Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a traditional East Asian festival celebrated by various cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese, and others. It is a public holiday in some regions. Families come together for reunions, and the festival is marked by the exchange of gifts, the lighting of lanterns, and the sharing of mooncakes.

When is Mid-Autumn Festival?

The Mid-Autumn Festival typically falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, which usually corresponds to September or early October in the Gregorian calendar.

The following is the list of Mid-Autumn Festival from 2024 to 2028.

The History of Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival has a long and rich history in Chinese culture, dating back over 3,000 years. Its origins are closely tied to both agricultural traditions and ancient legends.

The Mid-Autumn Festival has its roots in the agricultural practices of ancient China. It is celebrated during the autumn equinox when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. This timing marks the end of the harvest season, making it a time for giving thanks for the bountiful harvest and praying for good fortune in the coming year.

Moon worship has been a part of Chinese culture for millennia. The festival originally centered around giving thanks to the moon goddess for a successful harvest. It was believed that the moon played a crucial role in the agricultural cycle, influencing the tides and the growth of crops.

The tradition of eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival is believed to have started during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Mooncakes were used as a medium for secret messages among the Chinese people, who were rebelling against the Mongol rulers. They would hide notes inside mooncakes to communicate their plans for an uprising.

Over the centuries, the Mid-Autumn Festival evolved into a family-centered celebration where people gathered to admire the full moon, offer prayers and sacrifices to ancestors and deities, and share mooncakes and other festive foods. Lanterns, dragon and lion dances, and various cultural performances also became integral parts of the festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival continues to be an important cultural holiday, celebrating unity, family, and the beauty of the moon. It has also been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, highlighting its cultural significance and enduring popularity.

What People Do on Mid-Autumn Festival?

People celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in various ways, depending on their cultural traditions and customs. Here's how people might observe this day:

• Family Reunion: Like many other Asian festivals, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family gatherings. People often travel back to their hometowns to be with their families and enjoy a reunion dinner together.
• Moon Gazing: On the night of the festival, families and friends often gather outdoors to admire the full moon. Moon gazing is an essential part of the celebration, and the round shape of the moon symbolizes unity and togetherness.
• Lighting Lanterns: People, especially children, traditionally light colorful lanterns, often in the shape of animals or mythological figures. This practice is not only decorative but also adds to the festive atmosphere.
• Eating Mooncakes: Mooncakes are a central element of the Mid-Autumn Festival. These round pastries are filled with various sweet or savory fillings. People exchange and share mooncakes with family and friends as a symbol of unity and completeness.
• Dragon and Lion Dances: In some communities, you might find traditional dragon and lion dances performed during the festival. These colorful and lively dances are a form of cultural entertainment.
• Traditional Performances: Various cultural performances take place during the Mid-Autumn Festival, including traditional music, dance, and storytelling. These performances help preserve cultural heritage and add to the festive atmosphere.
• Giving Gifts: It is common for people to exchange gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival, such as mooncakes, lanterns, or other festive items, as a way to show appreciation and strengthen social bonds.

The customs and traditions associated with the festival may vary from region to region and among different cultures, but the central theme of family and celebrating the beauty of the moon remains consistent.

The Legend of Chang'e

The legend of Chang'e is one of the most famous stories associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese culture. It tells the tale of a beautiful woman who ascends to the moon, where she becomes the Moon Goddess. There are several variations of the legend, and here is one of the most well-known versions: the legend of Chang'e and Hou Yi.

Long ago, in ancient China, there were ten suns in the sky, and their scorching heat caused great suffering to the people on Earth. To save humanity from this calamity, a skilled archer named Hou Yi came forward. With his extraordinary marksmanship, he shot down nine of the ten suns, leaving only one to provide light and warmth to the world.

As a reward for his heroism, Hou Yi received an elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, a powerful deity. However, Hou Yi was not eager to become immortal without his beloved wife, Chang'e. He decided to save the elixir until he could find a way for both of them to achieve immortality together.

Hou Yi hid the elixir away, but a wicked and envious apprentice of his, Feng Meng, discovered the secret. One day, when Hou Yi was away, Feng Meng attempted to steal the elixir. In a desperate move to prevent him from taking it, Chang'e swallowed the elixir herself.

Upon consuming the elixir, Chang'e began to float into the sky, and her body became lighter and lighter until she eventually ascended to the moon. Hou Yi returned home and learned of his wife's fate. Grief-stricken, he offered her favorite fruits and cakes as sacrifices to the moon.

Chang'e, now residing on the moon, became the Moon Goddess, and she is often depicted as a beautiful woman holding a jade rabbit. It is believed that the jade rabbit on the moon is her companion. Every year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which is the Mid-Autumn Festival, people celebrate by offering prayers and sacrifices to Chang'e, admiring the full moon, and sharing mooncakes in her honor.

The legend of Chang'e and Hou Yi is not only a beloved myth but also an integral part of Chinese cultural heritage, symbolizing themes of love and the enduring connection between Earth and the moon. It adds a layer of significance to the Mid-Autumn Festival, making it a time for family reunions and honoring the bonds of love and togetherness.