originally designed for the transcendence of the dead.
Further, the article points out the misunderstanding of the term "untie the upside-down hanging" and understands it as a pot vessel that holds flowers and fruits. By introducing the origin of the Obon Sutra and the evolution of the Bon Sutra, readers will gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between Obon in religious ceremonies and festivals.
Finally, the article emphasizes the inheritance and evolution of Obon, especially its transition from a religious festival to a folk festival. After the introduction of Buddhist culture to Middle-earth, combined with China's local filial piety culture, Obon became the focus of people's beliefs. This section is clearly focused, presenting readers with a picture of the continuous inheritance of Obon in the long history.
Overall, this review provides an in-depth interpretation and commentary on "The Inheritance of Sacrifices: The Historical Evolution of Chinese Folk Obon Festival". Through detailed statements of fact.
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