Weeks ago, I watched a Chinese advertisement about wolf parents hoping their wolf son and his wife would return to the cave on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, so the parents prepared many things to modernise their cave, in order to attract and make their daughter-in-law feel comfortable in their home, all of which they did because of a term – “family reunion”, especially on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. So, what is a family reunion and why is it important for Chinese people to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival?
The young wolf and his wife visited his parents on Mid-Autumn Festival, pleasing them greatly.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called “Family Reunion Festival” in Chinese, which is a symbol of reunion, homesickness and gratitude that reflect the importance of family harmony. For Chinese people, the circle is not only a full Moon but also a full person, meaning the family grouping together, no matter how far away they are from each other.
Similar to the Chinese Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival also has its legend – Chang E Flying to the Moon. According to the legend, Chang E was the wife of Hou Yi, who got “the elixir of youth” from the Queen Mother of the West but was not willing to drink it and handed it to his wife for safe keeping. However, Chang E was eager to become immortal, so she took the elixir alone when Hou Yi had left it somewhere, and then flew to the Moon Palace. And the date that Chang E became immortal is August 15, when the Moon is big and bright.
Feeling ashamed, Chang E flew to the Moon and lived in the Moon Palace. At the same time, Hou Yi was heartbroken when he returned home and found that Chang E had left him and gone to the Moon Palace so every year on August 15, he set up a banquet in the moonlight and reunited with Chang E.
This is the reason for the Mid-Autumn Festival, so how do you celebrate with your family on the reunion day?
This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival takes place on Saturday.
Photo: Rui Pastorin
