中文 FRANÇAIS
Home     Nation      World      Business      Opinion      Lifestyle      ChinAfrica      Multimedia      Columnists      Documents      Special Reports
ChinAfrica
Celebrating Family Ties
The Mid-Autumn Festival is not just about moon cakes, it's a precious occasion for family reunion
By Theodora A. Amedetor-Yakanu | VOL.11 October ·2019-10-15

Enjoying the full moon is an important activity during the Mid-Autumn Festival (XINHUA)

It was the night of Friday, September 13. We sat in an open terrace restaurant under an overcast sky. With child-like eagerness, we all gazed at the sky from time to time to catch a glimpse of the moon. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival in Beijing! After some time, I wondered out loud, "Will the moon ever appear?"

Finally, we settled with some meals and drinks, including moon cakes and other traditional Chinese pastry without the sight of the moon.

The Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as the Moon Festival in China) is said to have originated in the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 B.C.), and has a rich religious and folklore background of more than 3,000 years.

It is a great occasion for family gatherings or reunion, often involving several activities, especially sharing and eating moon cakes under full moon. Though the practice has since changed, moon-gazing is still at the heart of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and moon cakes and traditional Chinese pastry are still regarded as indispensable delicacies for the occasion. According to the Chinese culture, the roundness of the moon and the moon cakes signifies unity.

I was part of a group of African journalists on an exchange program in Beijing. I found the idea of a national holiday that encourages family bonding quite exciting. To me, this shows the importance the Chinese people attach to family.

The Chinese know the truth in what Mother Teresa once said, "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family." The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of the eighth month according to the Chinese traditional calendar. This year, it was on September 13.

On that day every year, the people are given the opportunity "to go home and love their families." I am convinced that this is one of the keys to China's success so far on the world stage.

As I pondered on how interesting the celebration could be, I wondered, "But what if the moon doesn't appear?" Nonetheless, at night of the festival, we had a thrilling cultural experience as our hosts showed us how to make moon cakes. And here we were, on a Friday night, filled with excitement as we sat around the table, enjoying each other's company.

Along the streets of Jianguomen area, we delightfully watched families gather together at tables in restaurants, with kids gleefully running all over. Old people as well as youngsters walked by, hand in hand. Others sat outdoors, chatting away the evening. The air was filled with echoes of music and laughter. It was indeed a relaxing moment for many families. And for me and friends from Africa, it was truly exhilarating!

The next day, I met a Chinese friend. After some pleasantries, I asked her, "Did you and your family see the moon last night?" "No, we didn't because it rained," she replied calmly. "Were you disappointed?" I quizzed. "No, my sister," she exclaimed. "The most important thing is that you get together with your family, eat, spend some time together and show love for each other." She had done just that, and looked so happy. She convinced me!

Princess Diana, many years ago, echoed the spirit when she said, "Family is the most important thing in the world." I couldn't have agreed more with her. Because if the festival was essentially only about eating moon cakes, under a full moon, then some, including my friends and I, would definitely have missed out on the celebration.

But the beauty of the Mid-Autumn Festival is that the focus is on family reunion, and getting together. Of course, the moon-gazing would have been exciting! The fact is full moon does not necessarily appear on Mid-Autumn Festival. But it is always up there, whether it appears in the sky or not.

The festival and holidays are over, but strong family bonds and ties still exist. Fond memories of the festival will nurture the bonds, all year round, till the next festival.

(The author is a Ghanaian living in China)

About Us    |    Contact Us    |    Advertise with Us    |    Subscribe
Copyright Beijing Review All rights reserved 京ICP备08005356号-5 京公网安备110102005860
Chinese Dictionary: