Mid-autumn festival

According to Chinese legend, the full moon on the 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar is called Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on September 28 this year. To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. We will make our moon cakes at home and enjoy eating them with family members or close friends. Here are some steps to make your moon cakes at home!

What is Mid-Autumn Festival?

The moon is round and full at this time of year, as the sun shines down on earth. This has been a long-awaited event for Asian communities for centuries because it signals that there will be a good harvest soon. Ancient civilizations believed the moon was full on a day called Heng Chung, which falls on September 15 in the lunar calendar. So they waited until after harvest to celebrate it. In modern times, Mid-Autumn Festival is always celebrated on October 4 in China. Many other East Asian countries also celebrate their holidays near this time. Families get together and give each other special hand-made cards with pictures inside while they drink warm cups of tea or snack on special treats.

Why is Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrated?

This holiday in many parts of China also coincides with a full moon. Here are some popular myths about the Moon Festival: 

The story goes that in ancient times, people only had rice to eat and no meat. So to thank the deities for the harvest, people would set out an oil lamp with crescent-shaped rice dumplings filled with sweet beans or lotus seeds in front of their houses during Mid-Autumn Day to show their appreciation.

In certain parts of China, children will play a game where they toss lighted firecrackers into small clay pots filled with water on the evening of Mid-Autumn Day.

Modern Ways to Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival

The festival’s name comes from Autumn, the time when day and night are equal in many parts of China. On the evening of this day, people hold an outdoor party with lanterns and enjoy a banquet at home with family members. Nowadays, the Chinese don’t take off a single day for this holiday anymore due to globalization and changes in lifestyle. Instead, people enjoy their leisure time outdoors on September 24th or 25th, depending on location.

Mid-Autumn Festival Greetings

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! A special time of year when we celebrate the arrival of Autumn. This tradition and holiday stem from a Chinese legend. That tells the story of moon goddess Change and her pet, the Jade Rabbit. On this day, families would set the table and enjoy a bountiful feast with all their friends.

In China, there is more than one folktale about the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival. But the two most common ones are: 

The Great Battle Of Sun And Moon: One story has it that once upon a time, there was a war between the sun and moon.