Zhōng qiū jié Mid-Autumn Festival 19 September 2013

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called The Moon Festival.

Like Chinese New Year, it is a festival in the traditional Chinese calendar, also called the Farmers Calendar, and is based on the phases of the moon, not the movement of the sun.

This means it falls on a different day each year, but always the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. This year it falls on 19 September.

The most famous story connected to the Mid-Autumn Festival is about the great archer Hòu Yì, who shot down the nine suns, and his love for Cháng É, who became the moon goddess.

Chinese people do not believe there is a man in the moon. They see a magic rabbit who keeps the goddess Cháng É company.

Food is important in all Chinese festivals. The Mid-Autumn Festival is famous for mooncakes, pastries with sweet or savoury fillings, often with an egg yolk in the middle to represent the moon.

Families get together to have dinner and admire the moon, often visiting famous scenic spots such as West Lake in Hángzhōu.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

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