What is Mid-Autumn Festival?

Deeply ingrained in traditional Chinese culture, Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the time of the year when the moon’s orbit brings it closest to the earth, projecting a stunning supermoon view for us all to enjoy. Traditionally during this time, family and friends would come together to celebrate and give thanks to the moon for their successful crop harvest. This stems from the belief that the moon’s cycle is closely associated with agricultural production.
Although the true origin of Mid-Autumn Festival is not known for certain, history records show that moon-worshipping practices began over 3,000 years ago in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). But the festival only became an official celebration in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) when ancient emperors of China would host a feast to make offerings to deities and the moon in celebration of the year’s harvest. After the Tang Dynasty, Mid-Autumn Festival also became a time of the year for the emperor to reward his officials for their hard work and contributions. Over time, it evolved into a festival of many traditions: to give thanks to the moon, pray for better luck, fortune and fertility, and reunite with the family to celebrate and admire the moon in its full glory.
The legend
There are many versions of the myth and story behind Mid-Autumn Festival, but the most well-known revolves around an archer hero named Hou Yi, and his wife Chang’e. As the legend goes, Hou Yi was rewarded an elixir of immortality after shooting down nine out of ten suns which ravaged the land with drought and disaster. However, when Hou Yi’s apprentice, Feng Meng, attempted to steal the elixir, Hou Yi’s wife, Chang’e tried to save the elixir by drinking it, which made her immortal and she floated to the moon, never to be seen by her beloved husband again. After learning what had happened to Chang’e, Hou Yi prepared a feast on this day every year, when the moon is believed to be the fullest, in hope of catching a glimpse of his wife’s shadow.