The Many Takes on the Mid Autumn Festival
As bright lanterns and fireworks illuminate the sky, families gather for a big meal to celebrate the success of the fall harvest. Iconic celebrations of traditional dragon dances and lantern lighting mark the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, which is said to always be a full moon (despite this not always being the case). Although the holiday originated in China’s Zhou Dynasty, many countries have adopted the celebration into their own culture. China celebrates 中秋节 (zhōng qiū jié), Korea celebrates 추석 (chuseok) or 한가위 (hangawi), Japan celebrates お月見 (Tsukimi), Vietnam celebrates Tết Trung Thu - all versions of the well-known Mid Autumn Festival. Although similar, each country has its own customs that make the holiday unique.
In China, mooncakes are a special dessert eaten during the Mid Autumn Festival. However, the meaning and story behind this tradition is not so well-known. The tradition derives from an ancient Chinese myth, which said that Earth once had ten suns that were destroying the Earth. Thankfully, a famous archer, Hou Yi, was able to save humanity by shooting nine down. Due to his heroism, the Gods bestowed him with a pill of immortality, which he gave to his wife Chang’e to protect. However, one of Hou Yi’s followers had betrayed him, as he wanted the pill of immortality for himself. To prevent him from taking it, Chang’e swallowed the pill, and floated up to the moon, becoming immortal. This myth, among other interpretations, is said to be the origin of the legendary mooncakes.
Every country has their own version of the mooncake. In China and Vietnam, mooncakes (月饼) come with many different fillings, from the traditional salted egg yolk to the less traditional lychee. It is a tradition to cut the mooncake into small wedges to share, as mooncakes are often very heavy and rich. In Korea, people eat songpyeon (송편), which are rice cakes stuffed with sweet sesame seeds in the shape of half-moons. They can be found in many different colors, representing the harmony of nature. In Japan, festival snacks include tsukimi-dango, which are sweet rice balls made out of glutinous rice flour. Boiled eggs are also often consumed, since they resemble the shape of the moon.
Overall, the Mid Autumn festival is receiving more and more international recognition. In Boston’s Chinatown, a Mid Autumn Festival Gala was held on September 6th, which had vendor booths and showcased Chinese folk dances, Chinese opera, and Lion dances, mirroring the celebrations in East / Southeast Asia. I’m lucky to live in an area where many people with different backgrounds are able to come together and celebrate this holiday. I’m also grateful that this holiday is getting more recognition as it’s one of the most important holidays for many. I hope that in the future, similar to how we learn about the history behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, people will also learn the history behind this beautiful and immersive celebration.
by VIVIAN LIN