Of Reunion and Rebellion
About the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋)
Tomorrow, 17 September 2024, Chinese all over the world will celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival. Although a non-event in Australia, this is one of the more important days of the year.
Historically, it marks the end of the harvest season in many parts of China and East Asia countries. It was a time for people to give thanks for the bountiful crops and to celebrate the successful gathering of the harvest.
The timing of the festival—on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar—coincides with the full moon. It symbolises completeness and reunion (团圆). It also falls in the middle of autumn, making it an ideal time to celebrate the abundance of the summer harvest before the harsh winter months.
In Singapore in the 70s and 80s, the Mid-Autumn Festival was one of the most cherished celebrations in Chinese culture, especially for children. Growing up before the age of the Internet and colour television, it was an occasion for parading the neighbourhood with lanterns, staying up late, and playing with fire.
It was also a day that brings families together under the light of the full moon. As a Chinese person living abroad, this day brings back memories of my childhood in Singapore.
But beyond the personal nostalgia, the Mid-Autumn Festival holds profound cultural significance for Chinese all over the world, deeply rooted in ancient traditions and filled with the warmth of family reunion.
On this special occasion, I thought to share the origins of the festival, the traditions we continue to uphold, and the emotions it stirs in the hearts of Chinese people around the world.
The Story of Chang’e (嫦娥)
One of the most beloved stories associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival is the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess. This ancient myth first appeared in texts from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 9CE) and passed down through generations, tells the story of love, sacrifice, and immortality.
According to the legend, Chang’e was the wife of Hou Yi (后羿), a skilled archer who saved the Earth by shooting down nine of the ten suns that scorched the land. As a reward, the Goddess Xi Wangmu (西王姆) the Queen Mother of the West, gave Hou Yi an elixir of immortality.
This elixir would grant eternal life, but there was only enough for one person. Xi Wangmu warned Hou Yi that he could be immoral but lived forever alone if he drank the elixir, or he could choose to live a mortal life with his beloved wife, Chang’e.
Hou Yi, who loved his wife deeply, didn’t take the elixir but wanted to live with her instead. He entrusted the elixir to her for safekeeping. However, while Hou Yi was away, one of his apprentices, Peng Meng, discovered that Chang’e had the elixir and tried to steal it. Fearing that the elixir would fall into the wrong hands, Chang’e drank it herself to protect it.
Chang’e became immortal and ascended to the moon, where she has lived ever since. The moon became her eternal home, separated from Hou Yi, who lived and died a mortal on Earth.
This story resonates with many Chinese, especially those living away from home. There’s a sense of longing—a reminder of the sacrifices we make for the ones we love and the distance that sometimes separates us from them.
Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, families look up at the moon and think of Chang’e, believing that she watches over them, just as we watch over our loved ones.
Historical Roots
The origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival date back over 3,000 years ago, long before mooncakes or lanterns became the iconic symbols of the celebration. The festival’s early beginnings related to moon worship and harvest festivals during the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE). It was a time when people gave thanks for a good harvest and honoured the moon as a symbol of fertility and prosperity.
Over time, the festival shifted from an agricultural celebration to one that embraced the concept of family and unity. The round shape of the full moon became the symbol of completeness, a reflection of harmony within the family.
By the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), the Mid-Autumn Festival was official, and customs like “admiring the moon” (赏月) became part of the ritual, a bit like enjoying the sunset but once a year.
It was during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) that mooncakes made their first appearance, becoming an inseparable part of the festival tradition today.
The Secret Mooncake Rebellion
During the late Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), when the Mongols ruled over China, many suffered under their rule. The oppressive policies of the Mongolian government led to widespread resentment, and various rebel groups formed to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang, a prominent leader of one such rebellion, sought a way to unite the people in an organised revolt against the Mongols. However, because of the tight surveillance of the Mongol authorities, it was difficult to send messages and coordinate a large-scale rebellion without arousing suspicion.
