With a collective history of around three thousand years, Mid-Autumn Festival/ Moon Festival/ Moon cake festival is a momentous occasion for a family reunion celebrated at the end of the autumn harvest with thanksgiving, gathering and praying alongside mooncakes, dazzling Chinese cultural lion dances and lantern displays. This was the time when family and loved ones came together to enjoy a good meal and each other’s company.
Three-fourths of Singapore’s total population consists of Chinese origins. Every year the festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar with a full moon at night, which shines like a polished pearl. Amidst the pandemic this year, Singapore celebrates the loveliest Chinese festival with the theme of reunion through fun online programs, virtual tours, social media giveaways and moon cake workshops. A bunch of different kinds of moon cakes is available in shops. The official opening ceremony and light up will be live-streamed on social media. Sun Yat-Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is holding the annual fest online this year. The streets of Chinatown will glow with over 900 lanterns from 7 September 2021 onwards.
There are various Chinese myths regarding the origin of the Mid-Autumn day festival. One among them is a rabbit living on the moon as a companion of the lonely Moon goddess Chang’e. The most common and representative tradition is eating mooncakes, a sweet yummy delicacy traditionally made with lotus seed or red bean paste filling. Totality and reunion are symbolised by a round shape in Chinese culture. Without making and sharing mooncakes, the celebration is incomplete.
