CustomsinMid-AutumnFestival

TheMid-AutumnFestivalisheldonthe15thdayoftheeighthmonthintheChinesecalendar,whichisusuallyaroundmidorlateSeptemberintheGregoriancalendar.Itisadatethatparallelstheautumnandspringequinoxes(春分)ofthesolarcalendar,whenthemoonissupposedlyatitsfullestandroundest.Thetraditionalfoodofthisfestivalisthemooncake,ofwhichtherearemanydifferentvarieties.

TheMid-AutumnFestivalisoneofthetwomostimportantholidaysinChinesecalendar,theotherbeingtheChineseNewYear,andisalegalholidayinseveralcountries.Farmerscelebratetheendofthesummerharvestseasononthisday.Traditionally,onMid-AutumnDay,Chinesefamilymembersandfriendswillgettogethertoadmirethebrightmid-autumnharvestmoon,andeatmooncakes(月饼)andpomeloes(柚子)together.Accompanyingthecelebration,thereareadditionalculturalorregionalcustoms,suchaseatingmooncakesoutsideunderthemoon,carryingbrightlylitlanterns,lightinglanternsontowers,floatingskylanterns,burningincense(焚香)inreverencetodeitiesincludingChang'e,plantingMid-Autumntrees(树中秋),collectingdandelionleavesanddistributingthemevenlyamongfamilymembersandFireDragonDances(舞火龙).