In the blink of an eye, it was already October 15th. This marked the final major festival of the year for the Daoist community—the Xiayuan Festival.0

Daoists believed in the three Celestials—Heaven, Earth, and Water. That was why the Daoist Order’s Deputy Grand Masters were modeled after these three Celestials. The Xiayuan Festival was the Water Celestial’s birthday. During such festivals, the Daoist Order performed rituals to pray for blessings, dispel disasters, alleviate suffering, offer apologies, seek immortality, extend life, and help the souls of the deceased rest in peace. Believers would erect poles outside their doors and hang yellow flags on them. At night, three lanterns were placed at the top of the pole as offerings to the Three Celestials.0

Ever since the Daoist Order dominated the world, the prominence of the Shangyuan, Zhongyuan, and Xiayuan Festivals has grown, nearly overshadowing the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Spring Festival.0

The most visible sign of this change was the sheer amount of lanterns on display, instead of the original three lanterns per household. Merchants competed over whose lanterns were larger, more intricate, and more creative....0