Having been indoors for the past few weeks, it’ll soon be time to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore. And this year, it certainly will emerge as a breath of fresh air. The festival includes fun activities for children and the entire family, making it the perfect occasion to spend with your loved ones.
A lot of you may also recognise it as the Mooncake Festival or Moon Festival, which is a traditional festival celebrated by Chinese communities across the world. In fact, it’s the second-most important holiday after the Chinese New Year.
According to Chinese culture, the moon is full and at its brightest form on this day, which coincides with the harvest time in the middle of autumn. This is why it holds such significance in the traditional sense.
There’s plenty to know about the mid-autumn festival and here’s our handy guide to get you up to speed with it.
When is Mid Autumn Festival 2021 in Singapore?
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Mid-Autumn Festival 2021 will be celebrated on September 21. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
Mid Autumn Festival: History
The festival dates back to the Song dynasty in China, around 2,000 years ago. It was celebrated mainly to thank the gods in the belief that this would bring a good harvest in the following year. But there are many myths surrounding the origins of the mid-autumn festival.
The most popular one is about the selfless woman, Chang’E. She drank the elixir of immortality to save the country from her ruthless husband, who had become an arrogant ruler. After she drank the elixir, she was transported to the heavens. The Chinese community worship Chang E as the moon goddess.
It’s also believed that she blesses her followers with beauty. So in her honour, devotees light lanterns.
In another legend, Lord Buddha had disguised himself as an old man and he asked three animals for help. The monkey brought him some fruits, the fox caught a fish for him, but the rabbit went and sacrificed itself as food.
In gratitude, Buddha resurrected the rabbit and send him to the moon to be honoured and he became the immortal Jade Rabbit. The legend continues that the rabbit has been residing in the moon palace ever since, accompanying Chang E. Tales say that he pounds immortal medicine for those living in the heavens.
This explains why you may have seen the cute rabbit motif on those mooncake boxes.
Mid-Autumn Festival In Singapore: Celebrations
Singapore residents celebrate the festival in community centres and clan associations, as well as within households and neighbourhoods. On this day, people spend time with their loved ones and consume mooncakes, tea and pomelos. On the other hand, kids have a lovely time playing with lanterns.
Lanterns
Today, the mid-autumn festival is a time to celebrate the moon with your family and friends, and of course food. The celebrations kickstart once the sun goes down.
Earlier people used paper lanterns lit with candles. But now they have shifted to a much safer form of celebration. They use battery-operated and plastic lanterns.
Kids can be seen carrying lanterns around their housing estates, against the backdrop of the full moon in the night sky.
Feasting On Mooncakes
Image courtesy: File Photo
Buying and eating mooncakes is a big part of the mid-autumn festival celebrations in Singapore. But have you wondered why people eat mooncakes on this day?
Legends says that mooncakes helped to free Yuan China from Mongol rule in the mid-14th century. The rebellion used mooncakes to hide messages that called for an uprising on the night of mid-autumn.
The traditional mooncake is a round pastry and filled with lotus seeds and salted egg yolk. The circular shape of the mooncake signifies domestic harmony and the fullness of the moon.
On this day, you get the pretty patterned mooncakes along with the snow skinned ones in pastel colours. Every year, restaurants and bakeries tickle the taste buds of Singapore’s residents with such fancy creations.
Oh yes, and there is an interesting mix of fillings to please every palate. You can choose mooncakes in new flavours, which may include ice cream, chocolate or any sweet filling.
It is a perfect gift to share with your friends and also gift your partners. This exchange symbolises love, respect and esteem.
Mid Autumn Festival In Singapore: 5 Ways To Celebrate With Your Kids
Festivals are a great occasion to involve your kids and let them know about the country’s rich heritage and acquaint them with different traditions. Here are five ways to celebrate the festival with your kids.
There are several shops across the islands that sells mooncake moulds. You can also give your little ones some playdough and they can have a jolly time making playdough mooncakes in different colours.
You should take the time out to be grateful for what you have, the people who are with you, and the fortune that you have amassed. The festival is a perfect occasion to teach gratitude to your child.
There are some great books that you can gift your child on this occasion. For instance, Happy Mooncake Festival, Elena!, is a book for kids that they will find interesting in order to know more about the festival and the activities done during this period.
- Make paper lanterns at home
Paper lanterns are a great way to decorate your house and the streets. The best part is you won’t require any special materials and they aren’t difficult to make at all. Moreover, they are definitely more eco-friendly than plastic ones.
Spend some time with your child to sit back and relax to appreciate the moon. Sometimes, pausing to appreciate nature’s beauty is a great experience for kids, especially in the digital era.
Singapore celebrates the mid-autumn festival with much fanfare with various events in line. However, do keep in mind that we are in the middle of the pandemic and many of these events will be virtual. Don’t forget to wear your mask and follow social distancing protocols when visiting crowded places.
News source: Roots
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