Mid-Autumn Festival: A moonlit tradition across millennia

The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, is China’s second most important traditional holiday after the Chinese New Year. Rooted in ancient agrarian society, it marks the end of the harvest and symbolizes reunion, gratitude, and renewal. The full moon, seen as a sign of harmony between heaven and earth, is central to the celebration. The festival draws from deep cultural traditions, including moon worship dating back to the Shang Dynasty and the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess who lives with the Jade Rabbit—symbols of immortality and fertility. Celebrations vary across China: in the north, people gather under clear skies for moon-viewing and once offered clay figurines of Tu’er Ye, a moon deity; in the south, customs include playing the dice game Bo Bing, lighting bonfires, and hosting vibrant lantern displays with riddles. Mooncakes, a signature treat, differ by region—southern versions are rich and sweet, while northern ones are simpler and rustic. The festival is also widely celebrated in overseas Chinese communities, serving as a cultural bridge and an expression of shared identity. Despite modern life, the Mid-Autumn Festival endures as a timeless reminder of connection, tradition, and the comforting presence of the same moon in the sky.

Credit – CGTN