The Mid-Autumn Festival has many names, such as Children’s Festival, Moon Viewing Festival, or Lantern Festival. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. As this is a significant holiday for children, they eagerly anticipate the day, looking forward to going out and preparing traditional items for the celebration, such as star-shaped lanterns, masks, and toy figurines…
Historically, it has been believed that there is a connection between life and the moon. The full moon and the crescent moon symbolize joy and sorrow, reunion and separation. Therefore, the full moon is a symbol of togetherness, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is also referred to as the Reunion Festival, the Children’s Festival, or the Moon Viewing Festival.
- Children’s Festival: This is a time when children receive gifts such as toys and sweets from adults. During these days, children will carry lanterns, enjoy the mooncake feast, sing songs, and participate in traditional games like lion dances, dragon dances, and many other activities designed for kids. The images of the character Cuội and the moon goddess Hằng are significant symbols for children. Thus, it is also known as the Children’s Festival.
- Moon Viewing Festival: On this day, families prepare offerings for the Mid-Autumn Festival, which must include mooncakes. During this time, families gather together to admire the moon, enjoy the mooncake feast, and spend quality time together, leading to another name for the Mid-Autumn Festival: Moon Viewing Festival.
Origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival
When mentioning the Mid-Autumn Festival, one cannot forget the special mooncakes, which traditionally come with various fillings, including mixed nuts and mung bean with egg yolk. However, over time, bakers have innovated and introduced new flavors like matcha green tea, red bean, and black sesame.
As the moon rises high, children will dance and sing while enjoying the mooncake feast.
On this festival day, people prepare altars and gaze at the moon. As the moon reaches its zenith, children will dance and sing while enjoying the mooncake feast. The offering trays display various snacks like rice crackers and candies… In many areas, lion dances, dragon dances, and other performances are organized for children to play and enjoy. In China and among Chinese communities worldwide, fireworks are also often set off on this day.
The exact historical origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival remain unclear, whether it originated from the rice civilization of Vietnam or was adopted from Chinese culture. However, there are three main legends most commonly associated with the festival: the stories of Hằng Nga and Hậu Nghệ, Emperor Ming Huang ascending to the moon, and the tale of Cuội from Vietnam.
Archaeologists suggest that images of the Mid-Autumn Festival have been found on the Ngọc Lũ bronze drum. Ancient Chinese believed that the Mid-Autumn Festival originated during the Spring and Autumn period. It is likely that the festival began from the rice civilization of the southern plains of China and the Red River Delta in Vietnam as a harvest celebration when farmers would take a break and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Phan Kế Bính, in his book Vietnamese Customs, wrote: “In the 19th century, our people would prepare offerings for their ancestors during the day and set out a feast to enjoy the moon at night. The centerpiece was the mooncake, accompanied by various colorful fruits and sweets, dyed in vibrant colors of green, red, white, and yellow. Young women in the towns competed to skillfully carve papaya into flowers and shape dough into shrimp and fish…“
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese people typically perform dragon dances, while Vietnamese people perform lion or unicorn dances.
Activities During the Mid-Autumn Festival
The toys for children during the Mid-Autumn Festival include paper crafts like butterflies, grasshoppers, elephants, horses, unicorns, lions, dragons, deer, shrimp, and fish… In the evening of the festival, children hold hands to play tug-of-war, catch the lanterns, and carry lanterns while accompanying lion dancers, drums, and cymbals.
During this time, people also buy mooncakes, tea, and wine to offer to their ancestors on the night of the Full Moon. This is also an opportunity for everyone to express their love to their grandparents, parents, teachers, and friends by giving mooncakes, fruits, tea, or wine.
Families prepare an offering tray to celebrate the mid-month festival. The traditional offering tray features a dog made from pomelo peels, with two black beans for eyes. Surrounding the tray are mooncakes, fruits, incense, and lanterns… When the moon reaches its peak, it marks the moment to enjoy the feast, and everyone savors the flavors of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Chinese people typically perform dragon dances during the Mid-Autumn Festival, while Vietnamese people perform lion dances. The lion symbolizes luck, prosperity, and good omens for every household… In the past, Vietnamese people also organized drum performances and displayed lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
In the past, Vietnamese people would sing the “Trống Quân” song during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The rhythm of “Trống Quân” follows a three-beat pattern: “thình, thùng, thình.”
In ancient times, young men and women would sing “Trống Quân” during the full moon nights, especially on the 15th day of the 8th month.
Children’s toys during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Young men and women would engage in call-and-response singing, both for enjoyment and to find a lifelong partner. They would use poems in the six-eight meter format or its variations to sing.
Initially, the Mid-Autumn Festival was an adult celebration to enjoy the beauty of nature, eat mooncakes, and drink tea while admiring the full moon during the autumn season. Gradually, it became a festival for children, though adults also participate.
Children have the opportunity to enjoy carrying lanterns, singing, and indulging in the mooncake feast arranged by their parents and siblings, especially enjoying sweets without fear of reprimand.
Significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a very meaningful tradition. It embodies care, gratitude, appreciation, friendship, reunion, and love.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, children will hear the story of Cuội, the banyan tree from Vietnam. Along with this, they will enthusiastically participate in various moon-related activities, such as carrying lanterns, lion dancing, and receiving mooncakes and gifts. Moreover, the Mid-Autumn Festival is an occasion for families to gather together, share love, and enjoy happy moments together. Hence, the saying goes that “The Mid-Autumn Festival is the Reunion Festival.” If you are studying or working far from home, take some time to visit your family and parents during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.
Apart from providing fun for children and adults, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also a time for people to observe the moon, predicting agricultural seasons and the nation’s fate. If the full moon appears golden, it indicates a good silkworm harvest; if it is green or blue, it suggests natural disasters; and if it shines bright orange, it signifies national prosperity.
This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
