THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the lunar eighth, ninth and 10th months make up autumn. The eighth month falls in mid-autumn, and the 15th day is in the middle of the month, hence the name "Mid-Autumn Festival". On that day, the Chinese have the custom to admire the moon and eat moon cakes. In autumn, it is fine and cool, there are few floating clouds in the sky and the moon at night seems particularly bright. This is especially true on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Since people consider the full moon as the symbol of reunion and satifaction, the festival is also called "the Festival for Reunion'. According to traditional custom, Chinese people enjoy fruits and moon cakes while admiring the moon. As the moon cake is round, symbolizing reunion, it is sometimes called "Reunion Cake". The Chinese moon cake has many varieties and production methods differ from place to place. There are sweet, salty, meat and vegetable fillings. It has various decorative patterns and words. In autumn, people reap the results of their year's labor. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole family will sit together to admire the moon and eat moon cakes, filled with happiness for the bumper harvest and a family reunion. At that time, people far away from hometown will also look up at the moon and miss their hometown and family members. Children carried lanterns walked along from street to street and have a lot of fun. Since ancient times, China has had many fairy tales and legends about the moon, among which the most famous is "Chang'e Flying to the Moon'. Chang'e was the wife of Houyi in ancient Chinese myths. Legend has it that she swallowed an elixir stolen from Grand Old Lady of the West, became an immortal and flew to the moon palace.