The 15th day of the eighth lunar month
is Chinese traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the Chinese lunar calendar,
the lunar month eighth, ninth and tenth make up falls in mid-autumn, and the 15th
day is in the middle of the month, hence the name of Mid-Autumn Festival. On that
day, Chinese have the custom of admiring the moon and eating moon cakes.
In autumn, it is fine and cool, with few floating clouds in the sky and the moon
at night seems particularly bright. This is especially true on the 15th day of the
eighth lunar month. Since people consider the full moon as the symbol of reunion
and satisfaction, the festival is also called the Festival for Reunion.
According to traditional custom, Chinese enjoy fruits and moon cakes while admiring
the moon. As the moon cake is round, symbolizing reunion, it is somethimes called
"reunoin cake", Chinese moon cake has many varieties and producing methods differ
from place to place. There are sweet, salty, meat and vegatable fillings. It is
molded with vaious decorative patterns and words.
In autumn, people reap the harvests of their year's labor. On the night of Mid-Autumn
Festival, whole family will sit together to admire the moon and eat moon cakes,
filled with happiness for the bumper harvest and a family reunion. At that time,
people far away from hometown will also look up at the moon and miss hometown and
family.
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