The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year), and it is considered a legal holiday in several countries. Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon and eat moon cakes together.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon this year. Our students asked some questions about the Mid-Autumn Festival --- let’s see how our teachers answer these questions. Below are some extracts:

Q1: "What’s it about? "

Q2: "Why is it celebrated? "

Q3: "What do people do during this time? "

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. Also known as Reunion Festival, Autumn evening or the August Festival, the holiday happens annually on August 15th of the lunar calendar."

"Mid-Autumn Festival heralds the reunion. It is a time for family members and loved ones to congregate and enjoy the full moon.

On the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, the moon is at its roundest and brightest, symbolizing togetherness and reunion in Chinese culture. When people look at the moon, it reminds them of their families and homeland."

"Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to eat moon cakes, enjoy the full moon, tell lantern riddles, and enjoy many other activities."

Mid - Autumn Festival Party in Mandarin INN 2017

Q4: "What are the superstitions believed about mid-autumn festival?"

Q5: "What are top 3 foods to enjoy at mid-autumn festival? "

Q6: "How is mid-autumn festival celebrated differently in ancient time compared to now? "

"One Tang Dynasty myth holds that the Earth once had 10 suns circling around it. One day, all 10 suns appeared at once, scorching the planet with their heat. It was thanks to a skillful archer named Hou Yi that the Earth was saved. He shot down nine of the suns. As his reward, the Heavenly Queen Mother gave Hou Yi the Elixir of Immortality.

Hou Yi was not willing eat the elixir, so he gave it to his wife, Chang’e, to keep safe. One day, someone tried to steal this elixir and forced Chang’e to swallow the elixir in a hurry. Then, she flew to the sky and lived in the moon.

The day was August 15th, hence way the moon is big and bright on this day. Hou Yi was heartbroken when he returned home. Every year on August 15th since then, he prepare the hearty dinner, opposite the moon and is reunited with Chang’e who lives on the moon."

"The most common food to eat is moon cakes during the mid-Autumn Festival, symbolizing reunion. Others are taro, osmanthus wine, and duck."

"In ancient China, during every mid-Autumn festival family members would enjoyed the moon together. People would place an incense burner on the table, eat moon cake, as well as watermelon, apple, red dates, plums, grapes and other delicious offerings. The whole family would then take turns worshipping the moon. Afterwards, the housewife would cut the moon cakes and hand it out to everyone to eat!

Nowadays, people still enjoy the moon together with their families after a reunion dinner in the evening of the Mid-autumn Festival. "

Mid - Autumn Festival Party in Mandarin INN 2017

Q7: "When has it been firstly celebrated and to which dynasty is it linked to? "

Q8: "Why is it celebrating on three days?"

"The Mid-Autumn Festival was identified as a festival in the early Tang Dynasty, and prevailing in the Song Dynasty. By the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it had become one of the traditional Chinese festivals, equaling in importance to the Spring Festival."

"Mid-Autumn Festival is only one day, but there are three days of holiday in China. Those who work outside of their hometowns will return to eat the reunion dinner with their family in this holiday."

If you want to learn more about Mid-Autumn Festival, click here to join in Mandarin Night this Wednesday!