Mid-autumn Festival Lectured by Betsy Hu Xiaoqiong(胡晓琼） 中秋节 Mid-autumn Festival Lectured by Betsy Hu Xiaoqiong(胡晓琼） Spring Festival, Tomb-sweeping Day, Dragon-boat Festival, Mid-autumn Day 1

Let’s taste some moon cakes

Introduction The annual lunar August 15, is a traditional Mid-Autumn festival. This time is the middle of autumn in a year, so it is also called Mid-Autumn festival. ( Sep. 19th, 2013)

Mid-Autumn Festival has a deep origin and a long history

The legends of Mid-Autumn Festival Chang Er flying to the moon

Hou Yi shoots down nine suns

The Story Hou Yi shot 9 suns. Chang’e met Hou Yi and they got married. Hou Yi went to the Kunlun Mountains to look for an elixir of life. House Yi gave the elixir to Chang’e. Chang’e drank the elixir and flew to the moon. Hou Yi sacrificed the moon.

Jade rabbit making heavenly medicine

Wu Gang cuts the laurel ['lɔ:əl] 15

Moon cakes The production procedure of moon cakes

The round shape of moon cakes just symbolizes not only the moon but also the unity of the family.

Customs

Reunion

Appreciate the Moon

Offering sacrifice to the moon

Eat the Mooncake

Different Customs of Different Areas Play the grass dragon(舞草龙 ) (Zhe Jiang)

fire Douxiang(烧斗香 ) (Jiang Su)

Fu Jian put the sky lights(放天灯 )

Whorship the Moon （Guang Dong)

Plant the Mid-Autumn （Guang Dong)

THANKS

Pomelo Lantern (Guang Dong)

Fire-dragon Dance (Hong Kong)

Qiantang Tide (Zhe Jiang)

The Poems 但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。 May the people live forever, and share the moon shine across vast distances together.

The Poems As the moon rises above the sea, we share the same time though we are far apart.

The Poems 春江潮水连海平，海上明月共潮生。 In spring, the river rises as high as the sea. And with the river’s rise the moon uprises bright.

Discussion & Conclusion General introduction Legends Moon cakes Customs Chinese ancient poems

Discussion Since the Mid-autumn Festival is the second grandest festival after the Spring Festival in China, people attach great importance to it, can you tell what concept Chinese try to convey through the celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival? In the history of your country, is there any festivals which mainly expressed people’s worship towards the Sun, Moon or any other natural things?