does anyone know the story behind the celebration, which is sometime next week??? (i think)
2006-10-04 01:47:24 · 5 answers · asked by xvickiexx 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
here's a link
2006-10-04 01:51:35 · answer #1 · answered by zed 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's something to do with having the biggest full moon in the whole year (it is also known as mid autumn festival). Families get together and eat all sorts of goodies, including mooncakes, which are delicious big round cakes resembling the full moon. This Friday is full moon, by the way, if the sky is clear then have a look and you'll probably notice that it is bigger than throughout the year at full moon. There might be some festival celebration in your local chinese restaurant or chinatown. It's also my birthday in a few days so I might just connect the two celebrations together and go for a chinese!
2006-10-04 08:57:56 · answer #2 · answered by Luvfactory 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Moon festival (also called the Mooncake or Mid-Autumn festival) falls on October 6 in the year 2006. What is the Moon festival? Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year, the Chinese celebrate "zhong qiu jie." Children are told the story of the moon fairy living in a crystal palace, who comes out to dance on the moon's shadowed surface. The legend surrounding the "lady living in the moon" dates back to ancient times, to a day when ten suns appeared at once in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine extra suns. Once the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his wife found the pill, took it, and was banished to the moon as a result.
Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the Moon festival.
Other Moon Festival Legends
According to another legend, on this day the "Man in the Moon" was spotted at an inn, carrying a writing tablet. When questioned, he said he was recording the names of all the happy couples who were fated to marry and live happily forever after. Accordingly, just as June is the traditional month for exchanging nuptials in the west, many Chinese weddings are held during the eighth lunar month, with the fifteenth day being the most popular.
Of course, the most famous legend surrounding the Moon festival concerns its possible role in Chinese history. Overrun by the Mongols in the thirteenth century, the Chinese threw off their oppressors in 1368 AD. It is said that mooncakes - which the Mongols did not eat - were the perfect vehicle for hiding and passing along plans for the rebellion. Families were instructed not to eat the mooncakes until the day of the moon festival, which is when the rebellion took place. (In another version plans were passed along in mooncakes over several years of Mid-Autumn festivals, but the basic idea is the same).
2006-10-04 09:11:09 · answer #3 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just want to mention another fact. Mid-Autumn's Day is considered as the Chinese version of Thanksgiving and people are often really joyous and eager to celebrate. In China, people often get a week to a whole month off for the holiday. By the way, the moon cakes originated as a way to carry secret messages during the time of the Han rebellion to overthrow the Monguls.
2006-10-07 22:57:44 · answer #4 · answered by KiMM CHEE 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.regit.com/hongkong/festival/mooncake.htm CLICK here and you will find all you need to know. Its the whole story
2006-10-04 08:51:08 · answer #5 · answered by chass_lee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