The customs and legends of Mid-Autumn Festival

Saturday is the first day of the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival vacation in China this year. The festival is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar in China and it always coincides with the full moon. This year, it falls on September 24.

The festival has a long history, which has been celebrated since the Shang dynasty (B.C. 1600-B.C.1046), became a formal festival and gained popularity during the Tang dynasty(A.D.618-A.D.907). People nowadays still hold elaborate rituals to commemorate the Mid-Autumn Festival .

It is an occasion for family members to gather together, eat mooncakes and watch the moon, which is also called the "reunion festival" by Chinese.

For three thousand years, many legends about the Mid-Autumn Festival have been told from generation to generation among folks and some customs of the Festival vary from region to region in China.

1. Legends

Chang'e

The legend about Chang'e is one of the most popular stories in China, which explains the origin of moon worshiping during the festival. Chang'e, known as the moon Goddess, was a mortal thousands of years ago. She was also the wife of Chinese mythological hero Hou Yi, who shot down nine of ten suns in the sky, according to an ancient story. A mighty god awarded Hou Yi the elixir of immortality for shooting down the nine suns, however Chang'e took it while Hou Yi went hunting. She flew into the sky and chose the moon for residence. When Hou Yi returned home, he felt so sad and displayed the cakes Chang'e liked in the yard, hoping one day Chang'e would come back.

A young lady dressed up as Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, holds a rabbit dubbed "Yutu" on her palm in order to attract customers. Chang'e is a mythological figure known among Chinese for her beauty and kindness.[Photo:IC]

Yutu

Another notable legend is about a rabbit named Yutu. It's been told among folks that three gods were dressed as old beggars. When the three gods asked Yutu for food, she jumped into a fire and sacrificed herself to feed them. The gods were moved by Yutu's sacrifice and sent her spirit to the moon to accompany Chang'e.

Wugang

It's said that when one looks at the moon on the days of Mid-Autumn shadows can be seen. An ancient Chinese story goes that it's a man named Wugang wielding an axe to cut a cassia tree at the moon palace. That's a punishment from a god for his obsession with immorality. The tree grows back each time Wugang wields the axe at it. The story goes that he can only return to the human world after cutting down the tree.

2. Customs

Worshiping the moon

Worshiping the moon is an indispensable part for Chinese people's tradition on Mid-Autum Day. They display fruits and mooncakes at their yards or dining rooms for people to enjoy. The round mooncake indicates Chinese people's wishes for completeness and it's a time for families and friends to come together. And that's the main reason why Chinese people think Mid-Autumn Day is important. During the celebration, some Chinese people will also pray for what they want, such as a good fortunate, a baby or a spouse.

A bright moon was captured by a photographer in Guangzhou city, Guangdong province on Mid-autumn Day. Worshiping the moon is a Chinese tradition, nowadays people prefer watching the moon and taking pictures.[Photo:IC]

Making/Eating mooncake

Making and eating mooncake is also a tradition done on Mid-Autumn Day. In some areas in China, people make mooncakes at night and distributed by a senior family member, signifying family unity. However, modern Chinese people are buying and giving mooncakes as gifts rather than making them at home. Mooncakes now come in various flavors, including chocolate, cherry and strawberry.

Delicate mooncakes in the module display the process of making them. Mooncakes, which were originally sweet, today come in a variety of flavors including shrimps, pickles and beefs.[Photo:VCG]

Osmanthus flower

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a time when osmanthus flowers blossom in China. Ancient Chinese people would go out and enjoy the view of the osmanthus flowers, they would also make osmanthus cake, osmanthus candy and even some osmanthus wine. By night fall on the Mid-Autumn Day, they would drink the osmanthus flower wine and eat the food they made with families and friends.

Drinking osmanthus flower wine is also a tradition on Mid-Autumn day.[Photo:IC]

Burning firewood in brick tower

The custom about burning woods in a tower made of bricks is also part of the common practices among Chinese. It can be found at many southern areas such as Jiangxi province and Hunan province in China. People would build a temporary tower out of bricks and burn firewood in it, which is a way for them to cast away all illnesses and bad luck.

People in China's Hunan province burning firewood in a temporary handmade tower, which is a ritual for them to cast away illnesses and bad luck.[Photo:IC]

Some foreign countries have picked up some of the Mid-Autumn traditions, including making mooncakes. And the fundamental concepts about Mid-autumn Day should never be forgotten, which is unity and thanksgiving.