Mid-Autumn Festival History

History of Mid-Autumn Festival

Many Names of Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid Autumn Festival falls on August 15 of the lunar calendar of which most people called it as the Chinese Calendar.

This Festival , Mid-Autumn Festival or Zhong Qui Jie (中秋节)itself has many names such as

1. Moon Festival (月节)
2. Mooncake Festival
3. Lantern Festival （灯笼节）
4. Reunion Festival (团圆节)
5. Harvest Moon Festival (月夕)
6. Chinese Thanks Giving Festival
7. 仲秋 (Mid-Autumn)
8. 秋夕 (Autumn Eve)
9. 八月节 (August Festival)
10. 八月半 (Mid August)

Also Celebrated by

At the same time this festival is celebrated not only by Chinese all over the world but also by the :

1. Japanese
2. Koreans
3. Vietnamese

Japanese Name of Mid-Autumn Festival

To the Japanese , the festival is known as :

In Karnataka : 月見 ,十五夜,中秋の名月

In Hiragana : つきみ, じゅうごや , ちゅうしゅうのめいげつ

In Romaji : Tsukimi , Juugoya , Chuujuu no meigetsu

Korean Name of Mid-Autumn Festival

To the Koreans, this festival is known as :

In Hangul :추석 , 한가위 , 중추절 , 가배일

In Hanja : 秋夕 , 한가위 , 仲秋節 , 嘉俳日

In Cyrillic : Chuseok , Hangawi ,Jungchujeol ,Gabaeil

In Braille : Ch'usŏk , Hankawi ,Chungch'uchŏl , Kapaeil

Vietnamese Name of Mid-Autumn Festival

To the Vietnamese, this festival is knowns as :

In chữ Quốc ngữ (Latin-based Vietnamese alphabet ) : Tết Trung Thu, Tết Trông Trăng

In chữ nôm : 節中秋 , 節����

In Latin : Children's Festival

Yuan Dynasty Mongol and Mid-Autumn Festival

This festival originated as early as about 3500 years , there is already this festival.

However, where history is of concern , it is around the near Yuan to Ming dynasty period of China.

The Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 ) & the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) during this transition period where by the Chinese overthrew their Mongol masters and established the Ming Dynasty was said to be on this day of August 15 (八月十五） of the Lunar Calendar or what some called as Chinese Calendar.

Mongol's Yuan Dynasty

According to Historical Legends of this festival, during the Yuan Dynasty after the Mongols conquered the Song Dynasty , Life in China was very oppressive by the Mongol Rulers. They were harsh and brutal to the people. The people of China lived with resentments of the Mongol rule whom they perceived as barbarians and some even claimed that they had some bad odour too.

During the period of the Mongol rule , the Chinese always wanted to drive these barbarians out of their land. Not wanting to be governed by barbarians whom the Chinese perceived themselves as civilized and that rule under the Mongols has no sympathy for the people's poor sufferings, & with much other ill treatments by the Mongols, the Chinese were determined to overthrow the Mongols.

Patiently and secretly the Chinese waited for their chance and made several underground preparations. The Chinese operated and communicated among themselves sliently for this rebellion.

Mooncake as Medium of Communications

They needed a medium of communications as they cannot openly communicate face to face or using pigeons. Hence Zhu Yuan Zhang , this Farmer who become a monk and become the Rebel leader and who eventually become the Emperor of Ming Dynasty China, knowing that the Mongols never eat Mooncake at all distributed Mooncake into the capital on the pretext of telling the mongols that it is for well blessing wishes to the Yuan Emperor for longevity.

However, unknown to the Mongols, inside of the mooncake is stuffed with a message inside written in paper. This was how the Chinese communicated among themselves right in front of the eyes and nose of the Mongols and yet unknown and not caught by the Mongols.

Family began to visit one and another , family to family , village to village, city to city, town to towns and nation wide eventually across the whole of China and they all brought moon cake during their visits & all these under the very watchful eyes of the Mongols escaped their attention and suspicion all these time.

The Final Call

Finally came the time when all was ready and done for the ultimate showdown to give the Mongols a surprise rebellion to overthrow them.

The Final Call to the whole nation was needed and hence the final distribution of the mooncake on a national scale was distributed. Inside the mooncake throughout the whole entire china to all Chinese was written with this message : On the Night of August 15 when the Moon is full , we will overthrow the barbarians !

