What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?
Celebrated for more than 1,000 years in Asia, the Mid-Autumn or Moon Festival marks a time to reflect upon the bounty of the summer harvest, the fullness of the moon, and the myth of the Moon Goddess, Chang O (or Chang E). The Moon Festival is a distinctly and authentically Asian holiday, which has been likened to a sort of “Chinese Thanksgiving”. It is among the most popular holidays in Asia, ranking alongside the celebration of the lunar New Year in cultural significance.
(taken from: San Francisco China Town: http://www.moonfestival.org/)
Discover the origin and recipe for Moon Cakes:
http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/mooncake.htm
Listen to a Chinese Folk Story About the Moon:
《水調歌頭》 蘇軾
Poem written during the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1076
by Su Tung Po (Translated by Yu Tang Lin.)
How rate the moon, so round and clear! 明月幾時有
With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky, 把酒問青天
“I do not know in the celestial sphere 不知天上宮闕
What name this festive night goes by?” 今夕是何年
I want to fly home, riding the air, 我欲乘風歸去
But fear the ethereal cold up there, 唯恐瓊樓玉宇
The jade and crystal mansions are so high! 高處不勝寒
I fell no longer the mortal tie. 起舞弄清影 何似在人間
She rounds the vermilion tower, 轉朱閣
Stoops to silk-pad doors, 低綺戶
Shines on those who sleepless lie. 照無眠
Why does she, bearing us no grugge, 不應有恨
Shine upon our parting, reunion deny? 何事長向別時圓
But rate is perfect happiness— 人有悲歡離合
The moon does wax, the moon does wane, 月有陰晴圓缺
And so men meet and say goodbye. 此事古難全
I only pray our life be long, 但願人長久
And our souls together heavenward fly! 千里共嬋娟
