The Chinese celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with offerings to the moon, mooncakes, and family gatherings.

Starting Saturday, September 22, China celebrates one of the country's most important holidays – the Mid-Autumn Festival, during which the Chinese enjoy a long weekend off from work.

This holiday is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, not only in China but also in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Although the history of this holiday dates back three thousand years, it has only been recognized as a national holiday since 2008. Two years earlier, the Mid-Autumn Festival was included on the list of intangible cultural heritage.

The Beginnings of Sacrifices to the Moon

The history of this holiday dates back three thousand years, when every autumn, the rulers of the Middle Kingdom offered offerings to the moon. The Chinese believed that the moon and its movement influenced the changing seasons and harvests. During these offerings, the people of the country gave thanks for the harvest and prayed for a better year than the current one.

The Hero's Heavenly Wife

The origins of this holiday are linked to a legend, according to which, long ago, ten suns shone in the sky, destroying all the crops on Earth. One day, an archer appeared, shot down nine, and commanded the one he saved to rise in the morning and set in the evening. In gratitude for his heroic deed, the man received an elixir of immortality from a Chinese goddess. One of the archer's apprentices tried to steal the substance guarded by the hero's wife. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the apprentice broke into the house. The woman, unwilling to give up the elixir, drank it, then transformed into a celestial being and flew off into the sky, where she took up residence on the moon. After the event, the archer offered sacrifices to his wife, who resided on the moon.

Traditions and customs of the Chinese

The circular shape is highly symbolic in Chinese culture. It signifies completeness and unification, which is why Chinese people gather at circular tables during the Mid-Autumn Festival, where they share meals. This is believed to ensure good fortune in the future. The full moon also has symbolic significance, signifying harmony. For thousands of years, the Chinese have believed that the success of their crops, and therefore their fate, depends on the moon and the sun, which is why they made offerings every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The moon is an essential element of all stages of these celebrations, and moon gazing is essential. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese people look to the sky, expecting it to be even fuller and brighter than usual. Other traditions of this holiday include family gatherings and the hanging and releasing of lanterns into the sky.

Traditional Christmas pastries

The full moon element is also indispensable in culinary terms; the most important symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival is mooncakes. The Chinese eagerly buy this traditional pastry and give them to their loved ones. Their round shape symbolizes the full moon, as does the egg yolk inside. Each cake features special characters signifying harmony and longevity, while inside lies a hidden filling. What does it taste like? A very popular filling is a paste made of dates, almonds, and nuts, but the selection is truly vast. From red bean fillings to fruit, nuts, and even meat! It is said that this custom became widespread during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Since the Mongols did not eat these traditional pastries, a secret message concerning an attack on that dynasty was hidden within them.

Have you ever had the opportunity to visit China during this holiday? Share your memories with us!