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Festive China: Mid-Autumn Festival

China Culture・3 minutes read

The Mid-Autumn Festival in China celebrates the full moon with mooncakes and symbolizes reunion, with a famous legend inspiring China's Chang'e moon exploration project. This festival is a significant tradition in Chinese culture, emphasizing family gatherings and unity through the consumption of mooncakes.

Insights

  • The Mid-Autumn Festival in China, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, revolves around admiring the full moon and symbolizes reunion through customs like sharing mooncakes, which vary from traditional fillings to modern flavors like ice cream and durian, all embodying the desire for joyful family gatherings.
  • The legend of Ho Yi, who saved the world and inspired the Chang'e moon exploration project in China, highlights the cultural significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival, emphasizing family reunions and the tradition of mooncake consumption as symbols of unity and togetherness, making it one of the most important celebrations in Chinese culture.

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Recent questions

  • What is the significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival in China?

    The Mid-Autumn Festival in China holds great importance as a tradition centered around admiring the full moon and symbolizing reunion. It emphasizes the value of family gatherings and unity, with mooncakes being a significant custom representing this desire for togetherness.

  • What is the legend behind the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon in Hangzhou?

    The legend behind the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon in Hangzhou involves a hero named Ho Yi who saved the world and received an elixir as a reward. His wife consumed it, becoming immortal and ascending to the moon, inspiring the name of the popular spot known for reflecting 15 moons on the water's surface.

  • How did the Chang'e moon exploration project in China originate?

    The Chang'e moon exploration project in China originated from the legend of Ho Yi's wife ascending to the moon after consuming an elixir. This tale inspired the project, leading to the successful landing of the Chang'e 4 probe on the moon on January 3, 2019, capturing the first close-range image of the dark side of the moon.

  • What are the traditional fillings of mooncakes in China?

    Traditional fillings of mooncakes in China include 5 kernel, egg yolk, and bean paste, symbolizing the desire for happy family gatherings and unity. Modern options like ice cream and durian also exist, showcasing the evolution of mooncake flavors over time.

  • Where is a popular spot in China to view the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival?

    The West Lake in Hangzhou, China, particularly the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, is a popular spot to view the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The three stone towers reflect 15 moons on the water's surface, creating a beautiful spectacle that attracts visitors seeking to admire the moon's beauty.

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Summary

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Mid-Autumn Festival: Moon, Legend, Tradition

  • The 15th day of the 8th lunar month marks the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, a tradition centered around admiring the full moon. The West Lake in Hangzhou, China, particularly the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, is a popular spot to view the moon's beauty, with three stone towers reflecting 15 moons on the water's surface, leading to the name "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon." The festival symbolizes reunion, with mooncakes being a significant custom, varying in flavors like traditional fillings of 5 kernel, egg yolk, and bean paste, to modern options like ice cream and durian, all representing the desire for happy family gatherings.
  • Legend has it that during ancient times, a hero named Ho Yi saved the world by shutting down nine suns, receiving an elixir as a reward. When his wife accidentally consumed it, she became immortal and ascended to the moon, unable to return to Earth. This tale inspired China's Chang'e moon exploration project, with the Chang'e 4 probe successfully landing on the moon on January 3, 2019, capturing the first close-range image of the dark side of the moon. The Mid-Autumn Festival, second only to the Spring Festival, holds great significance in Chinese culture, emphasizing the importance of family reunions and the enduring tradition of mooncake consumption as a symbol of unity and togetherness.
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