The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional cultural festival popular among many ethnic groups throughout China. It is named because it falls on the half of the autumn. The moon is said to be the largest, fullest and brightest on this night. From ancient times to the present day, people have had the custom of having a banquet and enjoying the moon on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and daughters-in-law who go back to their mothers' homes must return to their husbands' homes on this day, so as to symbolize the meaning of success and auspiciousness.

The Mid-Autumn Festival origins in ancient times, popularized in the Han Dynasty, stereotyped in the early Tang Dynasty, prevalent in the Song Dynasty later. It is known as one of China's four major traditional festivals together with Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, the 15th of August was officially designated as the Mid-Autumn Festival, and in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Mid-Autumn Festival became the second most important traditional festival in China after the Spring Festival, on a par with New Year's Day. After thousands of years of inheritance, the festival has undergone several changes, and eventually the spirit of 'family reunion' has become the main cultural connotation of today's Mid-Autumn Festival.

On May 20, 2006, the Mid-Autumn Festival was listed by the State Council as one of the first national intangible cultural heritage.

On January 1, 2008, the Mid-Autumn Festival was listed by the State Council as one of China's national holidays.

Traditional Activities

Moon Sacrifice (Moon Worship)

Moon worship is a very ancient custom in China, which is actually a kind of worship activity of the ancient people to the 'god of the moon'. In ancient times, there was a custom of 'moon worship at the end of autumn'. The moon festival is an important part of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it is an important part of the Mid-Autumn Festival. As one of the important rituals of the Mid-Autumn Festival, moon worship has been carried on from ancient times to the present day.

Moon Appreciation

The formalization of the Mid-Autumn Festival custom of enjoying the moon took place in the Tang Dynasty. According to the 'Kaiyuan Tianbao Legacy', on the night of August 15, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty prepared a banquet and worshiped the moon with the bachelors who had night duty. Since then every year on the 15th of August, worshipping the moon has become a routine.

Chasing the Moon

The so-called 'Chasing the Moon', that is, after the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar, people felt unfinished, so the following night, they invited friends and relatives, continue to enjoy the moon. This activity is called 'Chasing the Moon'. In the book 'Lingnan miscellaneous notes' written by Chen Zihou from Qing dynasty said: 'In the August 16th night, enthusiastic people in Guangdong province gather friends and relatives to have wine and food to enjoy the moon, that is so -called chasing the moon.'

Riddle-guessing

On the night of the full moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival, many lanterns are hung in public places, and people gather together to guess the riddles written on the lanterns. Because it is a favorite activity of most young men and women, and because love stories have been told about these activities, the Mid-Autumn Festival riddle-guessing has also been derived from a form of love between men and women.

Eating Mooncakes

Mooncakes, also known as moon balls, harvest cakes, palace cakes, reunion cakes, etc., are tributes to the god of the moon by ancient people. Mooncakes were initially used as offerings to the god of the moon, but later people gradually took the Mid-Autumn Moon Appreciation and Mooncake Tasting as great symbols of family reunion.

Enjoying Osmanthus Flowers and Drinking Osmanthus Wine

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people often eat mooncakes and enjoy osmanthus flowers, and consume a variety of foods made from osmanthus flowers, with cakes and candies being the most common.

The most important feature of the Mid-Autumn Festival is to focus people's best wishes to the sky. The Mid-Autumn Festival is the season of agricultural harvest, mooncakes and fruits are not only the of offering to the gods, but also a concrete symbol of people celebrating the good mood of the harvest. While pursuing the beauty of the moon and flowers, people strengthen their family ties, so this traditional festival has an important value in building a harmonious society. At the same time, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a great festival of reunion and liveliness, and although its reverential content is fading, activities such as entertainment and festive food are still quite active.