Mid-Autumn Festival
| Mid Autumn Festival | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Festival decorations in Beijing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also called | Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observed by | Chinese people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Cultural, religious | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Significance | To celebrate the end of the autumn harvest | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Celebrations | Lantern lighting, mooncake making and sharing, courtship and matchmaking, fireworks, family gatherings, dragon dances, family meals, visiting friends and relatives, gift-giving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Observances | Consumption of mooncakes and cassia wine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 date | 6 October | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 date | 25 September | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027 date | 15 September | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Frequency | Annual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related to | Chuseok (Korea), Tsukimi (Japan), Tết Trung Thu (Vietnam), Uposatha of Ashvini or Krittika (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 中秋節 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 中秋节 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Mid-Autumn Festival" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 八月十五/八月半 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Fifteenth/Half of the Eighth Month" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Regional name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 八月節 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Eighth Month Festival" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Part of a series on |
| Chinese folk religion |
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The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture. It occurs on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar and can fall between 7 September and 8 October (inclusive) of the Gregorian calendar. On this day, the Chinese believe that the moon is at its fullest and brightest, coinciding with the time of harvest in the middle of autumn.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays and celebrations in Chinese culture. The history of the festival dates back over 3,000 years. Similar festivals are celebrated by other cultures in East and Southeast Asia.
During the festival, lanterns of all sizes and shapes – symbolizing beacons that light the path toward prosperity and good fortune for the people – are carried and displayed. Mooncakes, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean or lotus-seed paste, are eaten during this festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the legend of Chang'e, the Moon goddess in Chinese mythology.
It is an official holiday in both China and Taiwan and the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival is an official holiday in both Hong Kong and Macau.