19 Sep
2013
Q&A on Today’s Chinese Moon Festival with Our Friend from Hangzhou
Today is one of China’s most important and widely celebrated holidays: Mid Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival. Families gather once darkness falls and sit together, looking at the moon and eating mooncakes with tea. They give thanks for the Fall harvest and for each other.
Mooncakes are small in area but they’re rich and heavy. Mooncakes have a rich thick filling usually made from red bean or lotus seed paste with a thin crust. Some mooncakes contain yolks from salted duck eggs.
1. Can you please provide a two sentence overview of Chinese Moon Festival?
Usually families get together for dinner, then serve the moon cake and observe the moon. It takes place on the brightest full moon of the year and the families give thanks for the harvesting of Fall crops. It is similar to the time that Families get together at Thanksgiving in USA. Poet Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty wrote a poem that sums it up:
The moon light is pouring down on my bedside
like white frost spreading on the ground
I look up the bright round moon in the sky
and lower my head thinking of my dear hometown
2. Does Chinese Moon Festival have any significance to you personally? What is your favorite memory from celebrating Moon Festival in China?
It reminds me all the families in China. It is the time we have Moon Cake, drink together and enjoy the beautiful moon in the year. In Hangzhou, it is the season that Cinnamon Flower is in blossom. The whole city is surrounded by the very special fragrance. Sitting under the Cinnamon Flower Tree, having Moon Cake and looking at the moon and chatting is a perfect picture of Moon Festival. I miss the smell of Cinnamon Flower.
Cinnamon Flower in Hangzhou:
3. Does all of China celebrate or just certain provinces?
I will say it is more related to the Han culture, but most provinces celebrate the festival.
4. What’s the most unique type of moon cake you know of?
The moon cake is round and symbolizes unity and family. Suzhou Moon Cake and Guangdong Moon Cake are the unique representatives of Moon Cakes I knew. Based on the different styles, the fillings also have multiple combinations….. Mouth Watering….
Su Style Moon Cake:
Guang style Moon Cake:
Note: Another Chinese (Hong Kongese) friend explained to me that this is the second most celebrated holiday in China (the first is Lunar New Year.) The Moon Festival is a “ying” holiday and is more laid back and contemplative whereas the Lunar New Year is more “yang” with long celebrations and fireworks.
She explained that because the mooncakes are very rich and heavy, they are often split into eighths and eaten in small portions.
Also, similar to Valentine’s Day in the US, it is the only day of the year where it is somewhat socially expected that a woman might propose marriage to a man.
This festival is also widely celebrated in Vietnam.
We’ve talked about lunar energy and the moon in relation to yoga in posts, and it’s fascinating to see the impact the moon can have on us.
Have any of our readers ever eaten mooncakes or celebrated Moon Festival? Do you feel different on nights/days when there is a full moon?