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The Asian Moon Festival celebrations, though still
relatively new to the U.S., have been held throughout
Asia for well over 1,000 years.
The Asian Moon Festival is one of the two most important
holidays in the
Chinese calendar
(the other being the
Chinese Lunar New Year),
and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers
celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on
this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family
members and friends will gather to admire the bright
mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and
pomeloes together. It is also common to have barbecues
outside under the moon, and to put pomelo rinds on one's
head. Brightly lit lanterns are often carried around by
children. Together with the celebration, there appear
some special customs in different parts of the country,
such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees,
lighting lanterns on towers, and fire
dragon dances.
Shops selling mooncakes, before the festival, often
display pictures of
Chang'e, floating
to the moon. |