中元節，又被稱為「鬼節」，在中國傳統文化中占有極為重要的地位。它與除夕、清明節、重陽節並列為中國四大祭祖節日，象徵著對祖先的緬懷與敬畏。這一節日的淵源可追溯至佛教與道教的結合：佛教中稱其為「盂蘭盆會」，主張超度亡魂、普渡孤苦；而道教則賦予其本土文化特色，強調天地陰陽交會之時對祖靈與孤魂的安撫。這種跨宗教、跨文化的融合，使中元節在中國歷史長河中不僅延續至今，更被視為非物質文化遺產，體現了古人「慎終追遠」的思想，也喚醒了人們對親情與責任的共鳴。

在習俗上，中元節蘊含豐富的祭祀與民間活動。傳統上，人們被勸導於當日儘量早歸，最好在日落之前到家，以示對亡靈的尊重。最具代表性的儀式之一是「放河燈」。河燈，又稱荷花燈，人們將燭火置於燈盞中，任其於江河湖海漂浮，象徵為水中亡魂點亮歸途。尤其在黃河流域，河燈漫溢的景象最為壯觀，既莊嚴又淒美。

飲食方面，中元節也有不少特色習俗。南京地區會製作「茄餅」，寓意為亡者準備前往盂蘭盆會的乾糧；東莞則盛行吃鴨子，因「鴨」與「壓」諧音，有壓制鬼魂之意；同樣在東莞，人們還會吃濑粉，幾乎成為地方共通的飲食文化。山東部分地區則於此日食用粗茶淡飯，象徵清淨與節制；江蘇鄉間常以「扁食」作為中元佳餚，而浙江天台則會製作「餃餅」，類似春捲，寓意吉祥。這些飲食習俗看似平常，卻蘊含深厚的祈願與敬意。

除此之外，中元節的祭祀內容亦十分廣泛。人們不僅祭祖，還會祭祀土地與莊稼。在七月十五這天，部分地區的百姓會將供品撒入田間，並用五色紙條纏繞農作物的穗子，以祈求避災與豐收。甚至還有地方會前往後土廟進行祈禱，象徵天地庇佑農桑。這些儀式將祭祖文化與農耕社會的生活緊密結合，展現了中元節「慎終追遠、以孝傳承」的核心精神。

雖然現代社會中，中元節常被誤解為「鬼神迷信」的節日，但其實它更是一種文化的延續。它歷經一千五百多年，始終在人們的生活與精神世界中流傳不息，不僅在中國各地被重視，也隨著華人移民傳播到世界各國，成為全球性的重要文化象徵。中元節所代表的並非恐懼，而是對生命的敬畏、對祖先的思念，以及對人間倫理的堅守。它提醒著後人：無論時代如何變遷，慎終追遠的心意與責任感，才是這個節日能夠歷久彌新的根本所在。

The Zhongyuan Festival, also known as the “Ghost Festival,” holds an extremely important place in traditional Chinese culture. Alongside Lunar New Year’s Eve, the Qingming Festival, and the Double Ninth Festival, it is one of the four great ancestral festivals of China, symbolizing remembrance and reverence for one’s forebears. Its origins lie in the fusion of Buddhism and Daoism: in Buddhism, it is called the Ullambana Festival, focusing on delivering and redeeming lost souls; in Daoism, it embodies local cultural practices that emphasize pacifying ancestral spirits and wandering souls during a time when yin and yang are believed to intersect. This blend of religious and cultural elements has allowed the Zhongyuan Festival to endure through centuries, becoming recognized as an intangible cultural heritage. It reflects the ancient philosophy of “honoring the departed and remembering the distant past” (shèn zhōng zhuī yuǎn) and resonates deeply with people’s emotions, responsibilities, and bonds toward their family and ancestors.

Traditionally, the festival is accompanied by rich rituals and customs. People are often advised to return home early, preferably before sunset, as a sign of respect for the spirits. One of the most iconic rituals is the releasing of river lanterns, also called lotus lanterns. A candle is placed in the lantern and set afloat on rivers, lakes, or seas, symbolizing the lighting of a path for wandering spirits to find peace. In the Yellow River region, in particular, the spectacle of countless lanterns floating on the water creates a magnificent and solemn sight.

The festival also features a wide variety of distinctive food customs. In Nanjing, families prepare eggplant fritters, believed to serve as food offerings for ancestors journeying to the Ullambana gathering. In Dongguan, people eat duck, as the word “duck” (yā) sounds like “suppress” (yā), symbolizing the suppression of evil spirits; lai fun noodles are also widely eaten across the region. In parts of Shandong, people eat simple meals of coarse tea and plain food, symbolizing purity and restraint. In rural Jiangsu, villagers eat bianshi (a sweet pastry shaped like a dustpan), while in Tiantai, Zhejiang, people prepare jiaobing, a food similar to spring rolls, signifying blessings and good fortune. Though these foods may seem ordinary, they carry layers of symbolic meaning tied to remembrance and prayer.

Beyond food, sacrificial rites are central to the festival. People not only honor their ancestors but also make offerings to the earth and the crops. On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, it is common for families to scatter offerings in the fields or wrap colored paper strips around the ears of grain, praying for protection against natural disasters and for abundant harvests. In some regions, villagers even visit local temples dedicated to the earth deity (Houtu) to seek blessings for agricultural prosperity. These practices demonstrate how the Zhongyuan Festival integrates ancestral reverence with the rhythms of an agrarian society.

In modern times, the Zhongyuan Festival is sometimes misunderstood as a “superstitious ghost festival.” In reality, it is far more than that: it is a cultural inheritance, a way of honoring life, cherishing kinship, and affirming human values. The festival has persisted for over 1,500 years and continues to thrive, not only across China but also among overseas Chinese communities, making it a global cultural tradition. It does not symbolize fear, but rather awe for life, remembrance of ancestors, and a deep sense of familial duty. This enduring spirit of “respecting the end and remembering the distant past” is the reason the Zhongyuan Festival has never faded and continues to be passed down from generation to generation.