Poetic Moment: Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn festival is on the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar every year. This year it will be on Saturday. The festival dates back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), then it prevailed through the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and was handed down through the centuries until today.

Mid-Autumn festival customs include appreciating the moon, eating mooncakes and drinking osmanthus wine. On Mid-Autumn night, the full moon hanging in the sky symbolizes the reunion and harmony of Chinese people. In the poetic masterpiece, Prelude to Water Melody, by famous litterateur Su Dongpo after getting drunk on Mid-Autumn night, the writer poured out his love for his family and revealed his philosophic thoughts on life.