Over the Moon

There is more to the Mid-Autumn Festival than mooncakes—here’s a cheat sheet

By Zabrina Lo

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest: this year on October 1. Worshipping the moon stems from the Chinese legend of Chang’e, a woman who stole her husband’s immortality elixir. As she became as light as air, she flew to the moon, leaving behind the heartbroken Houyi, who would leave his wife’s favourite snacks and fruits in their garden and look at the moon. The tale spawned a number of festival customs dating back to as early as the Zhou Dynasty (1046 to 256 BC) that are still practised today. WOMAN IN THE MOON The moon is exceptionally round and bright on this day, and some believe Chang’e herself is the reason. The Song…

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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, September 2020

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