[CULTURES @SPA] Students celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with a moonful of food

Elle Chen, RubicOnline
September 20, 2021

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Elle Chen
While there are many versions of how the festival came to be, one of the most popular versions involves the story of two lovers, Chang’e and Hou Yi, that got separated- one on Earth and the other on the moon. The story is set when the world has ten suns that created much pain and suffering for the people.

 

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节) is one of the biggest holidays celebrated annually in China. Always falling on lunar Aug. 15 – which happens to be Sept. 21, this year- Chinese people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival by gathering to have meals with family, setting up lanterns and most notably, eating mooncakes. In the past, the purpose of the Mid-Autumn Festival was a day of prayers to the moon for a fruitful harvest season. Now, the Mid-Autumn Festival mainly serves as a festive celebration and time for family reunion.

While there are many versions of how the festival came to be, one of the most popular versions involves the story of two lovers, Chang’e and Hou Yi, that got separated- one on Earth and the other on the moon. The story is set when the world has ten suns that created much pain and suffering for the people. However, Hou Yi, a superb archer, shoots down nine of the ten suns, saving the people from the horrible conditions. As a reward, Guanyin pusa (a buddha) rewarded Hou Yi with two xiandan (elixirs) which would turn whoever ate them into a deity. Then, on Aug. 15, when Hou Yi went hunting, one of his apprentices, who knew about these xiandan, entered Hou Yi’s house and threatened his wife, Chang’e, to hand them over. Not wanting such a horrible person to take possession of the xiandan, Chang’e gulped down both of the xiandan and ascended to the moon where she became a deity. Thus from then on, Hou Yi mourned for his wife who was forever stuck on the moon. And because she liked mooncakes, Hou Yi set them up for her every year on lunar Aug. 15.

At St. Paul Academy and Summit School, some students also have their own ways of celebrating the holiday.

Chinese people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival by gathering to have meals with family, setting up lanterns and most notably, eating mooncakes. (Elle Chen)

How do you celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival? What is your favorite type of mooncake?