VI
EN
China (Zhongqiu Jie)
In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally an outdoor celebration to give thanks for a bountiful harvest and to enjoy the fruits of hard work. In the past, Chinese people would set up altars in their courtyards under the moonlight. Offerings such as melons, mooncakes, pomegranates, and other fruits would be laid out on the altar. Today, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family and friends to gather, enjoy a lavish dinner, share mooncakes, sip tea, and gaze at the full moon, symbolizing harmony and family unity.
Vietnam (Mid-Autumn Festival)
In Vietnam, the full moon of the eighth lunar month symbolizes fertility. In ancient times, Vietnamese people prayed for a bountiful harvest and fertility for all living things on this Mid-Autumn Festival. By the early 20th century, this festival became an opportunity for young men and women to meet and find love, and for young women to showcase their talents through handicrafts as gifts. Over time, this festival gradually transformed into a children's festival in Vietnam.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, children receive toys and eat sweets, cakes, and fruits. They also go out into the streets carrying five-pointed star lanterns, like the Vietnamese flag, along with masks of animals or characters from movies, comics, and cartoons.
Paper figurines are also a traditional gift given to children with the wish that they will achieve great things in life.
Singapore
Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore is a time for people to gather at home, admire the full moon while drinking tea and eating mooncakes. Besides traditional mooncakes, new varieties such as Bloody Mary Snow Skin and Cranberry Cheese are also becoming increasingly popular.
In the evening, children will wander around with lanterns of all shapes and sizes. Tourists can visit Chinatown to admire the streets illuminated with lights and immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere.
South Korea (Chuseok)
In Korea, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a three-day holiday often referred to as Thanksgiving. It's a time when fruits ripen and rice and other autumn crops are harvested. Koreans typically visit their ancestors' graves on this day, offering a feast of rice cakes, rice wine, and fresh fruit. They then clear the weeds around the graves, a ritual called "beolcho." At sunset, family and friends gather to enjoy the beauty of the full moon or play traditional games like Ganggangsullae (Korean circle dance).
Malaysia
Malaysians also gather with their families during the Mid-Autumn Festival to celebrate family harmony and enjoy mooncakes together. Many different types of mooncakes are sold at special stalls in shopping malls. Entertainment activities such as lion dances, parades, and lantern processions are also indispensable during this time.
Thailand (Moon Goddess Festival)
In Thailand, on the night of the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, statues of the god Guanyin and the eight immortal gods are placed on altars along with offerings such as peach-shaped cakes and mooncakes. Thai people believe that the eight immortal gods will bring peach-shaped cakes to the moon and celebrate Guanyin's birthday. After the birthday celebration, Guanyin and the eight immortal gods will bestow many blessings upon the people.
Mooncakes in Thailand also come in many different versions, with the lotus seed and egg yolk mooncake being the most famous. Durian mooncakes are also a unique version that you should try at least once.
Philippines
Filipinos celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by giving mooncakes to friends, relatives, and neighbors. Chinese towns and communities also decorate their homes with colorful lanterns and banners. Besides familiar activities like lion dances, lantern parades, and processions, a game of chance called "mooncake game" is also popular among Filipinos.
Japan (Tsukimi)
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Japan has a tradition spanning over a thousand years. The festival is celebrated to pray for a bountiful harvest and to show reverence to the moon god. Japanese people use Japanese pampas grass to decorate their homes during this festival and enjoy tsukimi dango (rice flour dumplings) arranged in a triangular shape on a wooden shelf.
