Start of Autumn is one of the twenty-four solar terms of the year, and people of Lingshui Village, Jingxi Province call it the “Autumn porridge festival.” According to historical records, Lingshui Village has a history of thousands of years. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), there was a good atmosphere then to take the governmental exam and become an officer. Once, the village had more than ten people with the title of Ju’ren. It is said that the autumn porridge festival is in memory of the benevolent actions of a father and son, both of whom were Ju’ren of the village. Since then, the custom was held for more than 300 years.

After June in the seventh year of emperor Kangxi's reign of the Qing Dynasty , heavy rains came down day after day. Most of people who lived beside Zhaitang River were out of food. And many of them died. A Ju’ren saw the disaster and consulted with his father, after which they decided to save the people by putting several huge pots of porridge in the village to feed the hungry villagers. In the 21st year of the Qing Dynasty emperor Kangxi, droughts struck that area again, and the Ju’ren father and son saved the villagers again. As a result, people changed the name of the Start of Autumn to “Autumn Porridge Festival” to express their respect and thankfulness to the Ju’rens, and the porridge made that day is called the “Ju’ren Porridge.”

Source: Catch-visitors Website

Translated by Yang Yi

Editor: Wen Yi