![]() ![]() There are quite a few different versions of these stories. Some people in China still burn incense to Cháng‘é during Moon festival. Some talk about immortal beings or Cháng‘é (嫦娥) the Chinese goddess of the moon and an archer Houyi (Hòuyì, 后羿). There are many other legends and folk tales in Chinese culture that talk about this holiday and its origins. Often, people sit outside late into the night on moon festival day enjoying mooncakes and other snacks and looking at the moon with family or friends. If Chinese people can’t reunite with their family at this festival, it is popular to send them mooncakes through the mail so that both people can eat mooncakes and look at the same full moon together. I think my boys will grow up being part Chinese, at least their stomachs. My young boys love mooncakes and interestingly enough, their favorites are definitely the red bean and the pumpkin/ham versions. I think that the nut versions are closest to anything we have in America. There are also coconut and mixed nut versions. I have tried other flavors of mooncakes, including pastry and red bean paste, pastry and ham, and pumpkin and ham. The fancy ones have stamped characters on the top, remembering the folk tale of how the Chinese cleverly overthrew the Mongols using mooncakes to conceal the messages about the date of their planned attack. The more traditional kinds have four egg yolks inside, one egg yolk to symbolize each of the four phases of the moon. I have received several different types of mooncakes as gifts during this mooncake season when I learn Mandarin here in Kunming, including some very elaborate and expensive ones. During this festival people get together (or gather ’round) their friends and families share mooncakes (yuèbĭng, 月饼), the traditional food of the festival. The moon is a traditional Chinese symbol for reunion (tuányuán, 团圆) because yuán (圆) means round. This was a unique experience when I study in China as we don’t have this celebration back in America.Ī Chinese friend of mine says that it is very similar to America’s Thanksgiving holiday, but it has different origins. This means the date changes year to year according to the Gregorian calendar (the calendar used in America and most of the West). This is a harvest festival which starts on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. It is also known as the Moon or Mooncake festival. ![]() On Monday, September 12th I celebrated my first Mid-Autumn Festival (zhōngqiūjié, 中秋节) here in China. They also eat sticky rice dumplings called tsukimi dango while admiring the moon.This article is written by Anna Rugg, who is now learning Chinese in China at Keats School. During the festivity, Japanese people decorate roofs with pampas grass and go to shrines to offer incense, while kids collect reeds to decorate doors. In Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival is named Tsukimi (literally meaning “moon-viewing”). ![]() The Lion dance parade is another essential element of mid-autumn Vietnamese celebrations, with professional dancers and performers mimicking lions’ movements. In Vietnam, the festival is called Tết Trung Thu or “Children’s Festival.” In this country, kids carry brightly lit lanterns and tour their neighborhoods singing songs. The celebrations last three days, during which Koreans travel back to their hometown to spend time with their families and worship their ancestors. In South Korea, the Mid-Autumn festival is known as Chuseok. ![]()
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