On August 15th of the Chinese lunar calendar, the annual Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. At this time, everyone is looking forward to being reunited with their families, enjoying the moon together, and sharing sweet moon cakes.We will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival is on 10th September 2022. In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival has had folk customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, admiring the moon, eating moon cakes, playing with lanterns, appreciating osmanthus flowers, and drinking osmanthus wine since ancient times.
In fact, The Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a traditional festival in China, but also a traditional festival in Asia and some other continents. Although they are all have Mid-Autumn Festivals, the customs of each country are different. Let’s us continue to read.
Japan
The Japanese call the Mid-Autumn Festival "Yuejian Festival (月见节)". On the festival day, thousands of residents will wear costumes with ethnic characteristics, sing and dance. Another big feature of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Japan is the "thirteen nights". Also known as "Chestnut Month" or "Bean Month". On this day, people eat chestnuts, soybeans and other food and enjoy the late autumn moon with their families.
In the Tang Dynasty, the folk had engaged in the production of the baker, the capital Chang 'an also began to appear pastry shops. It is said that one year on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty and Lord Yang Guifei looked at the bright moon, and their hearts were surging, so they casually said "moon cake". From then on, the name of "moon cake" gradually spread among the people. Ming Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn festival to eat moon cakes in the folk gradually spread. At that time, the ingenious baker, the myth of Chang 'e flying to the moon as an instrument art pattern printed on the moon cake, moon cake has become more favored by the people of the Mid-Autumn Festival essential food.
As early as the Tang Dynasty （618-907 AD）, the custom of appreciating the moon was introduced into Japan. At first, it was only popular among the nobility, and later it gradually spread to the people and became a popular folk activity among the people. In Japan, the term "Mid-Autumn Festival" is rarely heard, but the custom of admiring the moon is still influenced by China. Although the lunar calendar is no longer used in Japan, the number of days to enjoy the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival is still calculated according to the lunar calendar.
Instead of moon cakes, Japanese people eat "Tuanzi" made of rice in various shapes and filled with bean paste. Is Japan's unique "moon food". “Yuejian" means viewing the moon in Japanese, and "Tuanzi" is as round as the moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival, which symbolizes completeness. Therefore, eating "Tuanzi" during the Mid-Autumn Festival can gain health and happiness.
Furthermore, in addition to eating “Tuanzi”, it is also used as an offering to pray for a good autumn harvest, and the number and shape of the offerings are also particular. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, 15 “Tuanzi” will be arranged in a pyramid shape; 9 on the bottom layer, 4 on the middle layer, and 2 on the top.
Let’s see Chinese Various moon cakes.
Thailand
The Mid-Autumn Festival is not a legal holiday in Thailand, but because there are many Chinese in Thailand, and the Chinese pay great attention to traditional festivals, so most of the Thai people celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
In Thailand, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as "Pray Moon Festival", Thai Chinese have long worshiping the custom of the month. On August 15, the night of the festival, families, men, women and children all want to pay homage to the moon. People sit at the big table to pray and bless each other. Every year, after the moon rises on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, people offer moon cakes, fruits, nuts, lotus roots and other offerings to the moon God. According to the custom, it is usually offered by men first and then by women. Not only moon cakes, sweet cakes, cloud cake and other round cakes can be used for offering.
South Korea
South Korea also has the Mid-Autumn Festival, the same time as China, South Korea's Mid-Autumn festival also according to the lunar calendar, is August 15 every year. The 15th day of the Eighth month of the Korean lunar calendar is called Chuseok. Chuseok is arguably the most important traditional festival of the year for Koreans, a festival of harvest and gratitude, even bigger than the Spring Festival (lunar New Year).
On the morning of this day, family members dressed in festive costumes hold simple memorial activities at home or in front of the mausoleum of their ancestors. The female members of the family will place a variety of elaborate food in front of the gravestones of their ancestors.
Vietnam
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is also a festival for children in a large sense. Adults can enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival as a reunion day to spend more time with their children.
In the evening, the children often listen to the legend about A Gui, go to see the lion dance, and some even get a lion bought by their father to play with their friends. (A Gui is the Vietnamese version of Chang 'e. According to legend, when A Gui got the fairy tree, he did not obey the fairy instructions and poured sewage on the tree. As a result, the fairy tree soared into the moon palace.)
During the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, lantern festivals are held across Vietnam, where designs are evaluated and prizes are awarded to the winners. Some places in Vietnam also organize lion dances during festivals, usually on the 14th and 15th nights of August lunar month. Children will carry a variety of lanterns, and have a lots of fun.
Singapore and Malaysia
These two countries, where the majority of the population is Chinese, attach great importance to the annual Mid-Autumn Festival. For Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia, the Mid-Autumn Festival is an opportunity to bond and express gratitude. Relatives, friends and business partners will present moon cakes to each other to express their greetings and wishes. Every year as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the famous local streets are decorated. At night, when the lights turn on, the whole street is a lively scene, and lanterns shining.
Further reading:
How to Make a Chinese Mooncake
Mid-Autumn Festival