Indeed itself on August 15^th , all families in the whole of China came out to look at the moon waiting for the moon to become full. Finally when the moon was full, they turned their attention to the curious Mongols who did not understand why is every single people around the entire nation all looking at the moon and they even thought there was some strange phenomenon or catastrophe going on relating to the moon, and the next thing that they the Mongols knew was that everyone around attacked them with everything they got.

The Ultimate Finale with the Mongol

This rebellion was so successful as the Mongols was totally caught off guard ! It was something so unexpected and they could not react in time. The rebellion was on a national scale ! All parts of China , all regions all directions & everywhere rebelled in all together at the same timing on the same day in all the individual locations against them.

This was an impossible to repelled and crushed and quelled rebellion for the Mongols !

The Leader of the rebellion lead the rebels not only to capture back China from the hands of the Mongols but even drive them back into their heartland of their own home country and eventually conquered Mongolia.

Afterall, Mongolia has long been a threat to China throughout history & while they are weak , & disorganize, it would be best to put an end to this historical threat for good !    

Extinct Mongolia brought back Life

Mongolia was hence wipe off from the surface of this world and existed no more until during the time of the soviet union of Russia, Mongolia broke free from Manchurian rule of Qing Dynasty China , reinstated and restored and regained their independence in the 1920s & was also a communist country together with Russia and China originally but finally became into a democracy country during the 1990s. 

Moral of the Story

Where History of Concern , this festival is a Victory and reclaim of rulership !
So what can we learn from the lesson of this history ?

The Moral of the story is :
1) Unity is Strength !
2) Never oppress the peasants !  
3) Violence and Vengeance begets more Violence and Vengeance !
4)  Integrate  with locals and respect the locals
5) It always pays to lend a helping hand and care for those in need
6) The pen is mightier than the words, so pay more attention to education and be literate 
7) Have a loving heart , have compassion & be sympathetic
8) If you Smell, use perfume 
9) learn to eat mooncake 
10) If something don't look correct , it is definitely not correct at all
11) Be always ready for the unexpected 
12) learn to anticipate others    

Oriental Temple Praying Knowledge

I am very sure there are many things you are not aware of when comes to praying to the Gods in the temples. 

For the orientals there are certain things they believe in and it is good for you to know as well.

Praying time

This is a particularly time which you cannot pray & this time is between 12pm to 5pmThe remaining other time are also ok to prayBut the best time to pray in during sunrise and sunset. 

It does not mean to say that there is anything offending or anysort if you pray at the time between 12pm to 5pm 

but however just for your general knowledge, that time is really not meant for praying. 

Meaning to the Number of Joss Sticks

Number of joss stick you use has meaning as well

The different number that you use is to the different level & status of gods & guardians to convey message for you to the direct god you are praying to

If to simplify their godly status , ranks and hierarchy in our human context
when you use the following numbers :

1 is to general workers of the bottom level
3 is to the junior executives to senior executives
5 is to the management level 
9 is to the ceo, md, director etc... the highest at the top 
2 don't anyhow use unless u know how to use. The number 2 is used for summoning

so you are actually seeking the different level of gods and guardians to provide you with assistance and help you convey message to the specific and particular god or buddha in the temple you are praying to. 

Big Joss Sticks

There are also big size joss sticks as well. 

if you are using the big size joss sticks, 3 will be really enough

1 represents 3. so please really do not go and use more than 3. 

if however it is those really super big kind of joss sticks. 

1 is really more than just enough as that 1 already represents 9

it is really very common and usual to see people using number 1 and 3 when praying to gods , buddha, ghosts and ancestors. 

It is seldom to see people using numbers 5 & 9 when praying in temples. but it is common to see people who uses numbers 5 and 9 are people who are entrepreneurs , ceos etc....

however when it comes to praying to ghosts and ancestors , if possible do try to avoid 5 & 9

Usage of 2 Joss sticks

The number 2 wise, is use for summoning 

Black magic, white magic whatsoever,as long as to summon the number 2 is being used. 

To summon spirits from the underworld or call upon spirits from the heavens, the number 2 is being use. 

Unless you really know how to use it, otherwise it is highly advisable and recommendable not to use the number 2. 

Joss Stick Number Applications

This Joss stick number is universal for all Taoism, Buddhism, Shinto & Confucianism religions. 

It applies to Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Japanese, Thais, Laotians, Burmese, & Cambodians

the number they use is all the same but the meaning can be different from the Chinese.      

