The Chinese Moon festival (I think Korean and Japanese and
Vietnamese too?) is on the full moon day of the 8th lunar
month. Normally it falls somewhere from the second half of
September to second week of October. This year, it is
September 21st. This is the day children and their families
come to the parents' house for the family reunion.
Nobody is certain how the first moon festival took place.
The Chinese had been partying on this certain day before
anyone could remember. On this day/night, family and lovers
would meet, exchange moon cakes, enjoy the moon and eat
and drink and say poems about the moon. It's supposed to
be the most beautiful night in a year.
However, what'd made this event joyfully special was
probably this historical legend...
Since the Mongolian (the descendents of Gengis Khan)
brutally invaded and ruled mainland China in 1280 A.D.,
all brave Chinese leaders at the time had come together to
organize the underground liberal group. In 1368, when they
were kind of ready for the 'big act', the leaders, knowing
that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making
of special moon cakes backed with a message with the outline
of the attack hidden inside. On the night of the Moon
Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the
government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming
dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644).
Today, the Moon festival is also to celebrate this victory.
More:
There are also legends of the man who shot the suns (there
were 10 of them at time) and his wife -- Lady Chang Er, who
flew to the moon. the rabbits and the man who was punished
to cut down the magical tree, which could restore itself
with each blow.
Read the stories here...
And general information on the Moon Festival...
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To your Chinese friends or business partners, you can give
them a nice gift such as fruits or nice book/collectibles.
A moon cake is also fine.
