Mid-Autumn Festival is coming, but what is it? And how can you celebrate?
Held every year on the 15th day of the 8th Month in China’s lunar calendar, Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in China. In Chinese the festival is called Zhong-Qiu Jie (中秋节).
Also known as the moon festival or the mooncake festival – in China Mid-Autumn festival is a time to see friends and family, enjoy good food, and have a well-earned day off from work.
If you’re interested in learning more about this festival, read on.
When is Mid-Autumn Festival?
Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th Month in China’s calendar. Designed to occur on the night of the full moon. The date varies from year to year on a typical Gregorian calendar. This year, Mid-Autumn Festival will be celebrated on September 17th.
What is the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival?
Like much of the world, celebrating the harvest and moon has existed for a long time. In China, the practice dates back well over 3000 years. Actual festivities really started during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). Soon, Mid-Autumn festival was a major folk festival. By the time of Empress Dowager Cixi in the late 19th century, it was so popular that she would spend days carrying out elaborate rituals for the festival.
How do people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?
Today, the harvest is not as important as it once was, but Mid-Autumn festival remains one of the most important festivities of the year in China. It is ingrained into popular culture and is a national holiday with a day off school and work.
Lanterns have long been associated with Mid-Autumn Festival. It is common to decorate lanterns, hang them up at your house, or release them into the sky. Likewise, the moon is an essential part of the mid-autumn festival. It is still common to find a space with friends or family to look at the full moon.
With an extra day of work it is also common to take a long weekend away during Mid-Autumn festival: returning home to visit family, heading to a new city to explore, or traveling to the countryside for a relaxing time away.
The Food of the Festival
Food and drink are essential to any celebration, and Mid-Autumn Festival is no exception.
It is common to get together with family or friends for a meal to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival.
The main food of the festival, however, is mooncakes. Legend says they originated with the overthrow of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, which ruled over China in the 13th century. To stage an uprising, rebel leader Liu Bowen suggested hiding notes within mooncakes than handing them out.
The note read: “Kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the eighth month”.
Traditional mooncakes vary from city to city and province to province. Cantonese mooncakes are lotus-like in shape with a decorative pattern on top. Inside the golden-brown pastry is a sweet filling traditionally of lotus paste and salted egg yolk.
Head to Suzhou, and mooncakes will be savoury with a flaky crust containing a meat filling.
Today, capitalism has come for mooncakes, they come in so many different forms and flavours that it can be almost overwhelming. A popular modern twist is ice cream mooncakes, which are exactly as they sound. A traditional mooncake shape but made entirely out of ice cream.
The Legend of the Moon Festival
Like all good celebrations, Mid-Autumn festival has its own legend. There are many versions, but the most famous is about the archer Hou Yi and his wife Chang’e.
After shooting down nine of the ten suns in the sky that had been scorching the earth, Hou Yi received an elixir of immortality from the gods. Not wanting to leave his wife, Hou Yi opted not to drink the elixir and instead gave it to his wife Chang’e for safekeeping.
However, when Hou Yi’s apprentice, Feng Meng, attempted to steal the elixir for himself, Chang’e stopped him by drinking the elixir herself.
Chang’e become immortal and floated up into the sky. Choosing the moon to be her new home in order to look down upon her husband.
From then on, at mid-autumn, Hou Yi would lay out cakes and food for his wife. Looking up at the moon hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but unable to meet.
Mid Autumn Festival Events in the UK
So you’re interested in joining in some Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations? There is plenty to choose from.
If you are interested in getting some Mooncakes for yourself or to gift, find the best locations to buy Mooncakes in this article.
As for events, we’ve put together a list of all the best Mid-Autumn Festival events in London for you to experience.
For those of us outside London, then check out this article for all the Mid-Autumn Festival events across the UK.
If you liked this article why not read: Yunnan Cultural Festival Dazzles London
