Double Sixth Festival
double sixth festival chinese 六月六 chinese traditional festival annual festival take place sixth day sixth month chinese calendar festival different name among different area china varies practice within chinese ethnic group recognized official name tiankuang festival 天贶节 announced emperor zhenzong song dynasty meaning gift reward heaven wellknown custom bring outfit book put sunlight people believe would prevent thing becoming mildewed damaged worm also brings fortune old saying ming dynasty china classifies behavior observed different social class june scholar dry book sun woman dry clothes sun farmer pray harvest festival lost significance china change social structure reason like farming technology improvement origin festival follows qin dynasty first unification china first emperor qin shi huang went mount tai offer ritual sacrifice heaven record double sixth festival found song dynasty china emperor zhao heng song zhen zong announced tian kuang official name double sixth festival claimed heaven blessing received scripture heaven showed wise ruler enlightened emperor could govern country bring peace everyone emperor set day received sacred revelation holiday everyone celebrate emperor zhao heng reconstructed dai temple mount tai central religious construct taoism main place show emperor authority relation heaven emperor zhao heng renamed central building dai temple tian kuang hall buddhist hold different claim festival originated legend xuan zang tang dynasty sea water dampened volume scripture brought back india dry holy scripture sun people believed following xuan zang putting thing sunlight receive blessing heaven name double sixth festival han chinese culture double sixth festival called gu gu jie 姑姑节 tian kuang jie 天贶节 han people name gu gu jie 姑姑节 composed three chinese character two identical chinese character gu gu 姑姑 mean female relative jie 节 mean festival name tian kuang jie天贶节 composed three character tian天 represents sky heaven place spirit life kuang贶 stand gift reward heaven jie节 mean festival mythology han people gu gu jie 姑姑节 legend fall spring autumn period china official country jin called hu yan made mistake caused death daughter fatherinlaw soninlaw wanted kill revenge hu yans daughter struggled told father plan hu yan realized mistake wanted correct mistake later blame soninlaw wanting revenge asked daughter soninlaw family reunion every june legend come old saying get gu gu back home june 六月六，请姑姑 tian kuang jie 天贶节 detail history part practice day festival parent invite married daughter son law back home maintain harmony good relationship daughter would take child parent house leave mark childrens forehead returning frighten away evil spirit pray good fortune day people would eat wheat flour baked mixed hot water flavored sugar salt people believe eating wheat flour june would cure diarrhea woman henan province would cook dumpling day would sweep ancestor grave come back home name double sixth festival man chinese culture double sixth festival called chong wang jie 虫王节 man people name chong wang jie 虫王节 composed three chinese character chong 虫 mean worm wang 王 mean king jie 节 mean festival literal meaning chong wang jie 虫王节 festival king worm mythology man people man people believe exists king worm people offer sacrifice june king worm keep worm away seedling practice protect crop worm man people gathered round local chong wang temple celebrate festival offer food live stock king worm pray good harvest temple would give white flag people offered sacrifice let put flag side farmland people believe king worm would recognize keep worm away flagged farmland name double sixth festival bai chinese culture double sixth festival called qing miao jie 青苗节 bai people name qing miao jie 青苗节 composed three chinese character qing青 mean color green miao苗 mean seedling jie节 mean festival literal meaning qing miao jie 青苗节 mean festival green seedling mythology bai people bai people believe legend spirit called qing miao tai zi 青苗太子 prince seeding spirit ability control process seeding celebration make spirit happy would give bless harvest practice bai people usually celebrate festival local wu gu miao 五谷庙 temple grain village would offer pig qing miao tai zi temple would give flag family plug flag side farm land ensure land blessing qing miao tai zi name double sixth festival chinese ethnicities’ culture double sixth festival called shai yi jie 晒衣节 yao tujia buyi people name shai yi jie composed three chinese character shai晒 mean put something sunlight yi衣 mean clothes jie节 mean festival literal meaning shai yi jie festival put clothes sunlight mythology people legend yao tujia buyi people say sunlight june magical power would prevent clothes book damaged worm get mildewed would also help people avoid evil spirit practice yao tujia people would prepare food festival would eat chicken duck day festival people would get sun rise young people would listen elder order take outfit book decoration house put ground put bamboo pole dryer would organize stuff back original place pm sun go every family would stand ground wave sun show respect appreciation sun family would enjoy groaning board buyi people would make rice cake traditional food zongji festival day festival people would gather around drink self made alcohol together play local musical instrument commemorate ancestor name double sixth festival chinese ethnicities’ culture double sixth festival called hua er hui 花儿会 hui tu miao baoan sala dongxiang yugu people name composed three chinese character hua花 er儿 mean flower hui会 mean fair literal meaning hua er hui花儿会 flower fair actual meaning songfest flower mythology people tu people believe old day couple would sing beautiful song flower powerful official imprisoned man couple ordered sing voice broke woman cried lover tear became magic spring used cure man eye magic spring helped lot people gathered sing song show appreciation spring june miao people believed brutal emperor put heavy tax people forced people work day night young man named fu lou mei decided kill emperor family friend order kill emperor practiced archery planned take action june failed assassination captured killed soldier miao people decided set day memorial day hold songfest year exact record tracked legend hui baoan sala dongxiang yugu people double sixth festival practice people would hold songfest four five day would wear formal ethnic clothe exchange song flower love historical event start solo two people sing together people join would singing competition young people would use songfest opportunity make friend express love others singing idea tian kuang jie originated qin shi huang first emperor china went mount tai offer sacrifice heaven announce relation emperor heaven dai temple built site ritual ritual became compulsory every emperor succeeding dynasty offering sacrifice heaven dai temple emperor emphasizing special relation heaven— selfassumed son heaven song dynasty emperor zhao heng claimed received scripture heaven june reconstructed dai temple renamed main hall tian kuang hall prove religious appreciation heaven temple renovated expanded zhao hengs offspring emperor succeeding dynasty tan hou double sixth festival picture book wu chaozhu xiang hua illus cai gao tr helen wang balestier press httpmwomenofchinacnwomenofchinaxhtmlculturelifestylehtm archived april wayback machine httpsarchiveshinecnfeatureartandculturegettingthehangofthingsforclothesdryingfestivalshdailyshtml