Mid-Autumn Festival
| Mid Autumn Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Festival decorations in Beijing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also called | Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observed by | Chinese people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Cultural, religious | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Significance | To commemorate and celebrate the end of the autumn harvest | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Celebrations | Lantern lighting, mooncake making and sharing, courtship and matchmaking, fireworks, family gathering, dragon dances, family meal, visiting friends and relatives, gift giving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observances | Consumption of mooncakes and cassia wine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 date | 17 September | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 date | 6 October | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 date | 25 September | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Frequency | Annual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related to | Chuseok (Korea), Tsukimi (Japan), Tết Trung Thu (Vietnam), Uposatha of Ashvini or Krittika (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 中秋節 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 中秋节 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Mid-Autumn Festival" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 八月十五/八月半 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Fifteenth/Half of the Eighth Month" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Regional name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 八月節 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Eighth Month Festival" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Part of a series on |
| Chinese folk religion |
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The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar with a full moon at night, corresponding to mid-September to early October of the Gregorian calendar.[1] On this day, the Chinese believe that the moon is at its fullest and brightest, coinciding with the time of harvest in the middle of autumn.[2]
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays and celebrations in Chinese culture; its popularity is on par with that of Chinese New Year. The history of the festival dates back over 3,000 years.[3][4] Similar festivals are celebrated by other cultures in East and Southeast Asia.
During the festival, lanterns of all sizes and shapes – symbolizing beacons that light the path toward prosperity and good fortune for the people – are carried and displayed. Mooncakes, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean or lotus-seed paste, are eaten during this festival.[5][6][7] The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the legend of Chang'e, the Moon goddess in Chinese mythology.[8]
- ^ Yang, Fang (12 September 2011). "Mid-Autumn Festival and its traditions". Archived from the original on 13 April 2012.
- ^ Pinky Chng; William Tan (19 September 2020). "Mooncakes, lanterns and legends: Your guide to the Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore". AsiaOne. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Moon Festival – The Chinese Mid Autumn Festival". 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021.
- ^ Roy, Christian (2005). Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. pp. 282–286. ISBN 978-1576070895.
- ^ "Mid-Autumn Festival in Other Asian Countries". www.travelchinaguide.com.
- ^ "A Chinese Symbol of Reunion: Moon Cakes – China culture". kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ "Back to Basics: Baked Traditional Moon Cakes". Guai Shu Shu. 10 August 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ 中秋传说故事四：嫦娥奔月 [The Mid-Autumn Festival's Fourth Legend: Chang'e Running to the Moon]. China.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.