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Did China’s Zhong Qiu Jie originate from Silla?

  In 1996, Chinese scholar Xiong Fei claimed that Zhong Qiu Jie originated from Silla, citing Ennin’s 『The Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law, Ennin's Diary』. However, in the year 2000, Yang Lin denied the Silla-origin theory, stating, “Given that Zhong Qiu Jie was already in existence and the Tang Dynasty was in a culturally dominant position, it is unlikely that they would have imported a traditional holiday from a smaller state like Silla.” In 2003, Liu Dezeng revived the Silla-origin theory, arguing, “Zhong Qiu Jie cannot be considered a traditional holiday due to its limited participation, and Silla’s traditional holiday influenced the Tang people, who had a penchant for foreign customs.” In 2008, Huang Tao criticized the Silla-origin theory once again, asserting, “Zhong Qiu Jie originated from the Tang Dynasty’s custom of appreciating the moon”. He also claimed that “we need to point out that the inclusion of Korea’s Dano national holiday as a UNESCO in 2005 intangible cultural heritage of humanity raises the alarm for China’s cultural heritage protection, and we should be cautious about the debate on the origin of the Mid-autumn festival (Korea’s Chuseok and China’s Zhong Qiu Jie)”.

  On May 20, 2006, China’s State Council registered Zhong Qiu Jie as a ‘national-level intangible cultural heritage’, and in 2008, it approved the ‘Plan of National Holiday and

Memorial Day Leave’, designating Zhong Qiu Jie as a legal holiday.

Gabae: A Festive Celebration in Silla that United Society

  The Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple is located to the south of Chishan mountain in the northern part of Shidao Town, Rongcheng City, Shandong Province. The Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple, which served as a center for trade with the Tang Dynasty and maritime exchanges, was a spiritual center for Silla people residing in Tang. The Japanese monk Ennin, with the help of Jang Bogo, stayed at the Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple about eight months, from June 7, 839 to February 19, 840. Ennin described the August 15th of traditional holiday at the Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple in his diary, 『The Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law』.

On the August 15th, a traditional holiday, foods such as Bakdon and Byeongsik are prepared on the altar in the Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple. This traditional holiday does not yet exist in other countries, only in Silla. According to the old monks, 'Silla once waged a war against Balhae and celebrated this day as a traditional holiday to commemorate its victory. On this day, people enjoyed music, dance, and celebrations, and this holiday has been inherited for a long time.” The celebration featured a wide variety of dishes, singing, dancing, performances with wind and string instruments, and feasting that lasted day and night, concluding after three days. Today, people in the Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple have designated this day as a traditional holiday, longing for their homeland. Balhae, previously defeated by Silla, had only around 1,000 people who escaped to the north but later returned and reestablished their nation as it was before, which is now known as Balhae.

  From this record, it is evident that the traditional holiday of the Mountain Chishan Fahua Temple was a grand celebration where many people enjoyed together. Particularly notable is the “unique customs of Silla that are not found in other nations”. According to the old monks of the Fahua Temple, the August 15th of traditional holiday is an inheritance of Silla’s customs. This traditional holiday was called ‘Gabae’ in Silla, which corresponds to ‘Gawi’ of today’s ‘Hangawi’, meaning the “halfway mark of autumn”. In other words, it’s ‘Mid-Autumn’ in Korean word.

  During Gabae, the Silla palace held feasts, officials engaged in archery competitions, and the king awarded horses and textiles as rewards. Women had their hair up in a knot and adorned themselves with silk and beads. And they played weaving games and sang songs such as ‘Hoesu song’ and ‘Chuseok song’ under the leadership of the princess. It is clear from the historical account of Choryong that this was grand traditional holiday where even ordinary people celebrated and enjoyed throughout the night. It is said that people danced and sang to wind and string instruments during the performance, and such scenes can be imagined from the clay figurines of Silla.

Zhong Qiu Jie: Making Offerings to the Rabbit Grandfather

  Most Chinese scholars believe that Zhong Qiu Jie was not an official traditional holiday during the Tang Dynasty. They argue that this is because “Zhong Qiu Jie during the Tang Dynasty was not a holiday, and it was only a convention of appreciating the moon practiced by some upper-class individuals without any literary records”.

