Why Do the Chinese Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival on 17 September 2024?

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. In 2024, this falls on 17 September in the Gregorian calendar. The date varies every year due to the difference between the lunar and solar calendars.

Historical and Cultural Significance:

1. Moon Worship: The festival dates back over 3,000 years to ancient Chinese moon worship during the Shang Dynasty. The full moon symbolizes unity, completeness, and reunion, which is why it became associated with family gatherings.
2. Harvest Festival: It coincides with the autumn harvest, when families celebrate the abundance of the season. People give thanks to the moon for the harvest and pray for blessings.
3. Chang’e and Houyi Legend: A well-known legend associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival is the story of the moon goddess Chang’e, who drank an elixir of immortality and ascended to the moon, leaving her lover, the hero Houyi, behind. People make offerings to the moon and Chang’e during the festival, keeping her memory alive.
   

   How Do People Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival?

   1. 1. Mooncakes: People exchange and eat mooncakes, symbolizing unity and completeness.
      2. Admiring the Full Moon: Families gather in the evening to appreciate the full moon, symbolizing wholeness and reunion.
      3. Family Reunions: The festival emphasizes family gatherings, with meals shared to celebrate togetherness.
      4. Lantern Displays and Parades: Colorful lanterns, often in the shape of animals or with riddles, are lit up and carried in parades.
      5. Offerings to the Moon: Families offer fruits, mooncakes, and incense to the moon as a gesture of gratitude for blessings and a good harvest.
      6. Folk Stories and Legends: The legend of Chang’e is often retold, reminding people of the ancient origins of the festival.
      7. Dragon and Lion Dances: In some regions, these traditional dances are performed to bring luck and joy.

Why the Date Changes:

The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the lunar calendar, so its date varies each year when converted to the Gregorian calendar. In 2024, the 15th day of the 8th lunar month happens to be on 17 September.

This festival brings families together, allows people to express gratitude for the harvest, and fosters an appreciation for tradition, culture, and folklore.