Mid-autumn festival

The mid-autumn festival dates back 3,000 years ago to moon worship.

During 2000 BC-221 BC people used to greet winter and worship the moon. During 1127-1279 AD they sent round moon cakes as gifts to their relatives as an expression of their hope for family reunion. When it became dark they looked up at the full moon or go sight-seeing on lakes to celebrate.

The story of the moon cakes goes like this... During the Yuan dynasty 1280-1368 AD China

was ruled by the Mongolians. Leaders of the preceding dynasty was unhappy that China was ruled by foreigners.

They planed to rebel without being discovered. The mid-autumn festival was near so the

leaders baked special moon cakes with the plan of attack on the edges. On the night of the mid-

autumn festival the rebels managed to overthrow the government.

The mid-autumn festival is one of the most important festivals in the Chinese calendar today, the other being the Chinese new year ( 春节 ).

Today the mid-autumn festival is celebrated slightly differently to 3,000 years ago.

Nowadays different countries and cultures celebrate the mid-autumn festival differently.

The mid-autumn festival is celebrated on the 15th of the eighty month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Internet Sites: http://news.xinhuanet.com/life/2007-09/20/xinsrc_282090424142728109561.jpg 19/9 http://www.newsgd.com/news/picstories/200409280057_21150.jpg 19/9 http://www.chinavoc.com/festivals/Midautumn.htm 22/9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival 19/9, 22/9 http://www.12hk.com/festivals/MidAutumn/MidAutumn.html 26/9 http://www.knowingfood.com/dessert/moon_cake_adzuki_bean.html 26/9 http://www.moonlanternfestival.com.au/ 26/9 http://www.chinatownconnection.com/images/chinesemooncake2.jpg 26/9