![]() The rabbit is a popular symbol of the festival based on Chinese mythology.įor more information about how the holiday is celebrated around the world, check out the Kelvin Smith Library's Asian Mid-Autumn Festival Resource Guide or our collection of videos below. The moon is an important part of the holiday, and it's common for celebrations to take place at night to provide an opportunity to enjoy it. Traditions vary, but often include celebrating the harvest of rice and wheat by eating special desserts like mooncakes, sharing stories, and hanging lanterns. It goes by many names including Tet Trung Thu, Tsukimi and Chuseok. The Asian Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of a successful harvest throughout much of Eastern Asia and is enjoyed by bringing together families and friends. International Affairs Visiting Committee.If you prefer to enjoy the moon in a classic Chinese-style garden, head to Yu Garden where you can find pagodas and bridges that will transport you to a different era. ![]() Hop on the elevators of any of the popular skyscrapers in Lujiazui to get a closer view of the beauty of the moon. Not only will you enjoy the stunning skyline of Shanghai at the Bund, you can also enjoy a full bright moon with the skyscrapers as backdrop. Therefore, it’s not unusual for the Chinese people to sit in their backyard, balcony or even go out for a walk in the evening on the day of the festival to simply appreciate the moon.īelow are some spots in Shanghai to see the moon in all its glory. What makes it fascinating is not only its mystery, but also what it symbolizes to the Chinese people: family and reunion. In fact, it’s been the object of interest for many Chinese poets. Ever since then, every 15 th day of the 8 th month of the year became the day people wish for reunion and eventually became what we know as the Mid-Autumn Festival today.Ī post shared by LTL Mandarin School Things to Do in Shanghai During Mid-Autumn Festivalīy this point, you probably understand that the moon is a re-occurring symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The townsmen missed Chang’e and her kindness, and displayed her favorite snacks in their yards, sending her their prayers across the distance. He ran towards the moon in hopes of getting to his wife, but it was to no avail. He saw the moon sitting high up in the sky.Ī moon that is large and round, inside of which he sees the shadow of a tree and a rabbit hopping under the tree.Īnd he found his wife next to the tree, gazing at him lovingly! “Chang’e! Chang’e!” he called out. When Houyi returned and couldn’t find his wife. A bright moon hung in the deep dark sky, and Chang’e floated toward it. She floated out of the window and out to the countryside. ![]() Come the evening, sword in hand, he broke into Houyi’s house eagerly, and threatened Chang’e to hand him the elixir.Ĭhang’e refused to comply and out of desperation took the elixir herself.Īlmost instantly, her body began to float. On the morning of the 15 th of the 8 th month, Houyi left early with his apprentices.įeng Meng feigned sickness and stayed behind. However, Houyi did not want to be separated from his wife Chang’e, so he asked her to hide the elixir inside her treasure box.įeng Meng somehow learned about the elixir of life and wanted to steal it for himself. Rumour has it that if a mortal takes this elixir, he would not only live forever, but also rise to heaven and become a deity. The Holy Goddess of the West (西王母) of Kunlun Mountain (昆仑山) rewarded Houyi an elixir of life. Over the years, the Chinese people came up with new ways to celebrate the holiday, and as a result each region now has adapted their own customs.įor example, the people of Hong Kong celebrate with dazzling performance of the Fire Dragon Dance, along with drums and a ton of incense, on the streets of Hong Kong.ĭespite the varying customs, the three main fundamental concepts of the festival are the same: giving thanks for the harvest, celebrate the reunion of family, and praying for things such as longevity and good fortune. The Mid-Autumn Festival is said to have originated from the Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago and was popularised in the Song Dynasty.īy Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was already a widely celebrated holiday across China.Įven to this day, it’s still celebrated by all and recognised globally as an indispensable part of Chinese culture. On the lunar calendar, the holiday falls on the 15 th day of the 8 th month, right in the middle of the fall season, hence the name Mid-Autumn.
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