Tradition Chinese festival- Mid-autumn festival

Mid-autumn festival is one of the very famous Chinese festival. It is also known as mooncake festival because it is a custom to eat mooncake during the festival. The festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. 

Background 

The festival has a long history. It has been fixed since around year 618 - 907. In ancient China, emperors followed the rite of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn.  Later the ceremony had expanded  to common people. They then also celebrated with specific traditions and enjoyed the full, bright moon on that day.

Traditions

There are numerous customs for celebration, such as:

-Eating mooncakes

                     


- Carrying , lighting lanterns and floating sky lanterns

 

- Fire Dragon Dances

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival
http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Festivals/78311.htm
http://marshmallow92.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/traditional-chinese-moon-cake.jpg
http://www.yorkshirefireworks.co.uk/user/Lanterns3.jpg
http://www.newsgd.com/news/picstories/200409280057_21150.jpg