Moon Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival, called Zhongqiujie (中秋节) in Chinese, is one of the four most important traditional Chinese festivals and takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.
A Day of Moon Worship
Records show that even before the Qin Dynasty, there was a tradition of offering sacrifices to the moon. Emperors presented offerings to the moon to pray for a good harvest and blessings. The ritual gradually spread and slowly developed into a folk festival where families gather to observe the moon, until it was finally officially established as a holiday during the Tang Dynasty. Later, additional customs were added, such as eating mooncakes and using flower lanterns.
A Famous Legend – Houyi and Chang’e
A long time ago, there were ten suns in the sky, making life on Earth impossible. Houyi saved the people by shooting nine of the ten suns from the sky. For this, he received an elixir of immortality. Since Houyi did not want to become immortal without his wife Chang’e, he gave it to her for safekeeping. However, one of Houyi’s disciples wanted the elixir for himself, and while Houyi was out hunting, he forced Chang’e to give it to him. In desperation, Chang’e swallowed the elixir and subsequently floated up to the sky. To stay as close as possible to her husband, she settled on the moon and lives there as an immortal. When Houyi returned, he was in deep sorrow, looked at the moon, and called Chang’e’s name. The night that day was exceptionally bright, and a shadow on the moon reminded of Chang’e. In memory of Chang’e, Houyi offered sacrifices, and the people followed his example. This is how the custom arose of observing the full moon of the eighth month and coming together with the loved ones.
Mooncakes – Symbolism and Variety
One of the best-known customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival is eating mooncakes. Mooncakes are round pastries, usually sweet, with fillings such as sweet bean paste, sesame, peanuts, fruits, or egg yolk. In Chinese markets, there are numerous flavors depending on the region. There are also legends about the origin of mooncakes. For example, it is said that a soldier invented them as a solution to the army’s food shortage. Another story suggests that notes with messages were hidden inside the mooncakes.
Today, mooncakes are given as a sign of appreciation to friends, colleagues, family, and other close individuals. The round shape not only represents the full moon but also symbolizes completeness, unity, and good wishes. Mooncakes are often packaged in decorative boxes and gift sets. While the observation of the moon has become a secondary activity today, the giving of mooncakes remains important.