Happy Moon Festival!!

Happy Moon Festival!!

Today is August 15th in lunar month, the Moon Festival. It is the middle month of Autumn so it is also known as Mid-Autumn Festival. Moon festival is the day people get reunited with their family and have a great time together. The full moon also symbolizes reunion. 

Legend says in ancient times, there were 10 suns in the sky, burning the ground and flaming everywhere. A man named Hou-Yi therefore come forward, shooting 9 suns down and let the sunshine in the world be normal and crops can grow in clusters. The goddess give Hou-Yi a pill which can be immortal and become god to thank his help. Hou-Yi doesn't want to leave his wife, Chang-e, behind so he doesn’t take the pill and ask his wife to keep it. 

One day, bad guys come for the pill. Chang-e eats it herself in a hurry in order not to be taken and therefore has no choice but become a fairy. Because she doesn't want to give up her husband, she chooses to stay on the moon, where it is close to the earth! Hou-Yi will also prepare a table of Chang'e’s favorite foods and look at the moon to miss her every 15th lunar August.

 

In the Moon Festival, eating mooncakes and pomelos is a tradition.

Back in the Yuan Dynasty, the folk build an army to overthrow the emperor for intolerant his cruelty. The military counselor asked the soldiers to hide a note written “Start August 15th” in the cakes and send it to the armies countrywide. After they succeeded, the new emperor announced a decree, letting all soldiers and people have the mooncake on the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and have fun togetherSince then, the custom of eating mooncake has spread among the people. 

August is the season for pomelo. The pronunciation of pomelo is similar to “bless” and “having a baby” in Chinese so people will also eat it on the day to pray for god to protect their children or have a baby soon.

 

In Taiwan, people will barbecues during the Moon Festival. This special phenomenon comes from an advertisement. In 80s, a soy sauce ad shows the slogan “One family BBQ;thousands will smell” start the first wave of Moon Festival BBQ. After that, supermarkets such as Carrefour also launch barbecue supporting products. From then on, BBQ during the Moon Festival has been the rage and spread till the present. 

 

Moon Festival is one of the biggest festivals in Asia. Every country has their own way to celebrate. If you happen to be in Taiwan, you must give yourself a try on celebrating in Taiwan style.