By Yeam Pik Wah, Marketing Executive, President College
The Mooncake Festival (also called the Mid-Autumn festival) falls on September 12th in the year 2011. What is the Mooncake festival? Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year, the Chinese celebrate "中秋节zhong qiu jie."
The Mooncake Festival (also called the Mid-Autumn festival) falls on September 12th in the year 2011. What is the Mooncake festival? Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year, the Chinese celebrate "中秋节zhong qiu jie."
Children are told the story of the moon fairy living in a crystal palace, who comes out to dance on the moon's shadowed surface. The legend surrounding the "lady living in the moon" dates back to ancient times, to a day when ten suns appeared at once in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine extra suns. Once the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his wife found the pill, took it, and was banished to the moon as a result. Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the Moon festival.
How to Celebrate the Mooncake Festival
Chinese moon cake festival is a popular and traditional East Asian holiday. It is a 3000 year tradition and many people in Asia today still celebrate it like their ancestors did. It is one of the best holidays because traditionally you will get to eat the very delicious moon cake that comes in many different varieties.
During the festival, people would eat moon cakes and drink tea while looking at the moon. Moon cakes has many flavors and one of the most popular version is the lotus seed paste with egg yoke, and it symbolize togetherness in a family and not to mention it is very delicious.
Accompanying the celebration, Chinese will hanging lanterns on the bamboo pole and putting them on a high point, such as roofs, trees, terraces, etc. It is a custom in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, etc.
Traditionally, this holiday signifies togetherness for a family. For those that cannot be with family members because of work or other reasons, they look at the moon and think about their loved ones :)
Traditionally, this holiday signifies togetherness for a family. For those that cannot be with family members because of work or other reasons, they look at the moon and think about their loved ones :)
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