People traditionally celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on Aug. 15 of the lunar calendar every year. The Mid-Autumn Festival began at the beginning of Tang Dynasty and prevailed in the Song Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it became one of the traditional Chinese festivals, which is as famous as the Spring Festival. Since ancient times, the Mid-Autumn Festival has had folk customs such as Worshipping the Moon, Admiring the Moon, Eating Moon Cakes, Playing with Lanterns, Admiring Osmanthus, and Drinking Osmanthus Wine, which have been passed down for a long time.
Under the influence of Chinese culture, the Mid-autumn Festival is also a traditional holiday in some countries of East Asia and Southeast Asia, especially for the Chinese and overseas Chinese there. Many people, in the Mid-Autumn Festival, use the auspicious meaning of full moon to signify people’s reminiscence and affection of reunion. It is a colorful and precious cultural heritage for yearning for the good harvest and happiness.
The custom of admiring the moon is derived from Worshipping the Moon, and the serious sacrifices have become an amusement. It is said that the moon is closest to the earth on this night, with the largest roundest and brightest moon, so there has been a custom of feasting and admiring the moon since ancient times.
Moon cakes represent the family reunion, so many people regard them as festive food, use them to worship the moon, and give them to relatives and friends. Up till now, eating moon cakes has become a necessary custom for the Mid-Autumn Festival in various parts of China. People eat moon cakes to show “reunion” on this day.
