Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! This three-day Chinese festival, also known as the Moon Festival, takes places at the time of year when the moon is fullest and brightest. In 2014, the national holiday associated with this festival falls on September 8th in mainland China. Workers in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan also enjoy a day off for the festival.
The purpose of the Mid-Autumn festival is to give thanks to the moon, whose movement is closely associated with agriculture and the changing seasons, and to celebrate the harvest. There are many customs and legends associated with this festival. Family members gather together and remember family members and friends who live far away. Traditional round “moon cakes” are eaten as a symbolic offering, and presented to relatives and friends to wish them a long and happy life.
