Have you ever heard of the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival? This celebration is one of the indigenous Chinese cultures, another name is the Mid Autumn Festival. When viewed from its history, this celebration has existed since the Zhou Dynasty. At that time, people worshiped the moon that was present in the middle of autumn.
People have hope while praying that the harvest will be bountiful. Over time, this Chinese tradition is not just worship but also a culture of friendship. What is the Mooncake Festival like for Chinese people?
What to Do During the Mooncake Festival or Mid Autumn Festival
The Moon Festival or Mid Autumn Festival is celebrated on the eighth month and fifteenth day of the Chinese calendar. This one celebration is the second most-awaited Chinese New Year festival. Today, there are so many things that native Chinese people do in celebrating the Mooncake Festival. This uniqueness often attracts a lot of attention.
- Light the lantern
Even though there is a lantern festival itself, but during the moon festival celebrations the Chinese also light the lanterns. Usually lanterns are made of paper, which are then written requests before being flown.
Lantern flying events are usually held at night. There are also lanterns that are lit and then placed on the river, usually in the shape of a lotus flower.
- Eating Moon Cake
The name is the moon festival, of course, there is moon cake or mooncake food available at the time of the celebration. Mooncake is a traditional cake which is currently famous for its various fillings. The shape is round like the moon and at the top it is printed with a lotus shape.
The meaning of this round moon cake is togetherness. Therefore, it must be eaten so that family integrity and harmony can be maintained.
- Prepare food offerings
A Chinese culture to prepare food as an offering to the gods and goddesses. Usually the food will be served on the altar in the middle of the home page. Some of the foods served include apples, oranges, pears, melons, pomegranates, and so on.
This Mid Autumn Festival celebration is actually not only celebrated by Chinese people. But some regions in East and Southeast Asia also celebrate it. Like in Japan, Laos, Myanmar to Vietnam. It’s just that the way is different.
