Learn Chinese in Mid-Autumn Festival
This week the topic, and food, on everyone's lips... mooncakes. As the gifting and re-gifting festivities take place now, get informed about what this holiday is all about.
The Lunar Festival was traditionally the third and last festival for the living in the Chinese calendar. It always occurs on the 15th of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, so in the Western calendar that is usually some time between mid September and mid October. It is a festival that has traditionally been celebrated by both the Han and the minority nationalities.
The Chinese custom of worshiping the moon goes as far back as the ancient Xia and Shang dynasties (2000BC – 1066 BC). Most of China’s historical palaces and classical gardens have a moon viewing pavilion for this reason. People drew a connection between the changes of the moon and of life, comparing the waxes and wanes of the moon to the human emotions of sorrow and joy due to parting and reunion. The Mid Autumn festival falls at the time in the lunar calendar when the moon is full. It came to symbolize a time of reunion when fruit and grain had just been harvested and food was abundant, so families came together under the full moon to celebrate.
Vocabulary:
- 中秋节 (Zhōngqiūjié) Mid-Autumn Festival
- 传统 (chuántǒng) tradition
- 月饼 (yuèbǐng) moon cake
- 冰淇凌 (bīngqílíng) ice cream
