{"id":4311,"date":"2022-09-04T15:25:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-04T07:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.writtenchinese.com\/?p=4311"},"modified":"2022-10-02T18:30:14","modified_gmt":"2022-10-02T10:30:14","slug":"mid-autumn-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writtenchinese.com\/mid-autumn-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Mid-Autumn Festival: A Guide to Chinese Traditions"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Mid Autumn Festival?<\/h2>\n

After Spring Festival, \u4e2d\u79cb\u8282<\/a> (zh\u014dng qi\u016b ji\u00e9) Mid Autumn Festival is the 2nd most important Traditional Chinese festival.<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival is also called Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival, and Zhong Qiu Jie.<\/p>\n

While this observance of the moon is traditionally a Chinese festival, it\u2019s also celebrated in Japan, Vietnam and Korea.<\/p>\n

When is Mid-Autumn Festival?<\/h2>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival follows the lunar calendar and is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, which is usually somewhere between September and October.<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival 2020<\/h2>\n

Thursday, 1 October<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival 2021<\/h2>\n

Tuesday, 21 September<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival 2022<\/h2>\n

Saturday, 10 September<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival 2023<\/h2>\n

Friday, 29 September<\/p>\n

Subscribe to the ChinesePod Mid-Autumn Festival Course to learn all about the festival and pickup some Chinese phrases as you go.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival Moon Phases<\/h2>\n

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon is at its fullest and is said to be at its brightest and roundest which is represented with family gatherings.<\/p>\n

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The Netflix movie, Over the Moon, is based on the Mid-Autumn Festival story. A young girl, Fei Fei, builds a rocket to travel to the moon to meet the goddess Chang\u2019e. You can watch the movie trailer here:<\/p>\n

Some of the links below are affiliate links. That means if you click a product link below and then purchase a product, Written Chinese will take a small commission to keep the site and dictionary running. (Don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s at no extra cost to you!)<\/em><\/p>\n

The Mid-Autumn Festival Story<\/h2>\n

To understand a little more about the origins of the Mid-Autumn festival and why mooncakes are so important and eaten during the holiday, you can read the story below.<\/p>\n

There are many stories about Mid-Autumn Festival and its origins, but this one holds many of the romantic ideals that this festival seems to have.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s said that originally, in ancient China, the sky had 10 suns. The heat from the sun caused drought, and all the plants eventually wilted and died. Fearing a catastrophe, the Emperor of China \u7687\u5e1d<\/a> (hu\u00e1ng d\u00ec) commanded his right-hand man and archer, Hou Yi \u540e\u7fbf<\/a> (h\u00f2u y\u00ec), to shoot down 9 of the suns and leave only one. Hou Yi climbed to the top of the Kun Lun mountains \u6606\u4ed1\u5c71<\/a> (k\u016bn l\u00fan sh\u0101n) and shot down 9 of the suns. When he returned, the Emperor gave him a special pill that would grant him immortality. However, Hou Yi had a beautiful wife, named Chang\u2019e \u5ae6\u5a25<\/a> (ch\u00e1ng \u00e9), whom he loved dearly, and since he did not want to face immortality alone, he chose not to take the pill and hid it away instead.<\/p>\n

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One day when Hou Yi was away from home, one of his students, Feng Meng, found the pill and tried to force Chang\u2019e, to give it to him. Eventually, to stop Feng Meng \u9022\u8499 (sometimes referred to as \u84ec\u8499 Peng Meng) from taking the pill himself, Chang\u2019e swallowed it herself and found that not only was she now immortal, but that she could also fly. She flew to the nearest place to Earth, the moon, so she could stay close to her husband. Chang\u2019e was extremely lonely on the moon, her only companion being a Jade rabbit.<\/p>\n

Hou Yi was so saddened that his wife was gone that he looked up to the sky and called her name. He found that the moon was much brighter than ever, and there seemed a figure moving within the moon which resembled Chang’e. That day was exactly the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when he burned incense \u9999<\/a> (xi\u0101ng) and gave food offerings. It is said that during Mid-Autumn Festival, Hou Yi and Chang\u2019e are reunited for a short time, which is why the festival is so family-focused.<\/p>\n

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Three Chinese Legends | Simplified & English<\/a><\/h4>\n

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Moon Festival Wishes Storybook | Simplified & English<\/a><\/h4>\n

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Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival Storybook | English<\/a><\/h4>\n

Since the story is considered romantic to some, it is common for many Chinese couples to get married during the festive period.<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncakes<\/h2>\n

One of the most important parts of Mid Autumn festival is the Mooncakes \u6708\u997c<\/a> (yu\u00e8 b\u01d0ng).<\/p>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"\"<\/p>\n

What are mooncakes, I hear you ask? Mooncakes are a densely filled pastry also referred to as \u2018reunion cakes. Originally they were made as offerings to the God of the Moon, but now they represent family unity and are often shared among family members with tea during the holiday period.<\/p>\n

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Chinese Traditional Mid-Autumn Day Festival Food Mooncakes<\/a> – 20pcs<\/h4>\n

Traditional Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncakes with a five kernel filling.<\/p>\n

There are several stories about the origin of mooncakes, including this one:<\/p>\n

In the 13th Century, the Mongols invaded and began ruling over China. During this period, known as the Yuan Dynasty, rebel Liu Bowen \u5218\u4f2f\u6e29<\/a> (li\u00fa b\u00f3 w\u0113n) gave out mooncakes to the people. Baked inside was a note telling the people that a rebellion would occur on \u2018the 15th day of the 8th month\u2019. The rebellion succeeded, and the Mongols were overthrown.<\/p>\n

