Moon, the night-time celestial luminary holds great significance in the Chinese calendar system. Nowadays, lunas passage through the sky pretty much determines China’s cultural and religious festivals and the solar component is used for timings in Bazi and the 24 solar terms. The upcoming Frost / Cold Moon in Gemini (2025) is especially significant to Taoist devotees, as this Full Moon marks the Xia Yuan Festival. There are five Full Moon centric festivals of note in the Chinese calendar. Two of which are more widely celebrated. All five Moon festivals occur on the 15th day of a Chinese lunar month as it guarantees Luna’s fullest splendor.

MOON FESTIVALS

Observation of the nighttime luminary was and remains highly significant in the Chinese calendar system especially when determining cultural and religious Festivals. There are five Full Moon centric festivals of note in the Chinese calendar, two more familiar than the others. The Lunar Lantern festival which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the year which signals the end of Chinese New Year festivities (Spring Festival) and the second celebration on the 15th day of the eight lunar month, known also as ‘Zhong Yuan’; more commonly called Mid Autumn or Mooncake Festival.

Lantern Festival - 15th day of 1st lunar month - Yuanxiao Festival
Huazhao Festival - 15th day of 2nd lunar month - Festival of Flower Goddess.
Chinese Ghost Festival - 15th day of 7th lunar month - Zhongyuan Festival.
Mid-Autumn Festival – 15th day of 8th lunar month - Autumn Moon or Mooncake Festival.
Water Lantern Festival - 15th day of 10th lunar month - Xiayuan Festival.

Why the 15th day? Well apart from the length of each solar term - a solar term follow the luminescence of the sun’s celestial path. Fifteen days is an approx fortnight and ensures festivals fall at midpoint of the month, and Luna will be as close to culmination visually guaranteeing a near perfect Full Moon to grace the skies. Midpoints are highly potent in Chinese metaphysics. Also in Feng Shui 5 x 3 (15), which is important in the lou shu, and #5 is an earth number associated with the Emperor - who officiated over the Calendar.

Geese and marsh grasses depict the tenth lunar month in Chinese calendar. Goose at full moon (1900 - 1936) by Ohara Koson via The Rijksmuseum.

Three great emperor official on bottom row. Seven Heavenly Emperors Unidentified artist Ming (1368–1644) via Met Musuem Public domain

XIA YUAN FESTIVAL

December’s Full moon is on 4/5 Dec in solar calendars - which coincides with the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month in the Chinese Calendar - aka the Xia Yuan Festival. (But technically the exact full Moon time in Beijing is 5 Dec @ 7:14am; Sydney @10:14am - more time below). Three of the above Moon festival dates (in bold) are said to correspond to Jade Emperor Officials - note the aforementioned #5, association with the Emperor. The three key festivals are highly venerated as the Taoist trinity. Known as the ‘Three Supreme Rulers’ or ‘Three Great Emperor Officials’ each Official/Deity ruled a period. The Upper Primordial, Yuan Xiao Festival was governed by Tian Guan; who was the Official/Deity for Heaven and is venerated to bestow happiness; The Middle Primordial, Zhong Yuan, governed by Di Guan, an Earth Official/Deity and classed as the forgiver of moral acts and The Lower Primordial, Xia Yuan was governed by Shui Guan, an Official/Deity of Water(shui) who offered relief of misfortune. Each deity is said to govern for a specific length of time, the first for six month and the remaining two deities for three months each.

The later and upcoming Xia yuan Festival is the last Chinese Full Moon Festival of the year. It’s one of the most important to commemorate ancestors and the Shui Guan deity, whose full title is The Great Emperor Water Official of Pervasive Yin of Lower Primordial & Tertiary Grade Who Eliminates Distress. Shui Guan, governs the domain of Water - a Water Deity. He embodies the vital energies of wind and water. Veneration washes away hardships and averts misfortune; dispelling disaster. It’s a solemn national festival to the Taoist fraternity. Praying to ancestors to bless their descendants and provide protection is often observed. Dark solemn clothing is worn, black is also the colour associated with water. Sacrifices to ancestors are also common. Taoist temples serve as dojos, where people offer sacrifices to the souls of the dead and pray to Yuan shui guan to help solve problems. In times past, imperial courts banned slaughter on this day (including executions).

Boat lantern via CCommons, labelled 浪漫台三線-台灣台中東勢-大茅埔-龍神山水祭-施放五行祈福紙船活動

Today, small boat-shaped lanterns are offered to symbolize floating away misfortunes and hence why it’s earned the colloquial name of ‘Water Lantern Festival’. Some folks fashion folded tin foil into silver ingots then place inscribed white paper bags on top, worshiping and then symbolically burning. Like most festivals, eating specific food is customary; making red bean paste to fill Dousha buns is one such task. However fasting and absence underlines the restraint sentiment of the festival which is a key observation. It’s also a custom of worshiping (especially blacksmiths) the furnace god, Taishang Laojun, which probably originated from the use of furnaces in Taoism to make elixirs.

TENTH LUNAR MONTH

This is the tenth Lunar month and depicted in Chinese paintings by Geese and marsh grasses. Chinese folklore refers to this lunation as Frost / Cold (white) Moon, when hoarfrost falls. In almanacs December’s moon is known as Harvest Moon as but this fell in Oct in 2025 so this lunation is actually the Hunter’s Moon.

In Celtic traditions this is the last Full Moon before the Dec Solstice, and it’s oft referred to as the Mourning Moon. In times past survival wasn’t taken for granted; the harsh winter climate oft claimed the elderly and weak. For folks in S.H this full moon is akin to view this moon more akin to the ‘Flower Moon’, when summery blooms explode.

This is the second Xia Yuan Festival in Age of 9; called The Lower Primordial (Xia Yuan Festival) the Great Emperor Water Official governs the domain of Water and embodies the vital energies of wind and water (feng shui). The 2024 Dragon year governs by the Azure Dragon (Wood Dragon), had a particular affinity to Water.

Smudging via pexels by anastasia shuraeva.

ASTROLOGICAL MAGICK

While full moons gravitational energies will begin to wane in the night sky it’s considered a great time to remove, clear and cleanse. As the moonbeams diminish from the night skies over the following two weeks so too will the sentiment you have focused your intention around and remove or draw out the negative aspect. It’s a time of release and ending something - and this aligns with the above sentiment of Xia Yuan, thankfully this year’s lunation is free of eclipse energies (In 2021 the festival fell on November’s Full moon which was the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years!)

If you have an ancestral altar at home but neglected to maintain a regular offering practice for your ancestors, then the current festival could be an opportune time to revive the practice. Be sure to clean and cleanse the space before renewing the practice, Be it a simple lit candle or more targeted ritual. In feng shui, altar position is specific, so if you have had a consultation, your energetic floorplan will highlight the best position for solemn veneration.