Family members who work in different cities or provinces go home and enjoy an abundant family dinner.Īfter the dinner families will have mooncakes and go outside to appreciate the moon in their yard or in the park. Because of this, the Mid-Autumn Festival is thought of as a time for family reunion. This tradition of traveling home to visit family remains to this day. Family TraditionsĪ long time ago in China, fall was the season for harvest and, following that, the time for people working out of town to return home to be with their families. The Chinese successfully overthrew their Mongolian rulers and established the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD). When these mooncakes were delivered and eaten all the members who received the messages fought against the Mongolians according to the secret plan. When the Mid-Autumn festival came they inserted secret plans inside their mooncakes. Let’s take a look at this video, showing how mooncakes are made!ĭid you know there is a legend about the Chinese using mooncakes to deliver secret messages? At one point the Chinese were ruled by the Mongolians and wanted to overthrow their foreign rulers. With the current awareness on healthy eating we now see smaller sized mooncakes and low calorie fillings of green tea, mochi, and even fruit. They are delicious but also high in calories. You will also see the above flavors with one or two salty duck egg yolks inside. The traditional ones have sweet fillings such as red bean paste, lotus seed paste, and Chinese date paste. There are various fillings in the mooncakes. When you see the mooncakes for sale it is a sign that the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming. Mooncakes are available at bakeries and restaurants. They are a seasonal gift among friends, family and business partners. Mooncakes are out in the market weeks before the Mid-Autumn Festival. When Chinese people talk about the “lady in the moon”, they are talking about Cháng é, the Moon Fairy. The rabbit was the only companion Cháng é- the Moon Fairy- had on the moon and is named the “Jade Rabbit.” When Cháng é got to the moon she coughed up the pill and the pill became a rabbit. After she took the pill Cháng é felt lighter and lighter. As the visitor was about to steal the pill from her Cháng é swallowed it. A visitor of the archer’s, however, heard about this pill and wanted to steal it from his wife. He did it successfully and was rewarded a “pill of the immortality.” Hòu yì went home and gave the precious pill to his wife, Cháng’é, for safekeeping. A famous archer, Hòu yì, was summoned to shoot down 9 of the suns in the sky. People were running out of water to drink and the crops in the rice fields were withering. Because of this it was very hot! The blazing suns dried up the rivers and there was a serious drought. Here is a popular version among Chinese children:Ī long time ago in China there were ten suns in the sky. There are many folktales surrounding the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the “ Moon Festival” as it is observed during a bright, full moon. Here are some upcoming dates:Īs the festival is celebrated at the midpoint of the lunar month (also the middle of autumn), it is called the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is a harvest festival, celebrated by people in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Because this holiday is based on the lunar calendar, where it falls on the solar calendar varies from year to year. The Mid-Autumn occurs on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month each year (falling in September or October on our familiar solar calendar). This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support! Let’s learn more about the Mid-Autumn Festival’s unique legends and traditions- and of course the tasty moon cakes! The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival or “Zhōng Qiū Jié” (中秋節) is one of China’s most important festivals, and a special time for family get-togethers.
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