 |
When is Moon Festival? |  |
|
What is Moon Festival? | |
The Moon Festival (or Mid-Autumn Festival) is a harvest festival that has been celebrated in Chinese and Vietnamese cultures for well over a thousand years. The date of the festival is based on the lunar cycle in the Chinese Han calendar, with the date falling on the 15th day of the eighth month, when the moon is full. In the Western calendar, this places the Moon Festival sometime between early September and early October.
As with many folk traditions, this harvest festival is a time of feasting, thanksgiving, and reunions. Celebrants may take this opportunity to pray for special blessings in the coming year, such as marrying a desirable spouse or adding a new child to their family. The mooncake is a popular treat, as its round shape is reminiscent of the full moon that graces the sky. Moon gazing, reciting romantic poetry, and merrymaking mark the occasion. In large cities like San Francisco that have a thriving Asian population, parades, street bazaars, contests, and entertainment abound.
