Lifestyles

Moon Festival Celebration

September 13, 2007

By Eden Yang

On the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the moon is round and the Chinese people mark their Moon (or Mid-autumn) Festival. To the Chinese, the round shape symbolizes family reunion. Therefore, the Moon Festival is a holiday for members of a family to get together wherever it is possible.

On that day, sons and daughters will bring their family members back to their parents’ house for a reunion. Sometimes, people who have already settled overseas will come back to visit their parents on that day.

The moon cake is the food for the Moon Festival. The Chinese eat the moon cake at night with the full moon in the sky. Moon cakes are a kind of cookie with fillings of sugar, fat, sesame, walnut, red beans, the yoke of preserved eggs, ham or other ingredients.

Last Saturday night, September 8, Chinese members of a Chinese educational ministry in the greater St. Louis area gathered at Holy Cross Lutheran church, and had a joint celebration with people from the church. The celebration was from 7:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. with wonderful songs and dancing performed by a variety of amateur and professional singers. People had great fellowship that night and learned from each other.

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