Today is Mid-Autumn Day!!
It took me a little while to figure out what the Mid-Autumn Festival is all about, but after extensively grilling Ma Jing and some of my students, I think I have a pretty good idea. It's been compared to Thanksgiving, as it is a harvest festival and a time for family reunions and lots of food. It is also a time for MOON CAKES! I've been seeing moon cakes at every grocery and bakery since I got to China, and lately I've been seeing lots of people walking around with bags of moon cakes. Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the full moon of the eighth lunar month, so in addition to spending lots of time with your family, you are also supposed to hang out outside with them watching the full moon and eating lots of moon cakes. Just how many moon cakes, I'm not sure. I've asked some of my students, but it sounds like a lot of them are a little sick of moon cakes, as they grew up eating moon cakes for the full week or month surrounding Mid-Autumn Festival, not just on the day of.
I am the proud owner of 8 moon cakes in a fancy box, given to me by the waiban (foreign office). Kitty and Ali and I tried one from Kitty's box the other day and didn't really like it, but I guess they are all different inside, because I had one this morning and it was great!
MOON CAKE!!!I did some further internet research on Mid-Autumn Festival, and found this:
For thousands of years, the Chinese people have related the vicissitudes of life to changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes; joy and sorrow, parting and reunion. Because the full moon is round and symbolizes reunion, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the festival of reunion. All family members try to get together on this special day. Those who can not return home watch the bright moonlight and feel deep longing for their loved ones.So tonight as I'm staring at the moon (if visible through the sometimes-smoggy sky) and eating my moon cakes with some of my friends here, I'll be thinking fondly of all my family and friends back home. I'm wearing my "Somebody Loves Me In Walla Walla" t-shirt to commemorate the event. I know most of you aren't in Walla Walla, but a few still are, and it seems like the correct sentiment. Happy Mid-Autumn Day!!!
1 comment:
Today I have eaten eight Mooncakes.I don't think that is a good things for my health.ha-ha. Anyway.I'm not sure you are exactly know the whole story about the midautumnday.In fact In China,there's an ancient fable.It is about a couple of lovers,HouYi and ChangE.The HouYi is the one who can shoot down the sun.They are kind and living happily .however one day ChangE got some magical piils and had them all leaving none for the HouYi.And the incredible thing happened.She flew to the moon slowly and couln't come bake to the earth again,leaving her husband lonely.And the date is right 15 of Aug. so.good luck in midautumn day~
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