The Moon Festival: A Time-Honored Tradition
The 15th day of the 8th lunar month marks the Mid-Autumn Festival, a celebration of the year’s brightest and most beautiful full moon. This festival, also known as the Moon Festival, holds a special place in traditional holidays, second only to the Tet New Year celebration. It is a time for family reunions, moon worship, and prayers for a bountiful harvest. Admiring the moon while sipping tea and savoring delicious mooncakes is a beloved tradition during this festive occasion.
## Auspicious Timing for the Mid-Autumn Festival Ceremony
This year, the most auspicious times to hold the ceremony are:
– Hour of the Cat (5 a.m. – 7 a.m.): A time considered auspicious by the legendary educator, Quỷ Cốc Tử. It is also known as the Quý Đăng Thiên Môn hour.
– Hour of the Dragon (7 a.m. – 9 a.m.): A period marked by the presence of the Yellow Road, a concept in Chinese astrology indicating a favorable time, along with the Four Great Auspicious Times.
– Hour of the Snake (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.): Another hour on the Yellow Road, featuring the Quý Đăng Thiên Môn and the presence of the Phúc Tinh Quý Nhân, a benevolent deity.
– Hour of the Goat (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.): Yet another hour on the Yellow Road, with the Quý Đăng Thiên Môn in effect.
– Hour of the Rooster (5 p.m. – 7 p.m.): An hour favored by Quỷ Cốc Tử, with the presence of the benevolent deities Thiên Ất and Dương Quý Nhân.
## The Moon Festival Prayer
### Prayer for Ancestors
We respectfully bow before the Supreme Ruler of Heaven and the God of Earth, along with all revered deities.
We bow before the local deity, the City God, the local Earth God, and the Kitchen God, along with all other revered deities.
We bow before our ancestors: our great-grandparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, cousins, and other relatives, both from the paternal and maternal sides of the family.
Your faithful follower(s), [insert name(s)], residing at [insert address],
Today, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, as we celebrate the Moon Festival, we humbly offer our prayers, along with flowers, fruits, incense, and tea. We invite you, our ancestors, to join us in this special occasion.
We respectfully invite the local deity, the City God, along with the other revered deities, the Kitchen God, the Five Directions, the Dragon Vein, and the God of Wealth, to witness our sincerity and accept our offerings.
We also invite our departed ancestors—our great-grandparents, grandparents, and other beloved ancestors—to witness our devotion and accept our humble offerings.
We invite the previous and current owners of this home and land to join us in this celebration. May you bless us with good health, peace, and prosperity. May we be free from hardships and enjoy abundance in all four seasons and glory in the eight cardinal directions.
Our offerings may be modest, but they are presented with utmost sincerity. We pray for your blessings and protection.
Respectfully yours,
### Prayer for Deities and the Earth God
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat!
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat!
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat!
We bow before the Nine Heavens, the Ten Directions, and the Buddha in all his forms.
We respectfully bow before the Supreme Ruler of Heaven and the God of Earth, along with all revered deities.
We bow before the local deity, the City God, and the Eastern God.
We bow before the Earth God, the Dragon Vein, and the Five Directions, along with the Gods of Wealth and Blessings.
We bow before the previous and current owners of this land and the Gods of Wealth who preside over this area.
Your faithful follower(s), [insert name(s)], residing at [insert address],
On this 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the year of the Dragon, we, your faithful followers, humbly offer our prayers, along with incense, flowers, fruits, and other offerings. We invite the God of the Year, the City God, the Kitchen God, the Earth God, the Dragon Vein, the Five Directions, and the Gods of Wealth and Blessings, to witness our sincerity and accept our humble offerings.
May you bestow your blessings upon us, ensuring peace and prosperity for our family. May each of us enjoy good health, prosperity, and spiritual growth. May our wishes be granted, and may we find fulfillment in all our endeavors.
Our offerings may be modest, but they are presented with utmost sincerity. We pray for your blessings and protection.
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat!
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat!
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat!
## Important Notes on the Moon Festival Offerings
The ancestral altar during the Moon Festival usually includes sticky rice, chicken, fruits, mooncakes, tea, betel, and candles. The autumn season is associated with certain fruits like custard apples, pomegranates, apples, pomelos, and bananas.
When celebrating the Moon Festival with a feast, it is customary to include autumn fruits such as custard apples, bananas, pomelos, apples, and pomegranates. Traditional foods like pomelo dogs, mooncakes, young rice flakes, lanterns, and star-shaped lanterns are also part of the celebration. Ripe bananas are typically used for the offerings, ensuring they are ready to be enjoyed afterward.
*This information is provided for reference and spiritual contemplation.*
## Moon Festival: A Family Affair
The Moon Festival is a time for families to come together and celebrate with a grand feast.
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