Mid-autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival (or Mooncake Festival) is a traditional Chinese festival on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar (usually around mid or late September in Gregorian Calendar). On this day the moon is at its roundest and brightest, which symbolises family gathering. According to Chinese traditions, on this day family members have to gather and eat mooncakes.

Origin

The origin of the festival is not very clear. It is said that the festival originated from ancient times, when people held ceremonies of sacrificing to the Moon Goddess.

However another version is that the Mid-Autumn Festival commemorates the uprisings against Mongols in the 14th century. The rebels embedded a small piece of note written with plans for the rebellion into a cake, which was then smuggled to compatriots. And the cake is now known as mooncake.

Traditions

On this day family members, friends will gather to scenic spots, appreciate the moon and eat mooncakes and pomeloes. Traditional mooncakes are round in shape (which symbolises the moon), and are made of ground lotus, egg-yolk, red bean paste and other ingredients.