薪傳文教工作坊 Legacy Multi Cultural & Education Service Center

Mid-Autumn Festival/中秋節(Zhōngqiū Jié)

It’s one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese culture, usually falling on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (often in September or early October). On this night, the moon is believed to be the biggest and brightest of the year.

Key Traditions:

  • Mooncakes (月饼 / 月餅, yuèbǐng): Round pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings, symbolizing reunion and completeness.
  • Family Gathering: Families reunite to share meals and appreciate the full moon together.
  • Moon Gazing (赏月 / 賞月): Admiring the full moon, sometimes with lanterns or poetry.
  • Lanterns (灯笼 / 燈籠): Children and communities display lanterns in various shapes, adding a festive atmosphere.

Symbolism:

  • The round moon = unity, harmony, and family togetherness.
  • It also celebrates the harvest season, giving thanks for abundance.

Legends:

A long time ago, the Earth had ten suns in the sky. The heat burned the land and dried up the rivers. A brave hero named Hou Yi took his bow and shot down nine of the suns, leaving just one so people could live.

As a reward, Hou Yi was given a magic potion that could make him live forever. But he loved his wife, Chang’e, so much that he didn’t want to leave her alone. He hid the potion at home.

One day, Hou Yi’s greedy apprentice tried to steal it. To protect it, Chang’e drank it herself. Suddenly, she floated up into the sky and landed on the moon. From then on, she became the Moon Goddess, and Hou Yi would look at the moon every night, missing her dearly.

On the moon, Chang’e wasn’t alone. She had a little companion — the Jade Rabbit. This magical rabbit makes medicine by pounding herbs with a mortar and pestle. If you look closely at the full moon, some say you can see its shadow.

There is also Wu Gang, a woodcutter who lives on the moon. His punishment is to chop down a giant laurel tree that heals itself every time he strikes it, so his work never ends.

And finally, mooncakes aren’t just delicious — they have a story too! Long ago, when people wanted to rise up against the Mongol rulers, they hid secret messages inside mooncakes. On the night of the full moon, they started their uprising, and the tradition of mooncakes became part of the festival.