Why is the moon festival important to Chinese?

Why is the moon festival important to Chinese?

Ancient Chinese emperors worshiped the moon in autumn to thank it for the harvest. The ordinary people took the Mid-Autumn Festival to be a celebration of their hard work and harvest. Nowadays, people mainly celebrate the Moon Festival as a time for family reunions.

What is August Moon?

The Full Moon for August is called Sturgeon Moon because Native Americans knew that the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this full Moon.

What are famous festivals in China?

The grandest and most popular festivals are the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), the Lantern Festival, the Qingming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-autumn Festival, etc.

Do you eat mooncakes on Chinese New Year?

Moon Cakes are eaten on Chinese New Years because the Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar (and the little treats look like the moon). They are also eaten as part of an autumn, harvest type celebration which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

How is the Chinese Moon Festival celebrated?

The Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Lantern Festival, takes place each year on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. … Traditionally the Moon Festival marks the end of the summer harvest. To the farmers of China, the festival is a celebration of thankfulness for heaven's bounty.

What is the story behind the Moon Festival?

The story of Chang E is the most widely accepted tale regarding the moon and the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is said that in ancient times, ten suns existed and the extreme heat made people's lives very difficult. It was the hero Hou Yi, who, owing to his great strength, shot down nine of the ten suns.

How did the moon festival start?

The early form of the Mid-Autumn Festival was derived from the custom of moon worship during the Zhou Dynasty over 3,000 years ago. In ancient China, most emperors worshiped the moon annually. Then the custom was accepted by the masses and became more and more popular over time.

What is the meaning of Chinese Mid Autumn Festival?

In China, the Mid-Autumn festival symbolizes the family reunion and family reunion, and on this day, all families will appreciate the moon in the evening, because it is the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest.

When should you eat mooncakes?

Mooncakes are usually eaten after dinner while admiring the moon, but the festival is also celebrated by the Chinese in other ways.

What countries celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival?

Celebrations for mid-autumn take place across East Asia, in countries including China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. However, families across the world observe the holiday by gathering for dinners.

Why do we have lanterns on Mid Autumn Festival?

As ubiquitous as the mooncake, lanterns have been associated with the festival since the Tang dynasty, possibly because of their traditional symbolization of fertility. … The lanterns also serve a practical purpose of lighting the way as friends and family stay up to appreciate the full moon late into the night.

How long is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest festival in China, with a 7-day long holiday. As the most colorful annual event, the traditional CNY celebration lasts longer, up to two weeks, and the climax arrives around the Lunar New Year's Eve.

Is Mid Autumn Festival a public holiday in Hong Kong?

During the full moon on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, Hong Kong celebrates the Mid Autumn Festival. … In the Gregorian calendar, this occurs in either September or October. In Hong Kong, the day after the festival is a public holiday.

What is the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival?

The Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival, Duānwǔ Jié, Double Fifth, Tuen Ng Jit) is a traditional holiday that commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan). The festival occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunisolar calendar.