Mid-Autumn Festival

Looking at the bright moon, we celebrate the festival and know each other. August 15 of the lunar calendar is the traditional Mid Autumn Festival in China. Influenced by Chinese culture, the Mid Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival for some countries in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, especially overseas Chinese living there. Although it is the Mid Autumn Festival, the customs of different countries are different, and various forms place people’s infinite love for life and vision for a better future.

The Japanese don’t eat moon cakes on the Mid Autumn Festival
In Japan, the Mid Autumn Festival on August 15 of the lunar calendar is called “15 Nights” or “Mid Autumn Moon”. The Japanese also have the custom of enjoying the moon on this day, which is called “see you on the moon” in Japanese. The custom of enjoying the moon in Japan comes from China. After it was spread to Japan more than 1000 years ago, the local custom of holding a banquet while enjoying the moon began to appear, which is called “moon viewing banquet”. Unlike the Chinese who eat moon cakes on the Mid Autumn Festival, the Japanese eat rice dumplings when enjoying the moon, which is called “moon see dumplings”. As this period coincides with the harvest season of various crops, in order to express gratitude for the benefits of nature, the Japanese will hold various celebrations.

Children play the leading role in Vietnam’s Mid Autumn Festival
During the mid autumn festival every year, lantern festivals are held all over Vietnam, and the designs of lanterns are evaluated. The winners will be rewarded. In addition, some places in Vietnam also organize lion dance during festivals, often on the nights of August 14 and 15 of the lunar calendar. During the festival, the local people or the whole family sit on the balcony or in the yard, or the whole family go out to the wild, put moon cakes, fruits and other snacks, enjoy the moon and taste delicious moon cakes. The children were carrying all kinds of lanterns and laughing in groups.

With the gradual improvement of the living standards of the Vietnamese people in recent years, the Millennium Mid Autumn Festival custom has quietly changed. Many young people gather at home, sing and dance, or go out together to enjoy the moon, so as to enhance the understanding and friendship among their peers. Therefore, in addition to the traditional family reunion, Vietnam’s Mid Autumn Festival is adding new connotation and gradually favored by young people.

Singapore: the Mid Autumn Festival also plays the “tourism card”
Singapore is a country with the vast majority of Chinese population. It has always attached great importance to the annual Mid Autumn Festival. For Chinese in Singapore, the Mid Autumn Festival is a god given opportunity to connect feelings and express gratitude. Relatives, friends and business partners present moon cakes to each other to express greetings and wishes.

Singapore is a tourist country. The Mid Autumn Festival is undoubtedly a great opportunity to attract tourists. When the Mid Autumn Festival approaches every year, the local famous Orchard Road, Singapore riverside, niuche water and Yuhua garden are newly decorated. At night, when the lights are on, the whole streets and alleys are red and exciting.

Malaysia, Philippines: Overseas Chinese do not forget the Mid Autumn Festival in Malaysia
The Mid Autumn Festival is a traditional festival that the overseas Chinese living in the Philippines attach great importance to. The Chinatown in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, was bustling on the 27th. Local overseas Chinese held two-day activities to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival. The main commercial streets in the areas inhabited by overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese are decorated with lanterns. Color banners are hung on the main intersections and small bridges entering Chinatown. Many shops sell all kinds of moon cakes made by themselves or imported from China. The mid autumn festival celebrations include dragon dance parade, national costume parade, lantern parade and float parade. The activities attracted a large number of audiences and filled the historic Chinatown with a cheerful festive atmosphere.

South Korea: home visits
South Korea calls the Mid Autumn Festival “autumn Eve”. It is also a custom for Koreans to give gifts to relatives and friends. Therefore, they also call the Mid Autumn Festival “thanksgiving”. On their holiday schedule, the English of “autumn Eve” is written as “Thanks Giving Day”. The Mid Autumn Festival is a big festival in Korea. It will take three days off in a row. In the past, people would use this time to visit their relatives in their hometown. Today, every month before the Mid Autumn Festival, major Korean companies would greatly reduce prices to attract people to shop and give gifts to each other. Koreans eat pine tablets on the Mid Autumn Festival.

How do you spend the Mid Autumn Festival there?