Nowadays, there are several different styles of mooncakes, including ice-cream filled.<\/p>\n

The following are some of the more traditional Chinese mooncake fillings:<\/p>\n

\u4e94\u4ec1<\/a> (w\u01d4 r\u00e9n) \u2013 Five kernels: This is the one I\u2019ve come across most often and has a filling made up of mixed chopped nuts (at least 5 (\u4e94) different ones) combined in a thick sugary paste.<\/p>\n

\u8c46\u6c99<\/a> (d\u00f2u sh\u0101) \u2013 Sweet bean paste: Although there are several different kinds of bean paste, \u7ea2\u8c46\u6c99<\/a> (h\u00f3ng d\u00f2u sh\u0101) red bean paste is the most commonly used filling for mooncakes.<\/p>\n

\u83b2\u84c9<\/a> (l\u00edan r\u00f3ng) \u2013 Lotus seed paste: Lotus seed paste is made from dried lotus seeds and is considered the most delicious filling for a mooncake.<\/p>\n

Many traditional mooncakes contain the \u86cb\u9ec4<\/a> (d\u00e0n hu\u00e1ng) yolk of an egg to represent the moon.<\/p>\n

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These days, mooncakes have been transformed into a stylish and sometimes expensive treat that can even be bought at \u54c8\u6839\u8fbe\u65af<\/a> Haagen Dazs (h\u0101 g\u0113n d\u00e1 s\u012b) and \u661f\u5df4\u514b<\/a> Starbucks (x\u012bng b\u0101 k\u00e8). Many modern mooncakes have gotten rid of the dense filling and replaced them with ice cream, fruit, and even seafood!<\/p>\n

If you would like to learn how to make the more contemporary \u51b0\u76ae\u6708\u997c<\/a> (b\u012bng p\u00ed yu\u00e8 b\u01d0ng) \u2018Snowy\u2019 mooncake, you can follow our recipe here<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Learn more about mooncakes and the traditions behind them with ChinesePod’s Mid-Autumn Festival Course.<\/a><\/p>\n

Other Mid-Autumn Festival Food<\/h2>\n

While delicacies and traditions differ between provinces, these are some of the dishes and food<\/a> you\u2019ll find families eating around Mid-Autumn Festival time.<\/p>\n

\u5927\u95f8\u87f9<\/a> (d\u00e0<\/span>\u00a0zh\u00e1<\/span>\u00a0xi\u00e8<\/span>) Hairy crab<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

Hairy crab is a Shanghai specialty that is in season during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Allegedly, the crabs get ready to lay their eggs during this time, which is why they taste so good.<\/p>\n

\u86cb\u9ec4\u9165<\/a> (d\u00e0n hu\u00e1ng s\u016b) Egg yolk Shortbread<\/h3>\n

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This egg yolk pastry is a variant on the mooncake, that is said to have come from Taiwan. The usual filling is bean paste with egg yolk, usually from a duck, in the center. Dan Huang Su is best eaten with light tea such as oolong or green tea.<\/p>\n

\u6842\u82b1\u7cd5<\/span><\/a><\/span> (gu\u00ec<\/span><\/a>\u00a0hu\u0101<\/span><\/a>\u00a0g\u0101o<\/span><\/a>) Osmanthus Cake<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

The sweet osmanthus pastry is said to date back to the Ming dynasty. The story goes that poet Yang Shen had a dream of visiting the moon, where he saw a palace and the sweet-smelling osmanthus plant. He took the plant back with him to earth, where it was eventually used to flavor food.<\/p>\n

\u6842\u82b1\u9152<\/a> (gu\u00ec hu\u0101 ji\u01d4) Osmanthus Wine<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

Drinking osmanthus wine during the Mooncake Festival symbolizes a harmonious family, wealth, and auspiciousness.<\/p>\n

\u9e2d\u5b50<\/span><\/a> (y\u0101 zi) Duck<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine<\/a>, eating duck during autumn is extremely good for health as it nourishes the body.<\/p>\n

Different provinces prepare their duck in different ways for the Mid-Autumn Festival. For example, in Fujian Province people cook duck with taro, in Jiangsu, osmanthus flower duck \u6842\u82b1\u9e2d<\/a> (gu\u00ec hu\u0101 y\u0101) is eaten. This is one of those famous dishes from Nanjing, that dates back over 2500 years. In Sichuan Province, smoked baked duck is eaten during the Mooncake Festival.<\/p>\n

\u5357\u74dc<\/a> (n\u00e1n gu\u0101) Pumpkin<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

The pumpkin became a traditional Mid-Autumn Festival food after poor people started to live south of the Yangzte River. A young girl whose parents were extremely ill, took home two pumpkins, prepared and fed them to her parents. After eating they were completely restored, which is why it is eaten during the festival.<\/p>\n

\u67da\u5b50<\/a> (y\u00f2u zi) Pomelo<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

Because of its round shape, like the moon, pomelo is a key Mid-Autumn Festival food. It\u2019s considered a lucky fruit, and is offered to the goddess who will bless your family. It also helps cleanse the palette after eating heavy mooncakes.<\/p>\n

\u8717\u725b<\/a> (w\u014d ni\u00fa) Snails<\/h3>\n

\"Mid-Autumn\"Mid-Autumn<\/p>\n

River snails are commonly eaten in the southern city of Guangzhou. Eating them is said to brighten the eyes.<\/p>\n

Mid-Autumn Festival Traditions and Activities<\/h2>\n

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These are some of the most common activities families might do during the Mooncake festival.<\/p>\n