Students observe Lunar Festival
by KATRINA LIN
Created in the past and still celebrated on the 15 day of the 8th lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a family filled annual festivity that is relished by many.
Courtesy of redgeckotravel.com
There are many legends on why this day is celebrated, but one of the most famous ones is about Hou Yi and his wife, Chang’e. Once upon a time, ten suns arose to the sky and Hou Yi shot nine of them down. The Empress Wang Mu, queen of heaven, gave him an immortality elixir which he kept hidden because he did not want to part with his wife. Peng Meng tried to steal the elixir, but Chang’e drank the it and flew towards the moon. Hou Yi found out what happened to Chang’e and saw a shadow on the moon that looked like her. He offered food on an altar for her while. The Legend of Chang’e spread and so did the custom of praying to the moon, according to travelchinaquide.com.
“I pray to the moon during the day and night,” said Jane Quach, senior.
Families gather together to watch the full moon and eat pastries called mooncakes that are served with hot tea, according to chinahighlights.com. Mooncakes have different fillings and are a sign of reunion. People also eat fresh fruits to celebrate this day. Since it is such a popular snack, people have also named the holiday Mooncake Day.
“We buy mooncakes and go out to eat with my dad’s side of the family. It’s fun to see them again,” said Kaylin Kwan, freshman.
Evolving from a small community festival to an internationally known holiday, the Lunar Festival continues to give people a time of peace and reunion.