One of China’s biggest holidays, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most celebrated in Hong Kong, all over China and even in other Asian Countries like Singapore and Malaysia. It is a celebration of thanksgiving for bountiful rice harvest and fruits and as well as to encourage the harvest-giving light for bountiful returns in the coming year. It is derived from the custom of worshipping the moon in autumn to thank it for their bounty harvest.

It is also called the Mooncake Festival, as the moon cake is the hallmark food during the Mid-Autumn Festival. A moon cake is a round pastry baked and filled with sweet and savory feelings like salted duck eggs, lotus seed paste, fruits or meat. It is round as it represents the moon and is usually given as gifts to family and friends to express best wishes. It is said that it is usually eaten while admiring the moon on the night of the festival when it is the brightest and the roundest.

It usually falls “in the middle of autumn” which happens on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar year, which is usually in September or early October. This year, it happens on September 10, 2022 (September 10 to 12 becomes public holiday).

Mid-Autumn Festival includes families gathering together and praying for a bountiful harvest, good health and happiness. It has been a reason to gather family for a reunion and good food, worshipping the moon, making and lighting paper lanterns, visiting exhibitions, watching parades, playing good music and eating mooncakes. Lanterns traditionally symbolizes luck, light, and familial togetherness. It is kind of synonymous to the America’s Thanksgiving Day.
Since we are currently in Hong Kong, how did we celebrate it? Around the time we went to the Immigration Tower to extend our VISA, we passed by Lee Tung Avenue and found a sea of red lanterns. We couldn’t resist taking a picture with it.
Shared the moon cakes that Disney fans gave my sister and watched a movie, Over the Moon in Netflix, a film closely connected to the legendary Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e as a little girl named Fei Fei wants to prove its existence. At night, we went to the park and joined the community as they celebrate the festival with their families – picnic, lanterns and good music. We got our own lanterns too. Of course, we didn’t forget to appreciate the moon that night – indeed, brightest and roundest as it can be.

Nothing but gratitude for everything that I have, I had and will have. I am also eternally grateful for the chance to be here in this season. Wishing each one of you a long life to share with the people you love under the graceful moonlight, though hundreds of miles apart. May the round moon bring your family happiness, success, and a bright future! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!