CHINESE MOON FESTIVAL – SEPTEMBER 14, 2008

The Chinese Moon Festival (or the Mid-Autumn Festival) is on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Chinese culture is deeply imbedded in traditional festivals. Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving in the West, the Moon Festival is one of the most important traditional events for the Chinese. The Moon Festival is full of legendary stories. For example, legend says that Chang Er flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes (picture below), and sing moon poems. The moon cake is the food for the Moon Festival. The Chinese eat the moon cake at night with the full moon in the sky.