Chinese people or descendants hoping to find a partner or tie the knot are set to ask the god of marriage and love, Yue Lao, for his blessing during the Moon Festival on September 10.
The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar with a full moon at night.
‘Old Man under the Moon’
Yue Lao, also known as “Old Man under the Moon”, is a god of marriage and love in Chinese mythology.
The statue holds a book of marriage and, according to belief, lists who is going to marry whom, while he holds a cane in his right hand. The red cords he is seen carrying are for tying around the hand of a couple.
Chinese legend has it that a young man named Wei Gu met an old man leaning on his pack reading a book in the moonlight. The old man, carrying a list in his hand, introduced himself as someone responsible for matching couples.
He pointed to a picture of a three-year-old girl and told Wei Gu that she would become his wife later in life. Wei Gu did not love or even like her, so he ordered someone to assassinate the girl. But she survived.
After several years, she grew into a beautiful young woman but had a tell-tale wound on her eyebrow – the wound that carried the scar of the assassination. Wei Gu later married her, not knowing then that she was the little girl he wanted killed. When he asked about the wound and the girl explained how she got it, he knew she was the girl the old man said he would marry.
Other blessings
Apart from seeking a blessing for love, people also pray for other blessings:
Praying for prosperity: This part of the festival is celebrated after the harvesting season. People make mooncakes to share with others.
Praying for love and unity: Apart from the legend, mooncakes were used by revolutionaries as messages in their efforts to overthrow the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. Chinese also see the moon as a medium for sending their love and best regards to family members and relatives.
Praying for fortune, money and love: In astrology, the moon represents the female form, fortune, charm, and kindness. Therefore, worshipping the moon is believed to bring fortune and love.
Worshipping the moon
- A site is prepared in the open from which the moon can be seen clearly.
- A table of offerings is set up and the area decorated with lamps.
- Offerings are placed on the table and include mooncakes (even numbers), clean water, things relating to beauty – such as perfume or face powder – fresh flowers, three to five fruits, tea, three to five incense sticks, two red candles, and also gold and silver papers.
- The table is always set up before the evening and cleaned before the moon moves directly overhead.
- Worshipping is carried out in the evening facing the east, with prayers being offered for love, charm, kindness, career, and good fortune. The food offering is eaten when the incense nearly burns out and clean water is sprinkled on one’s body.
Published : August 31, 2022
By : THE NATION