The Xiayuan Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month in China, is one of the traditional “Three Yuan Festivals.”
Alongside the Shangyuan Festival (Lantern Festival) on the 15th of the first lunar month and the Zhongyuan Festival on the 15th of the seventh lunar month, it forms a trio of occasions deeply rooted in ancient Chinese natural worship and religious culture.
Origins and Meaning
The Xiayuan Festival is closely linked to Taoist beliefs. Taoism venerates the “Three Officials” (San Guan): the Official of Heaven who bestows happiness, the Official of Earth who grants pardon, and the Water Official (Shuiguan) who dispels misfortune.
The 15th day of the 10th lunar month is considered the birthday of the Water Official, known as the “Day of the Water Official’s Solving of Adversity.” People believe that on this day, the Water Official investigates human affairs, records deeds, and reports to Heaven, helping to relieve people’s hardships and disasters.
The Water Official is often associated with the ancient hero Da Yu, who tamed the floods, adding a layer of cultural depth to the festival’s significance.
The festival also incorporates elements of agricultural celebration. As the 10th lunar month often coincides with the end of the autumn harvest, it became a time for people to give thanks for nature’s bounty and pray for favorable weather in the future.
Traditional Customs and Practices
Customs for the Xiayuan Festival are rich and varied, blending religious ceremonies with folk activities:
•Taoist Ceremonies:
Taoist temples hold rituals where followers observe fasting, chant scriptures, and make offerings, praying for the Water Official’s intervention to resolve troubles and bring peace.
•Ancestor Worship:
Families prepare feasts to honor their ancestors, expressing remembrance and respect, and praying for the family’s safety and prosperity. In some places, people burn “gold and silver paper” as offerings to the deceased.
•Praying to Deities:
In many areas, people make offerings to water gods, earth gods, or other deities, thanking them for the harvest and praying for good fortune in the coming year. For instance, in Putian, Fujian Province, people make offerings to the water god in the fields, hoping for well-watered winter crops.
•Craftsmen Worship the Furnace God:
Practitioners of metalworking and related trades pay homage to the deified Laozi as the “Furnace God” on this day, praying for safety and smooth production.
Special Festival Foods
Festive foods are an essential part of the celebration:
•Dou Ni Gu Duo (豆泥骨朵):
In Beijing, these are steamed buns with a sweet red bean paste filling. Historically, they were a special seasonal treat for the festival.
•Ma Fu Buns (麻腐包子):
In places like Fujian, buns are made with a dough incorporating hemp seed residue and stuffed with vegetable fillings.
•Ciba or Rice Cakes (糍粑/米果):
In southern China, it’s common to use newly harvested glutinous rice to make sticky rice cakes or other rice-based treats, symbolizing a bountiful harvest, which are shared with friends and relatives.
Modern Significance
While celebrations for the Xiayuan Festival are not as widespread as they once were, its core cultural values remain worthy of attention. It embodies positive Chinese wishes like reverence for nature, gratitude to ancestors, and the pursuit of peace and safety, along with an optimistic spirit of actively seeking to “resolve adversity” in the face of difficulties.
Today, some traditional customs are still preserved in regions like Putian, Fujian, and Chaoshan, Guangdong. As an important part of China’s intangible cultural heritage, the Xiayuan Festival reminds people to remember tradition and pass on the wisdom and humanistic care embedded within it.
The Xiayuan Festival is not only a window into understanding Chinese Taoist culture and agricultural traditions but also a unique occasion to appreciate the enduring Chinese hope for health, peace, and smooth sailing in life.
There are no comments yet, come and comment~