Mid-Autumn Festival
01 · Historical Records
In addition, documents such as the Ji'an County Gazetteer (1941 edition) and the Anfu County Gazetteer (1995 edition) also mention this custom.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Ji'an Mid-Autumn tower-burning custom, also called 'burning the tile lantern', 'burning the treasure tower', 'burning the tile tower' and 'burning the Brahman tower', is a folk blessing custom widely popular in the Fujian-Guangdong-Jiangxi region. The Mid-Autumn tower-burning custom of the Ji'an area has a very long history. According to the Wan'an County Gazetteer of the Daoguang reign of the Qing dynasty: “Children collect tiles and pile them into a tower several feet high; at night, with small gongs and drums, they go from door to door soliciting contributions for the tower burning, burning it until it glows red, when they gather to drink and enjoy the moon.” The Longquan County Gazetteer of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing dynasty also has a related record: “Little ones pile broken tiles into a pagoda, its scales overlapping and its horns sharp; they heap firewood and set it alight — this is called ‘burning the treasure tower’.” Anfu County in Jiangxi Province, situated within the territory of the ancient Luling Commandery, is an area where the Ji'an Mid-Autumn tower-burning custom has been preserved relatively completely. According to tradition, the custom was introduced to the village by ancestors of Zhexi Village who served as officials away from home and brought it back to their native place. The Ji'an Mid-Autumn tower-burning custom mainly comprises the following contents: first, building the tower. On the morning of the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the old people and children begin collecting broken bricks and tiles. In an open space in the village, a hexagonal base is first carefully built of bricks, with a fire inlet and an ash outlet reserved in it. Then tiles are laid in staggered, overlapping layers, tapering gradually from bottom to top, finally forming the shape of a treasure tower. Second, burning the tower. As night falls, when the moon is high in the sky, firecrackers suddenly explode, and the whole village, men, women, old and young, gathers before the tower. Each household prepares its own firewood, while the chief burner additionally prepares old sour wine or rice water. The villagers set up an incense altar before the tower, light incense and candles, lay out offerings such as pomelo and mooncakes, and again set off firecrackers to worship the moon. After the moon-worship ceremony, three beats of gong and drum sound, and the tower burning officially begins. The chief burner keeps stuffing firewood into the fire mouth; when the flames shoot up fiercely, he sprinkles on sour wine or rice water, at which point the whole tower is burned glowing red, like a fire dragon soaring into the sky — a spectacular sight. Carried away by the fervent atmosphere, the villagers cannot help singing folk songs in praise of good harvests and happy life. Third, sealing the tower. After midnight, when everyone has enjoyed themselves to the full and is tired, it is time to seal the tower. The chief burner must wait until the straw has burned out, then set off a string of firecrackers to congratulate the successful conclusion of the tower-burning activity. In addition, throughout the tower-burning process there are such accompanying activities as dragon lantern dances, the raising of dragon-and-phoenix flags and the carrying of palace lanterns, which give the custom its distinctive character.
Raising the pagoda
On the morning of the fifteenth, old and young collect broken tiles, lay a hexagonal brick base with a fire mouth and ash outlet, then stack tiles in staggered courses narrowing upward.
Moon altar and three beats of the gong
An altar is set before the pagoda with candles, pomelo and mooncakes, firecrackers are lit, and three gong beats open the burning.
Splashing sour wine to flare the fire
While the fire roars up the stack, the chief burner splashes old sour wine or rice broth on it, turning the whole pagoda glowing red.
Sealing the pagoda
After midnight, once the straw has burnt out, a final string of firecrackers is let off to close the night before the remains are cleared.
Lantern dragon dance and dragon-phoenix banners
Lantern dragons, dragon-phoenix banners and palace lanterns circulate around the altar alongside the bonfire teams.
The burners of Zhexi village
Zhexi village, the most typical centre, where every household contributes tile collecting by morning and shares the craft of the chief burner.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Within its borders the custom is especially prevalent in the six townships of Liaotang, Ganluo, Zhoutang, Jintian, Yangmen and Pengfang in the Chenshan River basin, and among them the performance in Zhexi Village, Jintian Township, is the more typical.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Mid-Autumn Festival · Mid-Autumn Festival · Mid-Autumn Festival · Mid-Autumn Festival · Mid-Autumn Festival · Mid-Autumn Festival · Mid-Autumn Festival.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The Ji'an Mid-Autumn tower-burning custom is an important component of the traditional folklore of Ji'an, and it preserves cultural information about the ancient worship of fire and of the moon. It has a broad popular base and rich cultural content and forms of expression; it plays a positive role in strengthening local cultural identity, promoting social harmony and enlivening the life of the people, and it also has a certain reference value for folklore and historical research.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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