On 8 September, Sinology students had a lot of fun at the Mid-Autumn Festival organised by our institute, which was celebrated in China this year on 10 September. This festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Moon Cake Festival, is celebrated every year on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, during the full moon.
During the celebration, students had the opportunity to meet and interact live with Chinese-speaking teachers and hear from them about how the festival is celebrated in China.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has a deep tradition dating back more than 2000 years as the end of the autumn harvest season, when family members traditionally gathered to eat moon cakes and admire the full moon. At the same time, it is a day to thank the gods for the bounty they have provided.
Traditionally, the mid-autumn day is considered auspicious for weddings, as the Moon Goddess is believed to give couples marital bliss.
In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolises the reunion of the family, and on this day all families spend the evening watching and admiring the moon.
But what's a celebration without sweets! Eating mooncakes on this day is a centuries-old tradition. Mooncakes symbolise the reunion and are the main delicacy of this festival. Some people still sacrifice them to the moon and its gods, or give them to relatives and friends. Eating mooncakes is an essential custom not only in China but also in other Asian countries during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The cakes come in a variety of fillings and flavours, from savoury to sweet, with nuts, vanilla, red bean paste and more.
They are usually eaten for dessert and the most important thing is to share the cake with others. This is considered to be the most important part of the celebration, as this delicacy symbolises unity and prosperity. Many even say that sharing a mooncake makes them taste even better.
This was evident to all those who took part in this celebration. Here we tasted authentic, freshly baked mooncakes filled with various nuts and seeds and red bean paste. We are delighted to have started the new school year so beautifully.
