The Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, more commonly known as the Moon Festival, is an important holiday that dates back at least 3,000 years. The Moon Festival is a celebration of family, abundance, and the change of seasons. Although the Moon Festival is primarily a Chinese holiday, it is also celebrated in some parts of Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. The Moon Festival is also a popular holiday among Chinese overseas, such as those in America.

The Moon Festival is always held on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, which is the autumn equinox. This usually falls between mid-September and mid-October. During the Moon Festival, the moon is fullest and brightest. The fullness of the moon is thought to represent wholeness and togetherness. It also represents abundance, so the Moon Festival is also a celebration of a plentiful summer harvest.

Many traditional foods are prepared during the Moon Festival, but there is one special food that is always included: moon cakes. Moon cakes are small, round cakes about the size of a palm. They are sweet and fragrant and can be filled with many different fillings. Popular fillings include sweet red bean paste, lotus seeds, minced meat, or almonds. Sometimes a golden egg yolk is placed in the center, symbolizing the moon. The top of the crust is decorated with Chinese language symbols of luck and harmony.

To celebrate the Moon Festival, Chinese will gather with family and friends. Many throw large reunions or have barbecues under the moon. People will gather to gaze at the moon, and sometimes take boat rides out on the water to better admire it. Children often make and carry paper lanterns. Other Moon Festival activities include creating lit towers of lights, burning incense in prayer, and having dragon dances.