Meng Yuanlao (Song Dynasty)
Records of Dreams in East Capital
* Zhong Yuan Festival: i.e., Yulan Pot Fair, orGhost Festival, is celebrated mainly to offer sacrifices to the souls ofdeceased people. The climax is the burning of paper garments and paper money.Since the yulan pot itself is alsoburnt at the end, the sacrificial rite is called the Yulan Pot Fair.
** “Mu Lian Rescuing His Mother”: According toBuddhist scriptures, the Buddhist disciple Mu Lian once furnished monks withall kinds of fruit to secure his mother’s rescue from privation. It was acustom in the old times to perform the play on July 15th of thelunar year. The audience crowded the theatre on that day.