  It wasn't until the Northern Song Dynasty that Zhong Qiu Jie became an official traditional holiday. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, there is a record stating that “August 15th is Zhong Qiu Jie”. Zhong Qiu Jie was recognized as a traditional holiday in 1203 during the reign of the Yingzong dynasty through the promulgation of the 「Qingyuan Laws and Regulations」. During the Song Dynasty, a festive dish called ‘Wanwolgeng’ appeared, which is different from the current Zhong Qiu Jie dish, mooncakes. The people of Kaifeng celebrating Zhong Qiu Jie with joy were portrayed in the 『Records of Brilliant Dreams in Tokyo』.

By the time of the Ming Dynasty, families began to gather and share mooncakes, resembling the contemporary customs of Zhong Qiu Jie. According to popular folklore, the tradition of sharing mooncakes during Zhong Qiu Jie is related to the history of resistance against Mongol rule.

“The ruler of the Yuan Dynasty governed ruthlessly. He made every ten houses use only one knife, and sent officials to oversee them to prevent rebellion. The people were so distressed that they decided to use Zhong Qiu Jie as an opportunity for rebellion. They devised a coded message system by writing messages on paper and placing them inside mooncakes to deliver. On the evening of August 15th, when firecrackers went off, everyone rose up together and killed the ruler of the Yuan Dynasty. Soon afterward, the Ming dynasty army, led by Zhu Yuanzhang, overthrew the Yuan Dynasty.”

During the Ming Dynasty, ancestral rites for the Rabbit Deity also became popular. There is a legend in China that says, “A white rabbit residing on the moon pounds medicine in a mortar and bestows blessings upon people”. During the Ming dynasty, there was a severe epidemic in Beijing, and it is said that the angel residing in the moon sent the rabbit in the moon to cure the disease. To express gratitude to this rabbit, people began to create figurines representing rabbit grandfathers to perform ancestral rites. In the Qing Dynasty, the convention of performing ancestral rite to the rabbit grandfather became even more prevalent.

“At every Zhong Qiu Jie, skilled individuals in the market used to craft figurines in the shape of rabbits by kneading red clay known as rabbit grandfathers. Some figurines are dressed in attire and carrying umbrellas, some are wearing armor with large flags, some are riding tigers, and some are sitting silently. These figurines varied in size, with some being about one meter tall and others around 30 centimeters.”

Different Meaning of the Moon

  Korean Thanksgiving Day, namely Chuseok, has begun earlier than Chinese Mid-autumn Day, Zhong Qiu Jie. However, it cannot be sweepingly assumed that Zhong Qiu Jie was influenced by Silla’s Gabae. The reason is that these two traditional holidays are very different in purpose and content. During Chuseok, performing ancestral rites by offering half-moon rice cakes made from newly harvested grains is one of the most crucial aspects of the celebration. In the southern regions, people also offer the newly harvested rice to their ancestors. In addition, various celebrations for a bountiful harvest take place, such as Ganggangsulae, a play of feeding a cow costume, bullfighting, cockfighting, and a play of a straw turtle. Korea’s Chuseok is more about the rituals associated with a bountiful harvest, and appreciating the moon is a side event in Chuseok.

  In contrast, the key focus of China’s Zhong Qiu Jie is ancestral rites related to the moon. Altars are set up around moonrise, and children perform ancestral rites by crafting figurines of rabbits made of clay and placing them on the sacrificial table. These customs are entirely absent in Korea’s Chuseok. In the aspects of traditional holiday foods, there is a distinct difference, such as half-moon rice cakes in Chuseok and mooncakes in Zhong Qiu Jie. Therefore, as of now, it is difficult to conclude that Zhong Qiu Jie originated from Silla, as there are essential differences in their emergence, content, and purposes.

  Korea’s Chuseok and China’s Zhong Qiu Jie have distinct origins, purposes, and contents. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and appreciate each other’s traditional holiday rather than delving into their cultural origins. This is because cultures are enriched through mutual exchanges.