Folding of a Paper Rose

Vietnamese New Year ( Tết Nguyên Đán)

The Chinese influence and culture has long have an extremely big impact deeply rooted into Vietnam which is very strong.

In fact to say if you were to trace the origins of Vietnamese where history is of concern, just perhaps you can say that Vietnamese were originally Cantonese. Both the Cantonese and Vietnamese were the decendents of the once all great Nan Yue Kingdom (  南越国 Nàahm-yuht in Cantonese, Nam Viet in Vietnamese)



The Language of Vietnamese is very similiar to the Cantonese Dialect of the Chinese. Assuming that you do not understannd both, it is almost most certain that you will definately think that both are same with no difference at all.

Yo may want to take a look a the videos below to see if it is convinencing enough










Lunar New Year

Typically and commonly known by most people as the Chinese Calendar. The Chinese New Year is based on the Lunar Calendar.

Those who celebrate this New Year is definately just the Chinese alone. Among those who celebrate this same festival alongside with the Chinese are the Koreans, Vietnamese, Mongolians and Tibetians. In fact the Japanese before World War 2, celebrated the exact same new year as the Chinese as well. But since plans of invasion, they had somewhat stopped celebrating this festival and instead had their own new year shifted to be on January 1st have it to be the same as the Western New Year, to be the same as the Western calendar or the so called Gregorian calendar.

The Lunar New Year are known as the following by the different groups of people

1) Chinese New Year – 春節 (Pinyin: Chūnjié)
2) Koreans NewYear – Seollal (Hangul: 설날; RR: Seollal; MR: Sŏllal)
3) Vietnamese New Year – Tết Nguyên Đán
4) Mongolian New Year – Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian: Цагаан сар ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ )
5) Tibetan New Year – Losar (Tibetan: ལོ་གསརWylie: lo-gsar; Chinese: 洛薩)
6) Japanese New Year – Shōgatsu (正月)

 Vietnamese New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán)

Vietnamese New Year does shares much similiarities with Chinese new year as they share too much with that of the Chinese. But however, they do have some elements of their own versions with slight differences.

While Chinese New Year is 15 days of Celebration and if to include the eve, it will be a 16 days of celebration, Vietnamese new year on the other hand is also a 15 days of celebrations and if to include in the eve and before eve, it will be a 19 days of celebrations.

There are 3 part of it. Before the Eve, the Eve itself and then New Year

19 Days of New Year

The below will be on what it is like on the 15 days of new year.

Before eve : .Ông Công, Ông Táo Day (Kitchen God day)
Before Eve : Wrapping Chung cake
Before Eve : Family reunion and Tất niên
Eve ( Giao thừa) : Decorations, Be Debt Free, Cooking Traditional Food and Shopping all neccessarities ( including praying sessions to God and Ancestors )
Day 1-3 : First three days of the new year: visit paternal side on the first day, maternal side on the second day and teachers on the third day
Day 4-6 : Visit relatives, friends and neighbours
Day 4 : Hóa vàng - burn the offerings near Tet's end for ancestors
Day ??: Reopen business: usually owners pick a good date that matches their age
Day 15 : Tết Nguyên Tiêu – Latern Festival also known as Valentine's Day

 Kitchen God Day ( Ông Công, Ông Táo)

On the day of Kitchen God, it is a very imnportant day for the vietnamese. This is because they would want to have good reports by the Kitchen Gods to the Jade Emperor. There are 3 Kitchen Gods in total. 2 are men and 1 is woman. The 3 of them will be giving the annual report of each family to the Jade Emperor and the Jade Emperor will decided to bless or punish this family in terms of luck and prosperity for the coming year.



Family members will make delicacies from the newly harvested sticky rice, like steamed sticky rice accompanied by sugar porridge and sticky rice cookies shaped like cones. Incense sticks are lighted up and fresh flowers are used for the worshipping ceremony



In order for them to reach the heavens, they would need the help of the golden carps as carps are the animals of the heavens and that they are very good swimmers. Hence, to show humans respects and gratitute for nature , Vietnamese would free the carps into ponds, rivers or lake so that can take the kitchen gods to heaven and deliver their reports to the Jade Emperor.

The 2^nd day before the Eve

This is the day that most people will be busy preparing and wrapping Chung cake which is part of their traditions.

