Mid-Autumn Festival

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Mid-Autumn Festival

China is a famous country with a rich culture and popular tradition of folk art as well as traditional festivals. The Chinese culture is full of a variety of distinctive symbols that are commonly relished by the Chinese locals and other individuals mainly in the Asian countries who have cultural exchange with China. There are also several festivals that are commemorated and of vital importance to the people of China (Zhang, 2013). Key concepts in Chinese philosophy. One of the most important events is known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is also known as the Moon Festival and it is a harvest event that is commonly feted in China as well as in other Asian countries like Singapore and Vietnam. This festival is the second biggest and celebrated festival in China after the famous Chinese New Year. The event typically happens during the eighth month on the 15th day of the Chinese lunar calendar although it lacks a fixed day in the calendar during the full moon period (Xu et al. 2018). In this year, celebrations have been set to start on 24th September. Its name originates as a result of being celebrated during the middle period of the autumn season.

Moreover, the day is also regarded as the Moon Festival because when it occurs, the moon is usually in its well-formed state. Consequently, it is reflected as a harvest fete as, by the time it happens, the fruits, grain, and vegetables are already harvested, and individuals are in happy moods. The event celebration occurs typically in the evening where families come together and light lanterns, eat the moon cakes they have prepared while appreciating the moon.

The Origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival

Over time, worshipping the moon has been an essential aspect of the Chinese culture. The festival is dated to have started for more than 2000 years ago. However, the event is surrounded by many myths that suggest its establishment. For example, there is a story that says that Chinese rulers in the Zhou dynasty used to worship the moon during autumn for a plentiful harvest in the subsequent year. The day was officially celebrated as a customary festival during the timely (618-907) in Tang reign (Lin, 2012). Since then the following dynasties continued to commemorate it, and it continued to become more popular whereby new customs for celebrations have been established. The festival was recognized in 2006 by the Chinese government as a cultural heritage, and more so it was made a national public holiday in 2008. Since then the event is celebrated annually during the autumn season.

Legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival

For a long time, China was an agricultural society. This notion helped the country in the creation of various kinds of legends as well as public celebrations, for instance, the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the Chinese agricultural culture, seeds are typically planted, and crops are afterward harvested according to the moon cycles. During the harvest time, the moon that shines is known as the harvest moon. The geneses of the moon are further explained by many legends that comprise of different variations (Asif et al, 2019). Many stories are surrounding the Moon Festival, for example, most stories suggest that an individual is evacuated to the moon for either doing good or bad things and more so the person can be seen again during the Mid-Autumn festival. The following are some of the legends surrounding the Mid-Autumn Festival.

A Lady in the Moon Festival Legend

In the past, the earth was encompassed with ten suns, and each of them was illuminating the earth for a specific time. On a particular day, all the stars decided to come together and burn the ground using the heat. On seeing this, a certainly experienced archer known as Hou Yi protected the land by shooting down nine suns and there was only left only one. Hou Yi was also a dictatorial ruler at one time he stole a bottle from a goddess that contained a magical mixture of immorality. On realizing the act performed by her husband Change saw the portion and decided to drink it to save the citizens from her husband oppressive rule. Immediately after taking part, Change saw herself floating to the moon, and she was stranded there. Due to the love that Hou Yi had towards his wife, he could not shoot down the moon. Consequently, when the moon shines through the skies brightly, Change is still being seen dancing away.

The Man in the Moon Legend

This is another legend whereby a man is expatriated to the moon. The story is about a middle-aged man known as Wu Kang who was an impatient individual and lacked interest for anything. He could not tolerate or keep up with what he was learning, and therefore he used to change traineeships programs as he became bored in doing the same thing over and over. Kang wanted to become immortal, and hence one day he went to the mountains where an immortal man taught him (Bredon & Mitrophanow, 2005). Some of the teachings he received were about herbs for curing illnesses, but after some time he got bored with the instructions. The immortal tried everything to teach Kang, but again, it did not last for long. The mentor became so angry by Kang that he decided to send him to the moon and given some things to meet before being returned to the earth. The task was difficult, and Kang could not reach them, and he remained to the Moon Palace. Therefore in the Moon Festival, Kang is still seen trying to accomplish the assignment that he was given of cutting down the tree.

