Twelfth Moon

In the Middle Kingdom, the festivals surrounding the Twelfth Moon are meant to prepare one for the coming New Year.

Overview

Often called the "Bitter Moon," the moon festivals of this time are all done in preparation for the New Year: a time for paying debts. Houses are cleaned, an effigy of the Kitchen God is burned after his lips are smeared with honey to prevent him from reporting bad behavior in the house, and when the burning is done the Kitchen God makes his report to Heaven.

For the hsien, the day this happens among the mortals is the day they expect to hear from the Mikado. It expected that at least a few of his representatives will manifest and speak to the hsien and to date they have never failed to show. In many cases it is the Shichi Fukujin of Chi Ling who appears to have little to say and at other times they give secrets about how to locate a lost Dragon Nest or explain a part of the Tao Te Hsien. On other occasions the chastise the hsien for failing to keep the Mandates of Heaven properly, or in extreme cases mete out punishment on the foolish.

By the last day of the year all debts are supposed to be paid and effigies of the Gate Gods are placed near or on doors as a prayer for protection from evil. The Gate Gods are but one of the names the mortal populace still uses for the Wan Xian, now called the Kuei-jin. As the shinma have accepted burdens once held by the Wan Xian, they now accept the yugen offered to these effigies.

Fortunes

• Bitter Moon Festival - Earth
• The Kitchen God - Earth

References

1. CTD. Land of Eight Million Dreams, pp. 46-47, 109.