Mid-Autumn Festival And Chinese National Day

You might think by looking at the calendar that tomorrow is Saturday the 26th of September, but that really depends on who you ask. Here in China, many folks still follow the lunar calendar rather than the solar calendar of the western world. So in China, tomorrow is the 15th day of the 8th month, making it mid-Autumn Day.

Eight is an auspicious number in Chinese astrology and numerology, and all major Chinese holidays and many other special days, like weddings, align themselves with propitious dates in the lunar year. On the 15th, the moon will be precisely full, in the month of harvest. So Mid-Autumn Festival is meant to pray for a bountiful harvest by offering gifts and food to Chang’e, the Moon Goddess (above).

All over China paper lanterns (‘deng long’) are hung on tree branches and poles, while people give and receive an uncountable number of traditional moon cakes.

This year, Mid-Autumn Festival also happens to come close to China’s National Day holiday, which is October 1st in the solar calendar.

We hope that during this time, wherever you are, you’ll be able to take some time with family and friends to enjoy the harvest of the year and be thankful for all the good things in life.