Chinese Moon Festival-the Mid-autumn Day

The Mid-Autumn Day is a traditional festival in China, which is the second important festival after Spring Festival. Since it is on the 15th of August, which is just in the middle of autumn, it is called Mid-Autumn Day. It is also called the Festival of Reunion in that the moon on that day is full, which stands for reunion in China. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, adults and children gather under the full moon with colorful lanterns and exchange gifts of moon cakes, fruit and wine.

On the Mid-Autumn Day, the moon is quite bright. Since ancient times, people have deemed the full moon as the symbol of reunion. Therefore, people usually take round moon and crescented moon to symbolize sorrow and joy in their lives. Man traveling in a place far away from home usually express miss and best wishes to their family members through the full moon on that day. As a prestigious poet in China named Li Bai put, raise head to see the so bright moon and nostalgia comes around while withdrawing eyes.

On the time-honored festival, moon worship and moon watching are the important custom on that day. The custom of celebrating the moon can be followed back as far as the Xia and Shang dynasties. The emperors in old days usually commit moon worship in autumn to pray peace. Later, the solemn moon worship changes into the pleasant recreation as time goes by. When the bright moon rises, people usually put the tables outdoors on which moon cakes, pomegranates and dates are displayed for moon worship. After the moon worship, all of the family members sit round the table to eat moon cakes together while watching the bright moon. The fillings in the moon cake cover a great variety, including meat, walnuts, sugar, dates and the likes.

Although the Mid-Autumn Day origins from China, it is not only a festival celebrated by Chinese people, but also a festival celebrated in Japan, Vietnam and Korea. The Mid-Autumn Day is also quite popular in Singapore. One month before the festival, moon cakes and lanterns begin to immerge into the market. The moon cakes are not only for moon worship, but for the gifts send to friends and relatives on the Mid Autumn Festival.

By: Isabella Wei

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Isebella wei is an English writer and she is writing articles for a China tour planner on the China travel and Beijing China tour in these days. She is also interested in Chinese culture and writes this article, hoping that it will be of help for the readers.