Zhu Yuanzhang, with his advisor Liu Bowen, came up with an idea to spread the word about the planned uprising using mooncakes, which were commonly exchanged during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The rebels placed secret messages inside the mooncakes that read: “Kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month.” This instructed the people to rise in rebellion on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon would be full. The timing was symbolic, since it represented completeness and unity among the people.
Spread of the Rebellion
The rebellion started in the southern regions of China, where the Mongol control was weaker, and spread northward. Zhu Yuanzhang himself rose to prominence, particularly around the city of Nanjing, which would later become the capital of the Ming Dynasty. The rebellion then gained strength as more regions joined, and rebel factions united under Zhu’s leadership.
By the time Zhu’s forces captured the Yuan capital, Dadu (modern-day Beijing), in 1368, the rebellion had already spread throughout large parts of the country, culminating in the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, with Zhu Yuanzhang becoming its first emperor in 1368.
Traditions We Cherish Today
The Mid-Autumn Festival has remained relevant today. Each year, millions of families come together to celebrate the customs passed down for generations. Of all the traditions, three iconic symbols stood out: mooncakes, lanterns, and family reunions.
Mooncakes:
Mooncakes are perhaps the most symbolic of the Mid-Autumn Festival. These round, sweet pastries filled with sweet lotus seed paste and salted egg yolks, symbolises the full moon and the completeness of the family. Today, there are endless varieties of mooncakes, from traditional baked versions to snow skin mooncakes filled with flavours like matcha, ice-cream, and even durian.
Growing up in Singapore, mooncakes were a special treat. They were always expensive, and each pieced is divided into eighths. I still crave the rich, (too) sweet flavour of the lotus paste and the savoury salted egg yolk. It is a combination that still takes me back to those days.
While I now live in Australia, I still try to find mooncakes during the festival, and to pass on this age-old tradition to my “Aussie” kids. As a continuity to the tradition, and a reminder of home.
Lanterns:
It is the only time of the year where children are allowed to play with fire.
The sight of glowing lanterns is another hallmark of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Lanterns symbolise hope and light (光), and a means of guiding loved ones home during the festival.
In Singapore, we parade through the neighbourhood holding colourful, animal-shaped lanterns, lighted with a candle. Most lanterns usually end up in flames.
I remember my dad making an indestructible lantern for us using a smallish tin-can. It was such a sight for other kids, and I carried it with pride. I am also the fire-source for other children whose candles were blown out by the wind.
After dark, it was a sight to behold. Few of us have other entertainment like we do today, so this was the highlight of the festival. It was a big disappointment when, for safety reasons, lantern manufacturers started replacing candles with electric bulbs. I think that ended the magic for me.
Family Reunion:
At its heart, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunion. It’s a time for families to come together, share a meal, and celebrate their bond. As the festival marks the transition to winter, the gathering of family under the full moon is also a way to prepare for the harsh months ahead. In those days, not everyone makes it through winter.
Of course, in Singapore, there is no winter, and in Australia, it is spring, heading towards summer. But the family reunion itself is the most important part of the festival. For me, it is also a time to reflect and consider the year before it ends.
As I get older and stay further from home, the importance of family reunions has deepened. I long for the past, and moments of togetherness—the shared meals, the laughter, and the sense of completeness that comes from being with loved ones.
A Global Celebration of Cultural Identity
For Chinese people around the world, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a way to reconnect with our cultural identity, especially when we’re far from home.
In Australia, the festival passes quietly, unnoticed by the broader population. There are no public holidays, no big gatherings in the streets, and often feels like just another day. We try to mark the occasion whenever we can. Mooncakes from the local Asian grocer, and sitting together as a family to admire the full moon.
For us and others in the Chinese diaspora, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to reflect on, and remember, our roots. It brings feelings of being connected to something bigger than ourselves. It’s a celebration of family, unity, and cultural continuity.
No matter where we are in the world, the festival serves as a reminder of the ties that bind us—to our families, our culture, and our shared history. I hope to keep this tradition alive for the next generation.
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