Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c12.s1.t2.15

v2.c12.s1.t2.15

In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), ceremonies of bathing the Buddha and activities of releasing living creatures were held on the day of Bathing Buddha Festival. Besides releasing living creatures, people worshipped the Buddha and prayed for blessings or did some other good things on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911 CE), the activity of releasing creatures on the day of Bathing Buddha Festival was not very flourishing in the north, and the activity of forming connection with beans replaced it, and the beans were boiled and distributed to the people to eat. In the southern water regions, the activity of releasing