Zhongqiu — holiday of the Moon and harvest (10/09)

Zhongqiu — Moon and Harvest Festival — is celebrated in China on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. It falls in mid-autumn, so in ancient times it was called Zhongqiu — mid-autumn. The holiday originated in the Tang Dynasty and occupies an important place in the Chinese calendar — is the day of worship of the moon god.

The weekend lasts three days. According to tradition, on the day of the holiday, the Chinese eat special sweet pies and read poetry by the light of the moon, which on this day is considered the roundest and brightest. Cassia blossoms fill the romantic landscapes of the moonlit night with fragrance.

Mooncakes are reminiscent of the uprising of the Chinese people against the Mongol conquerors, since many centuries ago small notes baked in such pies called for rebellion and disobedience to the invaders. The dough for such pies is prepared from lotus grains and crushed sesame seeds.

On this day, lovers pray to the gods to unite them together in order to merge into one whole, like the moon. Small colored lanterns are sold everywhere: in the evening they are lit in city parks and fields by parents along with their children, who are allowed to go to bed late for this occasion.

2004