Cultural Perspectives wish you a very happy Chinese Moon Festival! We’d also like to present a factsheet for you to understand this important cultural occasion.
It is the Chinese Moon Festival today (also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival), which is the second grandest festive celebration in the Chinese culture immediately after the Chinese Lunar New Year. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th Month in the Chinese lunar calendar, and the moon is at its roundest and brightest around this time of the year.
What does it mean to Chinese people?
The Moon Festival has a strong connotation of family. On the day, people far apart from their family will travel back to get together for a family reunion.
How do people celebrate it?
It is usually celebrated by getting together for a spread of meal, plenty of wine, and moon cakes. As the moon is at its brightest, people will watch the moon and enjoy the moon light as much as possible. Gifting family and friends with nice gift boxes of mooncakes are always appreciated.
Legend about the festival
A romantic legend tells us about a lady called Chang E, who consumed the elixir to protect her beloved husband and then had to fly to moon and live the rest of her life there. Chang E is therefore respected as the Chinese goodness of the Moon.