Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivals in China.
Here, Ten Ping would like to share with everyone her experience, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival; in her own words.
Every year, August 15th, of the Chinese lunar calendar is an important day to celebrate!
Known as the Mid-Autumn Festival; on this particular night, the moon is known to be the largest, fullest, and brightest. In traditional Chinese thinking, the perfect full round shape of the complete flawless moon symbolizes togetherness or fullness or unity.
Under the guidance of this full complete moon, every family member, whether they are from different parts of the same town; or scattered to the different corners of the world; would all try to get together, to reunite and give thanks to togetherness, family unity and to life; similar to the Thanksgiving festival in the United States.
What is more, however, is supposedly on this particular magical night, the perfect full moon is also reputed to act as a magical conduit to family unity or family wholeness.
In the event when a physical reunion for a certain family member is not possible on that night: then according to traditional Chinese folklore if 2 or more of the separated distant family members are to concentrate – with the other missing party in mind - and gaze intensely at the full moon (the mirror in the sky) at the same time; then the legend has it that it is possible to see the reflections of their distant love ones in motion on the moon (the mirror in the sky). And with luck maybe even to see the reflections (or be reunited) with their loved ones who had recently deceased in motion. (Please keep in mind that this event happened before the invention of the internet; video cell phones or etc.)
Besides the big magical moon, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also an important festive day/night where delicious foods are served. Amongst them is the wonderful Moon Cake. My mouth just waters at the mere thought of these delicacies.
And then most importantly, there are the lanterns!
At that time, there are hardly any street lights in Shanghai, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is the one day (or night) where the streets of Shanghai could light up as bright as day. The bright white light of the moon and the many lanterns down below in the street illuminates and excite the people everywhere!
This August 15th, Gigi and I decided to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival with my siblings in the local park along with the crowd.
“We have the day off from school, and I can bring along some home-cooked dinner to the park,” I said to Gigi, But what about the lanterns and the moon cakes?”
“Why don’t you take care of the lanterns and I will prepare the moon cake?” replied Gigi.
I nodded.
Moments later I regretted my acceptance to bring the lanterns. I did not have any money to buy any lanterns!
So I did the only thing I could do – which is to make the lanterns myself!
First I found two thick metal wires and laid them crisscrossed on the table. Then I found one of the used cookie tin jars and laid it on top of the cross. Then I proceed to wrap the four ends of the wire along the sides of the jar and made four little hooks at the ends by bending the wire. To each end of the hooks, I attached four thick cotton strings with the other end tied to a chopstick. The resulting product looked more like a fishing pole with a tin jar at the end.
After I attached a few candles in the middle of the tin jar, the lanterns were completed!
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, my siblings excitedly held my hand-made lanterns in hand and marched in raw followed by Gigi and me to the park.
We were fascinated by the scene at the park. Thousands of lanterns sprinkled the park everywhere as if the park was filled with thousands of big fireflies. Plus the moon shone brightly up in the cloudless sky; large, round, and full as it was supposed to be.
Soon we found an open spot on the grass to sit down. It was very enjoyable. The night was cool and breezy, crickets chirped harmoniously in the background.
Gigi took out the moon cakes that she had prepared. Evidently, they were handmade, as these moon cakes were round like an orange, unlike the flat cylindrical shape of the traditional moon cakes. I even noticed some burnt marks on one of the moon cakes as well, but the siblings and I enjoyed the moon cakes all the same.
“What about a little traditional Mid–Autumn festival game?” volunteered Gigi. My siblings all approved excitedly and looked eagerly at Gigi.
“In the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is traditional to ask each other riddles. I shall go first and I shall give a little gift to the one who answers correctly first,” said Gigi.
“Okay now, what is something that you always know is approaching, but never comes?”
“Perfect score on exams!” exclaimed Yu Ping my elder sister.
“Promises!” said another little one.
“CHOCOLATE!” exclaimed the third.
I chuckled alongside Gigi at the various wrong answers my siblings had bellowed.
I knew the answer was “tomorrow”, but I decided not to disclose the answer so easily.
I watched as my siblings surrounded Gigi, urging her for the right answer.
This whole scene reminded me of the days when my mother was still here with us in the past. I wondered if my mother was also looking at the moon right now, in faraway distant Hong Kong.
“Mother can you see me?!!”
