The Mid Autumn festival, Why Chinese Celebrate it

What is The Mid Autumn festival, Why Chinese Celebrate it?

" When the moon is full, mankind is one "

--In China, the full moon is Symbolism: is traditionally a symbol for reunion, tuanyuan, as yuan means round. The Chinese people celebrate by coming together as families to eat, drink and be merry and has always been represented the gatherings of friends and family.

Thus, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunions. On this night, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together out side in the courtyard and some families will go together to scenic spots and parks for moon appreciation parties, holding barbecues outside under the moon, and to put pomelo rinds on one's head, and eating moon cakes.

Brightly lit lanterns are often carried around by children during the 14 th and 15th night of the festival

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Together with the celebration, there appear some special customs in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting lanterns on towers, and fire dragon dances. Shops selling mooncakes, before the festival, often display pictures of Chang'e, floating to the moon.

Another one of the reason traditionally is that it is a reward ritual, Moon Cake Festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month in observance of the bountiful Autumn harvest in the paddies field this is because China in the ancient time is an agricultural country, and farming is closely related to the seasons.

In ancient times, farmers worshipped the Earth God to pray for a good harvest, when they sowed the seeds in spring. This was known as spring worship. During autumn, farmers also worshipped the Earth God to thank him for giving them a good harvest. This was known as autumn reward. Since the 15'" month of the 8th month in the Chinese calendars is the time when rice paddies are harvested . Thus the Mid Autumn Festival also can be said is a day to celebrate and thank for the reward from God and Earth that came from the mid autumn season.

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PS:

From Memories of My late Great GrandMother

Why? putt pomelo rinds on one's head – this is usualy done by the doughter or grand doughter in the family will put a Pomelo skin on the head of the father or their grandfather and any family member who is the family patriarch. During this celebration This is because the Chinese word for "pomelo" or "grapefruit" is yu, which is homophonous with the word for "protection," yu, expressing the hope that the moon god give them protection.

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My Small and Humble Comment about The Mid Autumm Festival...

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Although old rituals are no longer followed, families continue to gather for a day to relax and eat moon cakes.The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year), and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date.

Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together. It is also common to have barbecues outside under the moon, and to put pomelo rinds on one's head. Brightly lit lanterns are often carried around by children.

Together with the celebration, there appear some special customs in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting lanterns on towers, and fire dragon dances. Shops selling mooncakes, before the festival, often display pictures of Chang'e, floating to the moon.