The Mid-Autumn Festival is a famous traditional Chinese Festival celebrated on August 15th of the Lunar Calendar. During this day, the full moon phase is at its peak due to the optimal brightness and clarity. However, it takes the name Mid-Autumn Festival from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middles of the autumn season.
There are many traditional and new celebrations.
1. The most representative Tradition is eating Mooncakes.
- Wish you a perfect life just like the roundest moon in Mid-Autumn Day. The mooncake was originally used to worship the offerings of the moon god. Later, people gradually combined the Mid-Autumn moon-monkey with the mooncake to symbolize the symbol of family reunion.
2. Appreciating the Moon
In Chinese beliefs, the full moon is the symbol for a family reunion. Many famous ancient poets wrote poems about the moon and expressed their homesickness. When people look at the moon, it reminds them of their families and homeland. Nowadays, people still like appreciating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival in China.
Poem
Thoughts in the Silent Night 静夜思
By Li Bai (李白)
床 前 明 月 光
Chuáng qián míng yuèguāng
疑 是 地 上 霜
Yí shì dìshàng shuāng
举 头 望 明 月
Jǔ tóu wàng míngyuè
低 头 思 故 乡
Dī tóu sī gùxiāng
Moonlight shining through the window
Makes me wonder if there is frost on the ground
Looking up to see the moon
Looking down I miss my hometown
3. Guess the riddles written on the lanterns
On the Mid-Autumn Festival night, many lanterns were hung in public places. People gathered together to guess the riddles written on the lanterns. This was the favorite activity for most young men and women. At the same time, love stories were also circulated on these events. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival guessed lantern riddles. Has also been derided as a form of men and women fall in love.
Source:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mid-autumn-festival-tradition.htm
https://asianinspirations.com.au/asian-culture/celebrating-the-chinese-moon-festival
