The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and a Memory of Lanterns

Today, Sept. 17, is the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. This traditional harvest festival usually falls on—or within two days of—the night of the harvest moon. 

The Chinese believe the moon at this time is the fullest and brightest of the year. It’s particularly true this year because the harvest moon is also a supermoon tonight, which means it will be especially bright because it’s nearer to Earth than usual. Not only that, you’ll get to enjoy a partial lunar eclipse as well! 

Another name for the holiday is the Mooncake Festival. Mooncakes—round pastries stuffed with nuts, salted egg yolks, and bean paste or lotus seed paste—are traditionally eaten during the festival.

This is a time for family and friends to gather outside for moon-gazing parties. In addition, people hang lanterns on their homes and carry lanterns to light their way to good fortune and wealth. 

This was a highlight of the year when I was a child growing up in Singapore. Stores in Singapore would stock paper lanterns shaped like animals and cartoon characters. Dragons and goldfish were popular choices. My mom would take my brother and me to a shop just like the one in the photo above to choose lanterns for festival night.  

I still remember parading around with the other kids in the neighborhood, seeing whose lanterns lasted the longest without burning up. Breezy nights were the worst in terms of lantern preservation. Of course, it was fun too when the lanterns went up in smoke. We were outside, so there was little risk of anyone’s house burning down. 

Such good memories.  

As part of the celebration, some people give offerings to the moon goddess Chang’e, who also is the goddess of immortality. If you’re interested in the myth of Chang’e, please see my previous blog post.

(The photo of the lantern store above was taken by my friend Rossman Ithnain).