Happy Mid Autumn Festival!
Today is one of three big holidays here. Everyone has it off and family gather together for dinner. In China, Autumn actually starts on August 15. That is why this is called Mid-Autumn festival.
The paragraph below I borrowed from another site to explain the festival.
"Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, which is a great time for people to get together and exchange boxes of moon cakes. Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th moon in the Chinese calendar, Mid-Autumn Festival began more than 3,000 years ago during the Shang Dynasty. Because farmers often harvest their crops around this time of the year, food is usually abundant and shared with family and friends. Adoration of celestial objects like the stars and moon has a spiritual meaning here in China. So during the Mid-Autumn Festival, families gather under the moon, which is thought to be at its fullest and roundest shape during the holiday, to reflect on life and think about those who could not be there.
A traditional gift to give and receive during Mid-Autumn Festival is moon cakes, which are little treats that may have messages on the outside and can be stuffed with a variety of fillings (most commonly an egg yolk). Like the moon, their round shape symbolizes reunion to many Chinese people, making them the perfect gift for the occasion."
To wish friends and family a happy holiday, you can say the following: “Zhong Qiu Jie Kuaile” (Happy Mid-autumn Festival): each word means middle-autumn-festival-happy or “Jia Jie Kuaile” (Happy holiday) : each word means good-festival-happy!
SO JIA JIE KUAILE TO ALL!
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