The Legend of Chung ( Rice Cake)

it was in the legend that King Hung Vuong VI issued out a challeged to his 22 sons to determine who would inherit the throne where which each of his sons were to come out with the best food for Tet (New Year).

All of the princes went far and wide for the most exotic dishes to present to their father but except for one, the 18th prince, Lang Lieu who was the shyest and kindest and at the same time the poorest of them all, whom created a dish using simple ingredients baed on what a genie had told him in a dream.



The prince did exactly as per instructed by the genie of his dream to prepare and make this extraordinary dish.

After the King ate the dish prepared by him, the king was ecstatic and proclaimed his throne to this 18th son of his, Prince Lang Lieu.

After the King has learn of his dream, the king was futher convienced that this cake were blessed cakes because of celestial connections and had order that the recipe to be shared with all commoners and with thanks to that royal decree of that time, Banh Chung is today an official Tet Food



Equiptment used for making Banh Chung

Wooden Frame
16 dried bamboo leaves
12 pieces green banana leaf (or frozen and thawed), trimmed, rinsed, and wiped dry
16 pieces of kitchen twine, cut into 20" lengths (additional needed if used for cutting)
kitchen shears
4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminium foil, cut in 30x45 cm (12" x 18") sheets
Chinese double steamer
Parchment paper
Food processor
Deep stockpot for boiling cakes
Plastic wrap

Ingredients of Banh Chung :

1280 ml (5 1/4 cups) long-grain sticky rice (soaked overnight and drained before assembly)
1 415 ml (14-oz) can of coconut juice (NB: not coconut cream)
1 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
Cold water
640 ml (2 2/3 cup) dried, hulled, and split yellow mung beans (soaked overnight and drained before assembly)
cold water
1 570 gm (1/4 lb.) boneless pork chop (or pork butt), with some skin and fat
1 medium-sized Vidalia or Spanish onion, minced
3 tablespoons of sea salt
3 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil or other neutral oil (if frying cakes)





You may want to watch the video on the preparing and making of this Rice Cake

Eve of New Year

On this last day of new year, People are most busy. There are plenty of things to do. There is alot last minute shoppings to do as well.

Just like the Chinese they will do their own spring cleaning to keep their house clean throughly.
After they are done with the cleaning it will be time for lots of decorations.

Followed it will the most scared of them all which is to clean , rearrange ,tidy and the setting up of their own ancestor altar. The mam ngu qua ( 5 Fruit Tray) is most important.

Man Ngu Qua ( 5 Fruit Tray)

The Chinese had always believe in a balance and the 5 elements which are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. The 5 fruits are both a symbolic representations by the 5 elements as well as the hard work of the family throughout the past being consecrated to heaven and earth and their ancestors as a sign of respect and gratitude.

The 5 fruits in the northern area of Vietnam would be pomelos, peaches, kumquats, bananas and persimmons





Wherelse in the southen area of Vietnam it would be watermelons, coconuts, papayas, custard apples, mangos, and figs

Whichever 5 combination it is, both the north and the south 5 fruit tray is an offering to the ancestors by the Vietnamese people. It displays a life-long tradition but also sends a message of hope for happiness, good luck and prosperity for the new year.

After they are done with their ancestors, it would be time for a gathering and meal among family members

It was also a good time to watch TV shows and doing the count down together.

Tết Nguyên Tiêu – Latern Festival also known as Valentine's Day

Very much alike to the Chinese, this is a valentie day. This is a day of prayers and visiting of pagodas, watching the full moon, and playing with laterns.

During the Celebration of Tết Nguyên Đán

Pretty much similiar and alike to the Chinese in many ways, Vietnamese also believe in being Debt free before the new year and having spring cleaning.

Family reunion dinners and gathering are also another similiarity.
Whatever that can change to something new should be changed such as old furnitures etc....

It is also very important to wear total new clothes on the beginning of the new year just like the Chinese.

Clothes of Bright colours such as Yellow and Red is to be worn. No dull ,dark, unlucky colours are to be worn on this day of new year.

During visiting on Lunar new year, for the Chinese, the elder and married would give away Red Envolpes / Packets ( Hong Baos) to the Children and those who are single as a form of blessing and to ward off bad luck with some money inside.



To the Vietnamese, it is known as Lì Xì or lucky money



Do also take note that the amount of money given must only be in even numbers and cannot be in odd numbers.

Nice words of wishes and blessing will be said to each other on this day and it is a time of lots of fun and gathering with much eating and drinking.