The Mooncake Legend

During the early periods of the Yuan Dynasty, China was controlled by the Mongolian rule. The majority of the locals did not cherish the rue and therefore and their leaders decided that it was time to take back control of the territory. Since the Moon Festival was near, the leaders decided to use baked cakes that were containing some messages of the plan of an attack (Yuan, 2016). This was meant to hide their plans from the outsiders. On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the rebels succeeded in attacking the government where they eventually overthrew it. Later on, they established the Ming dynasty to commemorate this legend; mooncakes are still being eaten up to now.

How the Mid-Autumn Festival Is Celebrated

Generally, the Festival presents a chance for individuals to have a good time together, though there exist some traditions that have to be followed. During the evening of the festival, families usually gather together and have dinner with their extended families at the grandparent’s home. Different foods are taken for dinner, for example, taro, duck as well as other local foods. The foods are prepared mainly in the afternoon and eaten in the evening. The most common method in which individuals celebrate is through eating mooncakes (Xu et al.2018). Most of the mooncakes are baked and filled with lotus paste and salty egg York while there are others that contain fruits, seeds, and red beans. In the festival, people tend to share the mooncakes among the family members and their friends.

Today, mooncakes are presented to friends as well as relatives to show love and that they wish each other a happy and long life. However, traditional foods seem to be changing. Currently, the younger generation have the foods that they prefer over the traditional foods, and the majority of them do not like eating the mooncakes, and they prefer to eat whatever they feel like. There are other celebration undertakings like lantern displays and playing lantern riddles. All these celebration activities are fascinating to watch and also to participate in.

Moreover other than the local individuals, Mid-Autumn Festival attracts several individuals especially tourists from other countries who are interested in the festival. The cities that have access to rivers, as well as other water bodies, attract many individuals. They practice the traditions of lighting lanterns and then watches them as they float downstream during the middle of the night (Siu, 1999). The spectacle is so beautiful that it attracts many individuals who come to view the scenery.

Immediately after dinner, traditionally the families are required to present sacrifices to the moon. The sacrifice aims to strengthen their beliefs that the moon will give them good luck. Symbolic fruits and mooncakes are the common types of foods used for the offerings. The event happens during the night, and when the weather is favorable, they tend to go out to a park and eat the mooncakes while gazing at the charming look of the full moon.

Mid-Autumn Festival in Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the largest cities in China. Therefore it holds a very massive number of the Chinese population, and more so it has a rich culture of Chinese traditions. The town has many beautiful and historical sites which makes it an excellent destination for tourists around the world. Moreover, the city’s customs and traditions are widespread and famous around China. As one visits this city during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, the way the event is celebrated will have to be amazing, and this starts with the people’s customs and traditions. One of the most notable customs that is still being celebrated in Shanghai is moon worship (Chen, 2015). There are other customs like reunion dinners as well as moonwalking that are also there. The following are the top Mid-Autumn Customs in Shanghai:

The Moon Offering

In prehistoric times, it was believed that the moon was in. Yin is the female portion of the yin-yang philosophy. Therefore during the full moon celebration, women used to worship the moon first then followed by men. It was also alleged that there was no need for men to celebrate the full moon. The event is celebrated by individuals putting tables in the open air when the moon rises. Afterward, they offer some food like mooncakes, melons, taro, and fruits among other foods. Offering to the moon is a custom that is being practiced by the majority of Chinese locals, and it started a long time ago (Lin, 2012). Although several traditions seem to have been forgotten, offering to the moon is widely recognized, and it appears that it will continue.

