Mid-Autumn Festival|Harvest Moon Festival

The mid-Autumn festival, also known as the Harvest Moon Festival, is a Thanksgiving celebration in China and other Asian countries like Vietnam, Taiwan, and Malaysia. This day is made to thank the harvest I have much to tell you about this festival, including its history, origins, celebrations, and, most importantly, its scheduled dates.

So, make sure you read this article through to the end.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)?

The Mid-Autumn is a traditional Chinese festival which is also named the moon festival celebrated on the 15th of the lunar calendar’s 8th month, which is September or October in the Gregorian calendar. Chinese people celebrate this day to thank the harvest by getting together and eating the harvested fruit and other crops. 

The other purpose of this beauty day is to worship the full moon and celebrate it when it’s the brightest. When the mid-autumn festival is celebrated, the moon is usually the brightest, and Chinese people celebrate the moon festival under it. That’s the reason this festival is called the Moon Festival. Now let’s discuss the moon festival’s history and origin.

History (Origin) of Moon Festival

The mid-autumn festival comes from ancient Chinese agricultural practices and beliefs. This festival is said to be 3,000 years old when the Shany dynasty celebrated the first harvest season which was the first celebration for the harvesting season to thank the bountiful crops. People had made a lot of sacrifices to the moon on this day. 

Mid-Autumn Festival is a cultural and family-oriented celebration that’s celebrated in various East Asian cultures and communities around the world. The festival became more widespread during the Tang Dynasty and has since evolved into a cherished tradition that symbolizes unity, togetherness, and gratitude for the harvest. 

A popular legend about Chang’e, the Moon Goddess, and her husband, Hou Yi, explained the tradition of moon worship and the significance of the full moon during this time. Since Chinese people used to value it a lot, they then started valuing the moon and giving sacrifices to it for their different things on the day of Mid-autumn. This day since then has been celebrated throughout China and many other southwest countries.

Mid-Autumn Festival story

How to Celebration of Autumn Festival

The celebration of the moon festival is done by doing the following things in China:

1. Family Reunions

All of the families in China get together and have dinner with all of the traditional Chinese food. They share their beautiful memories, along with their food.

2. Mooncakes

Mooncakes symbolize unity and completeness in  China because of what they exchange on Mind Autumn Day.

3. Moon Gazing

It’s believed in China that the moon on the full moon festival night is the roundest and the brightest. Thus, people spend their time outdoors gazing at and appreciating the moon.

4. Lantern Displays

What makes this festival more beautiful are the colorful lanterns in the parks and the streets.

5. Cultural Performances

Communities organize traditional dances, music performances, and storytelling events to celebrate the festival’s cultural significance.

6. Incense Offerings

Some families make offerings of incense, fruits, and mooncakes to pay respects to deities and ancestors, seeking blessings for good fortune and health.

7. Mid-Autumn Festival Gala

Many communities host public celebrations with performances, enhancing the festive spirit and bringing people together.

These are all of the things that people do to celebrate this day. 

Regional and cultural Variations

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated nationwide in China, but customs and traditions can vary between regions. For example, in Guangzhou, the focus is on colorful lanterns and traditional Cantonese-style mooncakes. In Hong Kong, there are festive events like fire dragon dances. 

Children in Vietnam parade with lanterns and the country is known for its mooncakes. Taiwan’s celebrations often include open-air concerts and artistic performances. Malaysia and Singapore also observe the festival, with diverse cultural events and delicious mooncake offerings reflecting their multicultural societies.

Dates and Scheduling Specific dates,2024,2025,2026, 2027

The dates of the mid-Autumn Festival 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 are mentioned below:

Year	Mid-Autumn Festival Date	Day
2024	September 17	Tuesday
2025	October 6	Monday
2026	September 25	Friday
2027	September 15	Wednesday

Conclusion

The Mid-autumn Festival is a Chinese festival, but it is also celebrated in several other Asian countries. This festival is celebrated to thank the harvesting and also worship the moon.