What is the Moon Festival?

The Moon Festival is a traditional festival to join families in reunion and remind people how grateful they are.

Image shows the moon overlooking a building.

When is it?

This Mid-Autumn festival is, of this year, on Tuesday, September 21. This celebration begins on the 15th day of the 8th month on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Image shows a family celebrating during the Moon Festival.

What Are The Traditions?

The most popular and well-known Mid-Autumn Festival foods include mooncakes, pumpkin, river snails, taro, wine fermented with osmanthus flowers, duck and hairy crabs. Families enjoy these foods sitting around a round table, symbolizing unity of families.

Image shows mooncakes.

Image shows a family eating around a circle table with a lazy susan.

What is the Legend?

The central legend associated with the Moon Festival follows a story of how Hou Yi (后羿), a hero who shot down ten suns in pursuit of saving the people from extreme heat, married a woman named Chung E（嫦娥). Hou Yi was gifted an immortality elixir, but didn't use it because he loved Chung E. But after a break-in, she had no choice but to take the elixir and become the moon goddess.

Image shows the Moon goddess, Chung E.