Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

You might think it’s too early to be talking about the middle of fall, but in Chinese culture, the seasons are marked by the energetic shifts of Yin and Yang. August signaled the beginning of Yang’s decline as Yin energy started to rise. Now, we’ve entered the phase of Yin within Yang. This year, the Fall Equinox falls on September 22nd, when day and night are perfectly balanced with equal amounts of light and darkness.

In China, many natural events are observed through the lens of the lunar calendar, which brings us to the Mid-Autumn Festival, often called the “Moon Festival.” It’s celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, and this year, it falls on September 17th. The moon, symbolizing unity, becomes a focal point during this time. After the harvest season, it’s a time for families to gather around a round table, share a meal, and express gratitude for the abundance of the year.

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How to celebrate Moon Festival?

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1. Family gathering under the moonlight

A good place to start is to get together for a late family dinner. Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is their version of Thanksgiving. It is time for appreciation and gratitude as well as spending quality time with loved ones.

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2. Eating Mooncakes

Mooncake is a signature pastry for this occasion. As a rule, mooncakes are round pastries filled with bean paste, lotus seeds, fruits, nuts, or eggs. The round shape represents the mood as well as the family unity. Each mooncake is usually cut into a number of pieces matching the number of people in the family.

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3. Moon gazing

There is a famous legend about beautiful Chang’e who drank an elixir of immortality and flew to the moon, while her husband Hou Yi later became the God of the Sun. The couple is reunited once a month when the full moon burns brightly from the force of their love.

To this day people in China worship the moon and serve round fruits like watermelon, grapefruit, pomegranate, pear, persimmon, and grapes at a dinner table.

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4. Making Lanterns

Making Lanterns is a fun family activity that is especially entertaining for children. You can also make burning ones, write your wishes on them and release them into the air.

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