The Moon is Dancing
The Moon Festival is a popular Asian festival, also known as the mid-autumn festival, that is celebrated by many Asian cultures worldwide, with respect to the moon goddess, praying for a good harvest year, whilst reuniting friends and family, enjoying the view of the full moon during a large feast.
The Chinese celebrate this holiday by having mooncakes with loved ones, lighting lanterns, and enjoying a meal together. This festival is also popular amongst couples since it is said that the moon goddess extends her conjugal bliss to couples, which is related to the bitter love story of Chang’e in hopes that couples will not have to suffer a similar fate as she did.
In Korean culture, the moon festival is called Chuseok and is celebrated differently but still familiar to the Chinese celebration. Instead, the eldest sons must pay their respects to their deceased ancestors while the girls wear colorful Hanboks (traditional Korean clothing) and play spring board games. In replacement of mooncakes, songpyeon is eaten instead. Songpyeon is a dessert made of rice cake and contains sweet natural fillings such as red beans, honey, juju beans, and dates. They are then steamed over pine needles to give them a refreshing fragrant smell of pine needles. This holiday is considered the equivalent to Thanksgiving and is the biggest holiday celebrated in Korea.
In Vietnamese culture, the moon festival is celebrated similarly to the Chinese tradition. Families gather to enjoy the view of the moon while enjoying a feast. Family members also gather gifts to give one another such as red envelopes filled with money, fruit baskets, mooncakes, and Osmanthus wine to pair with the mooncakes. Families will also decorate homes with colorful lanterns or in red, representing luck and repels demons and bad luck. In Vietnam, or central cities with a large Asian/ Vietnamese populations festivals will be held with lion dances and parades in honor of the earth god, Ông Địa who brings fullness to the earth as a reminder for individuals to give thanks to Ông Địa.
Lastly, in Malaysian culture, people often celebrate this holiday by visiting the Thean Hou temple in Kuala Lumpur. The temple is decorated in lanterns while people sing. The festival consists of dragons and lions dancing in the streets while visitors try mooncakes at different stalls to bring back to their homes or hotels to enjoy with loved ones.
The moon festival is celebrated in many ways around the world but still holds a similar meaning and custom to those who celebrate it. The importance of the Mid–Autumn festival is to give thanks to the earth, moon, and those dear while praying for a joyous and plentiful upcoming new year. Be sure to give thanks during the upcoming mid-autumn festival and feel free to share your customs with others. Have a happy autumn!
