9.18.2008

Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a big holiday for the Chinese.  It is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year).  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 together.
  We were able to participate in this wonderful festival, thanks to our employer and some wonderful Chinese students.  First we had dinner with the other foreign teachers at our university.  You can see them below:
Chase, female Japanese teacher, male Japanese teacher, Anna, Arleen, Kevin, Mindia, Collin (our boss), Spencer, and Kylie.
The wonderful students had a very warm welcome for us.
Here are all of the students who threw us a wonderful party.  They are so fun!
One of the highlights was a floating lantern.  We all got a turn to write our wishes on the lantern.  then  you light little candles under it and it fills with hot air and floats to the lady in the sky who will grant your wishes.  Unfortunately, on the way up to the moon, ours hit a tree and tipped over, catching on fire and falling straight to the ground.  
Happy Mid-Autumn!

7 comments:

Rich - Deb said...

Very interesting! When I was in Taiwan my host spoke of this holiday and the giving of moon cakes as good luck.

P.S. - I love the picture of you and Chase in front of the river and mountains! You're stuningly beautiful and what a handsome couple!! Combining that with the landscape creates that great shot!

Brittany said...

So ... Does your burning lantern mean something extra bad or do you just not get to have dreams come true this year? Sorry bout that. I bet if it weren't for the stupid tree, your lantern would have gone all the way to the moon ....

kylie said...

heeheehee
sooo funny
i like this post, it makes me all happy and cheery and spirited

Megan said...

Yes....the mooncakes are famous. But not always so delicious. Just ask Kylie, who ate one with an egg in the middle. =( And thanks, Dad, for the "handsome couple" comment...I guess that's true if you find sweating handsome!

Megan said...

Yeah, Britt....no dreams coming true this year! Maybe next....

Scooter and Jessica said...

We are loving reading your blog! It looks like you are having a great time on your adventure. Scooter's favorite post I have to say was the Boy Naughty... where do they even find something like that!?

Becky W. said...

This is Gma Fly...you are soooo far away and we miss you! Interesting to read your blog and see your pictures. Glad you're having a wonderful time. Love you to pieces!! Gma Fly