Shanghai Moon Alters

In Shanghai, there is a custom known as the burning incense cups also referred to as mini moon altars and is practiced during Mid-Autumn. Traditionally, the moon alters are typically created by offering shops. The platforms are then decorated and placed with colorful banners as well as flags. The Muslin is then placed around the altar, and beautiful pictures of the pavilions and also the Moon Palace are introduced. The most splendid incense scene on Mid-Autumn Festival usually is in Nanyuan, also known as “South Garden.”

The Family Reunion Dinner

This is a custom that is celebrated by family members. It occurs immediately after the moon celebration whereby the family members usually come together and drink the reunion wine while having an appreciation of the moon dinner. The custom is celebrated in most regions of Shanghai, and it is considered as one of the best ways to bring families together.

Walking under the Moonlight

Conventionally, a Chinese woman staying at her parent’s home was required to travel to the family of her husband during the Moon Festival evening to go “moonwalking” according to the customs. Shanghainese people recognize this event. The women take a walk while appreciating the full moon. One of the typical moon walking endpoints is Lujia Stone Bridge that is located outside Xiaodongmen. The place is well known for attracting many local individuals as well as foreigners (Bredon & Mitrophanow, 2005). The reflection of the bright full moon bobbling in the water while contrasting delightfully with the bright moon brings a fantastic view to all the visiting individuals. The bridge is not the only spot with pleasant Mid-Autumn atmosphere as there are other iconic spots in Shanghai.

Best Places to Visit in Shanghai during the Mid-Autumn Festival

Shanghai is rich in several areas to visit during the Mid-Autumn Festivals. However, these places differ in terms of the features that they offer visitors. The following are some of the famous and best places to visit during the Mid-Autumn Festival period:

Jin Mao Tower

The Jin Mao Tower is among the highest buildings in Shanghai, and it is about 1380 ft. above the ground. Therefore when people want to experience a clear view of the moon at the time of the festival, the building stands out as the right choice. It has 88 floors, and the last top floor exists as an excellent observation platform for the full view of the moon. Also one can gain a dramatic panoramic sight of town’s skyline when the outstanding lights of its massive towers rotate harmoniously. Consequently, this is an excellent platform to view the city’s skyline not only in Mid-Autumn Festival but also in other days as it offers a spectacular view of the horizon.

The Oriental Pearl TV Tower

The tower is 468 meters upward, and it is was once the highest in Asia as well as the third tallest globally. Inside this tower, several places are right for enjoying the moon view as well as Mid-Autumn. For example, the tower houses a hotel that is situated near the top, shops and also cafes. Due to its tallness, most of the floors provide a beautiful view of the whole city, and thus it rests as a perfect place for holding some of the Mid-Autumn events. The revolving restaurant at the tower offers couples and families an exclusive Mid-Autumn dinner. They can also take an elevator up to the top of the building where they can experience a closer view of the moon.

The Bund

This is possibly the popular site to hold the Mid-Autumn Festival. The reason is that the place provides a moderately tranquil atmosphere and also due to the presence of various restaurants and tea rooms that are lined along with it. There is also the waterfront part that gives individuals visiting the site a leisure walk while enjoying the nightly scenery on River Huangpu every year in the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are several bars and restaurants especially along the South Binjiang Road where the locals and tourists can have some drinks or a family dinner while celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival (Wei, 2011). The availability of a cruise boat on Huangpu River makes the place enjoyable as one can board a cruise boat and have beautiful scenery of the wonderful lights bopping in the sky together with the view of the moon.

Sheshan

This is a popular resort used by families especially the local Shanghai families to spend time together during Mid-Autumn Festival. The locals typically visit the Happy Valley for fun day time and then proceed to a hotel near the site where they observe the moon by the lakeside mainly during the night (Martínez, 2017). Those who love astronomy are not left behind since there is a viewpoint at the mountain top whey they experience a perfect and a closer look at the full moon.

