Hey here comes the annual Mid-autumn Festival

Have you felt the strong festival atmosphere(seen moon cakes everywhere)

         

The Mid-Autumn Festival is second only to Spring Festival in significance among four traditional Chinese festivals (the other two are Qingming Festival and Dragon Boat Festival).   People express their homesickness and pray for a good harvest through various Mid-autumn customs, which are an integral part of precious intangible cultural heritage.

         

The time-honored festival originates from the ancient times when the "Moon Festival" was held to worship the "Moon God" on the day of the full moon. In the Northern Song Dynasty, it became a popular folk festival that was officially set on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, the very midpoint of autumn, hence the name "Mid-Autumn Festival". Moon cakes were mentioned in poems, as proved by the line: "Small cakes like the moon, with delicious fillings".

         

Folklore believes that the Mid-Autumn Festival is closely related to the story of Chang'e running to the moon. Her husband Hou Yi shot away the extra nine suns and was rewarded with the elixir of life. He gave the medicine to Chang'e for safekeeping. Unexpectedly, on August 15, Chang'e took the medicine by mistake and went to the moon, taking her favorite rabbit with her when she ascended to heaven. Hou Yi put Chang E's favorite food in the garden every year on August 15 in lunar calendar to express his affection, hoping that she can come back for a reunion. And gradually it became a folk festival.

         

The full moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival represent people's wishes that all things could come full circle. And thus it is celebrated as a festival of reunion. A bright moon hanging in the sky, Su Shi, a great poet in the Song Dynasty, thought of his friend after a few cups of wine and wrote the widely spread line:

Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again; 　　

The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane. 　　

There has been nothing perfect since the olden days. 　　

So let us wish that man will live long as he can! 　　

Though miles apart, we’ll share the beauty she displays.

Related Customs

                                

Lantern Show, Lantern Riddle Guessing

                                

Colored lantern show and fire dragon dance are the two main featured activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong

         

Tide watching is also a Mid-Autumn event in areas near Zhejiang

           

Enjoying osmanthus flowers and drink osmanthus wine. On the mid Autumn, osmanthus is in its full blossom. Sitting in the year with families, enjoying the flower and the wine is also a delight!

         

On the 15th day of the lunar month, the moon is the largest, roundest and brightest in a month as it is closest to the Earth at that day. That's the reason why it has been a custom to enjoy the moon since ancient times. Click for nearly perfect moon.

       

         

And last but not the least, the mooncakes, a must-have snack for the Mid-Autumn Festival across China. Now we can buy mooncakes of myriads of flavors, some are really awful tp be honest. Which one do you think is unbelievable? Share with us via comment!