Mid-Autumn Festival in China

Today is the mid-autumn festival. This festival takes place on September 13 this year. It is a time of family reunions and peace. Many people play with lanterns or eat reunion dinners with their families. Popular foods include moon cakes, duck, and pumpkin. Some regions like Hong Kong will hold dragon and lion dances. The festival has a history of over 3,000 years! It was derived from the custom of moon worship during the Shang Dynasty.

Making colorful lanterns is a happy activity between families and children. The lanterns have different shapes and can also resemble animals, plants, or flowers. Children love making colorful lanterns. They are hung in trees or houses or floated on rivers. Parks will also hang up colorful lanterns, which provide a beautiful view at night.

Moon cakes are pastries that contain a filling made from red bean paste, lotus seed paste or jujube (Chinese date) paste, which surrounds the salted yolks of duck eggs. The yellow yolk is meant to represent the moon.

Chinese moon cakes