Shanghai Disney Resort

The park started its operation in 2016, and it is considered as the leading one in mainland China. The place is well equipped with several things like having movie characters with Chinese culture. An excellent example is the Chinese Zodiac Murals that are found in the Gardens of Imagination. It is also cheaper in pricing compared to other parks like Hong Kong Disneyland, and therefore this enables it to receive many customers.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

The place is located 50 kilometers from the Bund. It is an ancient town that is characterized by magnificent old buildings. It has several waterways, traditional Chinese-style houses as well as 36 antediluvian bridges. The place is mostly lit by lanterns that are usually placed hanging by the old buildings particularly during the night of Mid-Autumn Festival. While at this place, one can spend time at one of the riverside hotels with friends and familiesn (Wang, 2018). It corresponds to Venice city in Italy in that the area has several well-preserved bridges as well as the availability of boat rides.

North Street is seen as the well maintained old street between the nine famous old streets in Zhujiajiao. The street has some ancient buildings that date back in the Qing Dynasty period. In contemporary times, numerous businesses are located along the street for example bars, restaurants and more so some coffee shops. There are other things to do while in Zhujiajiao Water Town, for example, visiting the Kezhi Yuan, going at Qing Dynasty Post Office, visiting the Fangshen Bridge and most importantly having a ride on the Zhujiajiao cruise.

Lingshan Park

The park is well known for bubble runs. At the time of Mid-Autumn Festival, the place receives several visitors who are fascinated by the things found at this place, for example, the fashionable colored foam bogs. The bubble runs are common to individuals of all age, and they attract thousands of people both the locals and tourists.

Marketers Preparation for the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn festival means business for several retailers. During this time goods associated with the event are on high demand due to the high number of individuals both locals and foreigners. It occurs only once per year, and during this time, retailers try as much as possible to market their goods. For example, there is always some sampling of free mooncakes everywhere whereby each business is trying to woo the customers to try their products. The festival, for example, the 2019 event offers an excellent opportunity for advertisers and other stakeholders in marketing to launch campaigns as well as display their products. The event attracts both the local and international retailers and hence competition level is always high. The target audience for the festival is mainly the traditional Chinese as well as the mooncake lovers. Apart from free sampling, there is another standard method for retailers to advertise in the festive season (Zhang, 2013). Over the years, outdoor advertising has played a significant role in marketing the event, and this is due to the increase in digital advertising. Moreover, the existence of big physical billboards has also proved to work out well during these festivals. The following are some of the best ways to advertise during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Picking the Right Location

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, many people usually flock the major Chinese cities for mooncake roadshows to look for the finest and cheapest mooncakes. Other famous events include night performances, street light-ups as well as mass lantern walks. Chinatown together with other significant towns like Shanghai are the main highlights of the game due to the number of individuals they usually attract. Therefore these are good advertising location for marketers and they should put a lot of emphasis on these places.

Knowing Your Audience

For effective advertising, it is always good for businesses to advertise to the right audience. Most of the individuals celebrating this event are the Chinese who are appreciative of their traditions, or they love the lantern experience and eating mooncakes. Therefore for a company that is engaging in these products, it is suitable for these companies to engage their audience through proper planning out of the mid-Autumn Festival.

Conclusion

The Mid-Autumn Festival is among the popular most significant events in China. Many myths and legends surround the festival. It is the second biggest lunar festival not only in China but in most Asian countries. Being among the major festival in China, there is an official holiday designated for the event, and as a result, many individuals come together to celebrate the day at different places around China. China is full of various travel destinations that are attractive to both local and foreign visitors. The primary method of celebrating the day is worshipping the moon while enjoying the mooncakes under the full moonlight. The Mid-Autumn Festival offers an excellent platform for retailers and marketers to sell and advertise their goods. Therefore the Mid-Autumn event has significant advantages for the people of China at large.

References

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