Zhongyuan 中元 — Mid-Year
Overview
Zhongyuan falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month and is the middle of the three 'yuan' observances. Its concern is the dead who have no one to tend them.
Meaning
The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month — the observance for the unattended dead.
Traditional Interpretation
The festival combines a Daoist and a Buddhist layer and is the year's second observance for the dead, distinct from Qingming: Qingming tends family graves, Zhongyuan makes offerings to those with no family to do it.
Related Concepts
FAQ
What is zhongyuan 中元 — mid-year in the Chinese calendar?
The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month — the observance for the unattended dead. Zhongyuan falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month and is the middle of the three 'yuan' observances. Its concern is the dead who have no one to tend them.
When does zhongyuan 中元 — mid-year fall?
Its date is set by the lunar month, so it moves against the solar calendar. The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month — the observance for the unattended dead. The Qingming/Zhongyuan distinction is the cleanest in the calendar — one is familial and specific, the other is general and charitable, and the sources keep them separate.
How is zhongyuan 中元 — mid-year read in Chinese tradition?
The festival combines a Daoist and a Buddhist layer and is the year's second observance for the dead, distinct from Qingming: Qingming tends family graves, Zhongyuan makes offerings to those with no family to do it. It is grouped under Water (水) in the five-element system.
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