It's Time For Midautumn Festival AKA The Chinese Harvest Festival

Well it's time for the Midautumn Festival to which the celebration commemorates the middle of Autumn. I'll admit, I've only celebrated it with my fellow Tsinoys or Chinos. So what's the Midautumn Festival for you may ask? There are many reasons for the celebration to take place.

The celebration started around in the Shang Dynasty and that it was the celebration when the harvest was completed, hence the harvest moon. The celebration gained popularity during the Tang Dynasty and Emperor Xuang Tong popularized the festival, after he supposedly explored the Moon Palace, popularized the festival. Others state that ancient Chinese celebrated the harvest with the moon where they would have family bonding. It was given some political significance when the Han Chinese overthrew the Mongolians during Mid-Autumn, ending their rule and establishing the Ming Dynasty. 

In this video, here's the legend the Moon Cake Festival, talking how the mortal woman known as Chang'O became the patron saint of this festival for some people. The story of the myth involves the rising up of ten suns, a hunter and his wife Chang'O. Chang'O took the ultimate sacrifice where she became an immortal to save the land. This is one explanation of why the Moon Cake and the harvest moon came to be. This one explains the more spiritual significance especially for the Taoist way of life. As said earlier though, the Moon Cake Festival has also become a political celebration and for me, it's become more of a secular tradition.

Part of the festivity is the eating of moon cake though the significance has changed as Chinese history has passed. The roundness symbolizes completeness and unity. In the story of Chang'O, her husband who was still a mortal offered her several cakes as they were separated. This was eaten during a get together with the family and relatives.

In my case, I've joined some moon cake dice game where prizes were offered. People brought food or paid for the food during these gatherings. Each one would pay at least PHP 500.00 to PHP 1,000.00 for the prizes that would be given. However as of late, we've ended up celebrating sun cake instead of moon cake since the event happened during lunch time instead of the traditional dinner time, and no moon cakes were served for most of the parties I've attended. Hehehehehehe!!!!!