The Magic of Mid-Autumn Festival: Unraveling the Origins and Significance of this Enchanted Celebration

The Origin of Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung Thu in Vietnamese, has its roots in Chinese culture and boasts a history of over 3,000 years. During the Zhou Dynasty (1045 – 221 BCE), ancient Chinese emperors would worship the moon in autumn, believing that doing so would bring a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

This tradition of moon worship was recorded in the history books of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1045 – 770 BCE). The term “Mid-Autumn” first appeared in the Zhou Li, a book written during the Warring States period (475 – 221 BCE). However, at that time, Mid-Autumn was not yet an official festival, but rather a temporal and seasonal marker.

The Mid-Autumn Festival gained popularity during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE), with more and more people in the upper class adopting the custom of moon viewing on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Wealthy merchants and officials held grand parties where they drank wine, admired the moon, and offered sacrifices and prayers to the moon for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. The Mid-Autumn Festival gradually became an official holiday during the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 CE), with the 15th day of the eighth lunar month being chosen as the date.

In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival has a long history, with its presence dating back to the Ngoc Lu drum. According to an inscription on the Doi Pagoda stele dating back to 1121 CE, during the Ly Dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was officially celebrated in the capital city of Thang Long with boat races, water puppet shows, and lantern processions. The festival was also celebrated lavishly during the Le-Trinh era, as described in the Tang Thong Ngau Luc.

The Significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival holds great significance for the Vietnamese people. This festive season is an opportunity for family members to gather and for children to enjoy entertainment, participate in lantern processions, and create beautiful childhood memories. The festival also serves as a chance to:

– Reunite families: The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for families to come together, enjoy mooncakes and tea, and share stories about their work and studies.

– Express gratitude: It is a time for family members to show their appreciation for one another. Not only do grandchildren express their gratitude to their grandparents, parents, and ancestors, but adults also thank the children for their efforts.

– Have fun and entertainment: The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for children to enjoy various traditional activities such as lantern processions, feasting, lion dances, and more.

– Preserve cultural heritage: The festival is an opportunity to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the nation, which have existed for over 3,000 years.

Exciting Activities During the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam

Lantern Processions

Lantern processions are an integral part of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Families can buy lanterns that their children love or purchase materials to make lanterns together, creating lasting memories. On the full moon day, children join their families or friends in the lantern procession, immersing themselves in the lively atmosphere with drums, horns, and cheerful conversations.

Moon Viewing and Feasting

The full moon is the highlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival. On the 15th night of the eighth lunar month, people gather around a feast that includes various mooncakes, fruits, tea, and other delicacies. After enjoying the delicious food, they admire the moon and share interesting stories about their lives.

Lion Dance

The lion dance is a unique folk activity in Vietnam. The lively and majestic lions, accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums, put on captivating performances during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Participating in Folk Games

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, various folk games are organized for people to enjoy, such as tug-of-war, walking on a plank, and plucking flowers from a cau tree.

Attending Mid-Autumn Festivals

In many localities across the country, Mid-Autumn Festivals are held with numerous entertaining activities for all ages. These festivals offer an opportunity for people to immerse themselves in the vibrant and joyful atmosphere of the season.

The Legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival – The Story of Chang’e

Long ago, there lived a beautiful fairy named Chang’e who loved children dearly. One day, the Jade Emperor organized a mooncake-making contest, promising a grand prize to whoever made the most delicious, beautiful, and unique mooncakes.

Determined to win, Chang’e descended to the mortal realm in search of the perfect mooncake recipe. One day, she encountered Cuoi, a dishonest man.

Chang’e, with a gentle voice, asked:

“Dear sir, do you know of any secret ingredients or methods to create the most delicious and extraordinary mooncakes in the world?”

Cuoi heard her question but remained silent for a long time. Despite not knowing the answer, he wanted to continue conversing with the beautiful fairy. So, he hastily replied:

“Mix all the ingredients for the mooncakes thoroughly and bake them. After a while, take them out, and you will have the most wonderful mooncakes in the world.”

Overjoyed by his answer, Chang’e expressed her gratitude, and together, they began making mooncakes to enter the contest.

After some time, Chang’e had crafted the most delicious mooncakes, and it was time for her to return to the celestial realm to participate in the contest.

However, Cuoi was reluctant to part ways with Chang’e, so he grabbed her hand and held on to a banyan tree. Suddenly, a mysterious force pulled both of them, along with the tree, up to the moon, where they remain to this day.

Now, sitting on the banyan tree, Cuoi can see children playing and enjoying the festival. Sometimes, he misses his home and family, and tears stream down his face.

Back in heaven, Chang’e’s mooncakes were indeed the most delicious and unique. Her mooncakes won first place, and they were named “Mid-Autumn Mooncakes.” Chang’e wished that every year, on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, she and Cuoi could descend to the mortal realm to play with the children. Thus, the Jade Emperor named this day “Mid-Autumn Festival” – a time for children to rejoice and play.

Ever since, on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Chang’e and Cuoi reunite and descend to earth, bringing mooncakes to the children. Families gather to enjoy these traditional mooncakes, continuing a tradition that has endured for generations.

This is the legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival, passed down through the ages, celebrating the reunion of families and the joy of children during this magical season.