Mid Autumn Festival

12th September 2012
15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar Calendar

Many countries have this date designated as a public holiday including Republic of China, Taiwan and Vietnam. In Malaysia it is not. But the Chinese community is just excited and take great pleasure in commemorating it. Though I do not believe the religious connotation behind it , I appreciate the culture behind it where families get together for talk and joy.

There are many versions for the celebration of this day . One of them was the success of the concerted effort gathered through the smuggling of the hidden message inserted in the mooncake pastries filled with lotus seed, melon seeds and egg yolks among the rebels to overthrow the then vicious emperor. The great coordination with the help of the mooncakes resulted in the emperor being dethroned and caused massive celebration. Of course the other more romantic version is the eternal love between Houyi and Chang'er where their vows for one another was converged at the moon.

But we were generously given gifts of various forms of mooncakes by well-meaning friends.

So creatively-packed and delivered. Everyone takes opportunity in making money.

Look at the packaging, so 'kingly' and fit for the palace.

Doesn't this seem so royal? Wow, the packaging costs more than the cakes, I am sure.

This one has a harder casing; the tin. Nevertheless just as attractive.

Banks also give their clients mooncakes but perhaps in smaller packs like the ones above.

Lotus, melon, red bean... just name the pastry.

Not forgetting, single yolk, double yolks ...

Also the nuts too...

Oh yes, jelly ones too !

So many of them; how to consume? It's time to pass it around again to friends. Tomorrow I will bring some to school. I cannot handle a piece of cake at one time. It takes me days to finish a piece; so much sugar.

This evening somehow it's nostalgic as I envy others who have children around them. I feel the loneliness without the girls around me; for Sara alone is still not enough.



Grace says she has decorated her flat in this manner... she must be homesick too. Sigh, why can't we all be together? That's part of life.

Tonight we may not have the moon high in the sky; not with the haze we are having now. So, the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar calendar is dampened by the haze.

By the way this is the chart for the following years.
Mid Autumn Festival is on the following dates:
2012 September 30th
2013 September 19th
2014 September 8th
2015 September 27th
2016 September 15th

But the moon may just appear tonight against all odds.
The Mid Autumn Festival and the moon; an occasion for family and joy.