The Chinese Moon Festival is a favorite holiday among the Chinese. It is the right time to give thanks for the blessings of the year and rekindle family ties.
The Chinese Moon Festival is held every 15 nights on the 8th of the Chinese lunar calendar. In this year’s Western calendar (2008), it is celebrated on September 14. The Chinese believe that this is the night when the full moon is fullest and brightest. For the Chinese, the moon symbolizes prosperity and longevity. Its round shape also symbolizes the complete family circle.
Chinese Moon Festival Food
Mooncakes are distributed to business and family networks a week or two before the Chinese Moon Festival to reaffirm ties. Traditional recipes use fruits, seeds, bean paste, and meat as fillings. Egg yolks are also baked in the center for extra luck, as the yolks resemble the moon. These days, even mooncake is undergoing makeovers to keep up with the taste of the younger generation. Some mooncake recipes use ice cream or chocolate as the filling, and their crusts can also be flaky. Although the bakeries start selling mooncakes early, these always sell out as the festival approaches.
The Moon Festival dinner is typically banquet style. Plates that add up to 5, 7, or 9 are considered lucky. Other typical foods eaten during the festival are taro, grapefruit, and snails.
After dinner, ancestors are honored by burning incense, lighting candles, and bowing at the family altar.
Then the Moon Festival table is prepared. These are the items that are commonly placed on the table and what they symbolize:
- Pumpkins – lasting union
- apples – peace
- Grenades – many children
- Round shaped fruit – eg. Asian pears, persimmons, grapes, peaches, melons
- Soybean plants – representing the cassia tree
- Peanuts – long life
- Coconuts – healthy face and figure
- Watermelon seeds – many children
- tea service
Outdoor trekking at the Chinese Moon Festival
Nowadays, there are many Chinese Moon Festival events that families can attend. Even so, the idea is that families go out to admire the beauty of the moon. Children are given flashlights to light the way. Lanterns are usually shaped like animals, but modern lanterns now come in other shapes, such as airplanes, rockets, and automobiles.
- The family is encouraged to send prayers of thanks for all the blessings. They are also encouraged to express their wishes for the moon lady. It is said that when the moon is at its fullest, the Lady of the Moon grants wishes.
- The moon cake is shared. A mooncake is not eaten whole at once. Rather, it is cut into quarters and shared with the family.
- Lovers also take this opportunity to share moon cake and wine.
- For lovers and family who are far away, they can look at the moon and remind the loved one that they are also looking at the moon. They feel a certain bond doing something together, despite the distance.
Tell legends about the moon
While contemplating the moon, legends about the moon are retold for young people. These are some of the most popular legends.
- The Archer and the Lady of the Moon. In ancient times, it was said that 10 suns arose and dried up the earth. Hou Yi the archer shot down 9 of the suns and saved the earth. The Jade Emperor was pleased and awarded him the Elixir of Life. Hou Yi’s wife Chang’E takes the elixir. She floats to the moon. Hou Yi chases it through the skies, but is unable to retrieve it. The gods allow them to meet there once a month, when there is a full moon.
- The Jade Rabbit accompanies Chang’E on the moon. The rabbit is commonly shown using a pestle and mortar, continually concocting the Elixir of Life.
- Wu Gang the Woodcutter. Wu Gang selfishly sought immortality. This angered the gods who sentenced Wu Gang to cut down the Tree of Immortality on the moon. Unfortunately, every time the Wu Gang manages to cut down the tree, the magical tree grows back.
- Moon Minister of Marriage. The ancient Minister is said to unite future couples by connecting babies and infants with an enchanted red thread.
Bringing out Chinese Moon Poetry
Part of the popularity of the Chinese Moon Festival can be attributed to the beautiful moon poetry written by ancient poets. The festival is the perfect time to bring out poetry to be appreciated by the family.
A famous poem about the moon written in ancient times is “Missing Home in the Silent Night.” One translation reads: “The moonlight shines through the window Makes me wonder if it’s the frost on the ground, Looking up to see the Moon… Looking down, I miss my hometown so much. Like the family, good food, moonlight, legend and poetry combine for this magical night, it’s no wonder the Chinese Moon Festival remains a favorite holiday among the Chinese.
