As the full moon graces the autumn sky, families and communities across the globe come together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. But did you know that this beloved festival extends far beyond the iconic mooncakes and lantern parades of China?
And have you ever wondered why mooncakes are synonymous with the Mid-Autumn Festival in the first place? Or how children in Vietnam celebrate this joyous occasion? Each country adds its own cultural flair to the Mid-Autumn Festival story, inviting you to discover the personal connections and cherished traditions that make this celebration so special.
China
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival centres around the legend of Chang’e, who consumed the pill of immortality and ascended to the moon. This time of year celebrates family reunion, symbolised by the full moon. People gather to admire its beauty and indulge in moon cakes, taro, and hairy crab. Lanterns, both traditional and modern, light up the festivities.
Some regions have specific Moon Festival customs, such as witnessing the tidal bore in Zhejiang and the playful vegetable-stealing tradition in Hunan. These customs, along with the shared appreciation of the moon and family togetherness, make the Mid-Autumn Festival a cherished time in China.
South Korea
Chuseok, or hangawi, is one of South Korea’s most significant holidays, celebrated during the Mid-Autumn period. It’s a time for family reunions and ancestral memorial services called charye. People travel back to their hometowns to partake in festivities, enjoying traditional dishes like songpyeon (half-moon-shaped rice cakes) and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Celebrations also include engaging in traditional entertainment like the ganggangsullae circle dance. As night falls, people admire the full moon and look for the moon rabbit, daltokki, who is believed to be visible on the lunar surface, busily making rice cakes.
Japan
In Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival is known as Tsukimi, or “moon viewing.” Like Koreans, they seek out the moon rabbit, tsuki no usagi, believed to be making mochi, a type of rice cake, on the moon. This tradition has roots in ancient times and was popular among aristocrats during the Heian era. Moon viewing parties often involved music, poetry, and drinking.
Tsukimi is marked by decorating homes with pampas grass for a bountiful harvest and enjoying festive snacks like tsukimi-dango, seasonal produce, and eggs.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival, Tet Trung Thu, is also known as Children’s Festival. It’s associated with the tale of Chu Cuoi, a woodsman who ascended to the moon with a banyan tree. Children carry lanterns, believed to guide Cuoi back to Earth, and enjoy lion dances.
Families celebrate by placing cakes and fruit trays, symbolising respect for ancestors, before home altars. Moon cakes, both oven-baked and soft-crusted, are an essential part of the festivities.
Singapore
In Singapore, with its large Chinese population, the Mid-Autumn Festival shares many customs and traditions with China. Historically, Chinatown was the heart of celebrations, with lanterns adorning shops and bakeries selling mooncakes.
Today, festivities extend across the city-state with grand lantern displays in places like Gardens by the Bay. Chinatown’s celebrations have expanded too, featuring a vibrant bazaar with stalls selling ornaments and snacks, alongside lantern competitions and live performances.
