“Mid-Autumn Festival”
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese cultural celebration held during the middle of autumn, on the full moon night of the 8th lunar month. It is a time when the moon shines its brightest and fullest, serving as a symbol of reunion and remembrance. Families separated by distance can look up at the moon to send their warm thoughts and feelings to one another. This year, the festival falls on October 6, 2025.
The origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival are told through various historical and mythological accounts. Historically, during the Yuan Dynasty, when the Han people were oppressed under Mongol rule, they secretly sent messages hidden inside mooncakes to organize a rebellion, which eventually led to their independence. This evolved into the present-day tradition of sharing and offering mooncakes during the festival.
In Chinese mythology, the festival is also associated with Chang’e (嫦娥), the Moon Goddess, who is the beloved of Hou Yi, the divine archer. Her story, involving a misdeed and subsequent punishment, is celebrated and remembered during this festival.
An essential part of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the mooncake, offered in respect to the moon. Mooncakes are typically round, resembling small cakes, made from kneaded dough pressed into molds with intricate patterns. They are then baked and glazed with syrup on the surface. The filling often consists of various ingredients, primarily grains and nuts, such as durian, lotus seed paste, macadamia nuts, and Chinese jujube.
