In this year’s 2020, the second decade from the turn of the century in Beijing the Capital of China also the People’s Republic of China, in which is also the year of the rat, marking its six hundred years anniversary of the Forbidden city that marks the transitional point of in between the middle of the Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644) transitionally from Nanjing to Beijing towards the Qing Dynasty (1636-1644-1911) …. The Imperial Palace seen so many countless seasonally transitional equinoxes but further its six hundred years is iconic, but it’s five hundred ninety nine years it marks it Autumn Equinox…. In which it only took twelve years to build the same of the Daming Palace of The Tang Dynasty Xian Imperial Capital only it was least twenty times larger……
How does the Forbidden City worship the moon? In which this year of the Rat on 1st October 2020 it’s the Mid-Autumn festival in which on the Same Day it’s the National Day of the China- People’s Republic of China …… On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon was sky full, and the entire Forbidden City was bathed in clear moonlight. In the palace to worship the month, it is also called the monthly payment. The Shengping Department needs someone to “recite the fast” before the monthly payment, that is, to recite the prayer. The monthly payment lasts about half an hour, and the confession must be set up in accordance with the “auspicious position” provided by the Qin Tianjian. The “Moonlight God Code” must be placed in the center of the confession. In addition, colourful painted moon cakes, seasonal fruits, incense burners, tea, wine, etc. must be placed. It highlights the meaning of ripe fruit and good grain harvest in more than half a year. In addition to the moonlight god code, there is also a clay sculpture jade rabbit statue for children to worship. The jade rabbit no longer looks like pounding medicine, but is made into a human shape and wears a crown. This clay sculpture jade rabbit is respected by people as the “Year Rabbit
紫禁城如何祭月？……..中秋晚上皓月当空，整个紫禁城沐浴在清色的月光下。宫内祭月，又称为月供，昇平署需有人在月供前“念斋意”，即诵念祷文。月供时长约在半个小时，要按照钦天监提供的“吉位”摆设供案。供案正中要摆“月光神码”，此外还要摆放彩画圆光月饼、时令鲜果、香炉、茶、酒等。突出了一年过半瓜果成熟、粮食丰收的寓意。祭月除用月光神码外，还有一种给儿童祭拜用的泥塑玉兔像。玉兔不再是捣药的样子，而是做成人形，还要穿戴衣冠，这种泥塑玉兔被人们尊称为“兔儿爷…
Luna Crescent 