As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, families across Guangdong gather to celebrate age-old customs that symbolize unity, prosperity, and blessings. From mooncakes to the fire dragon dance, here's a glimpse into some of the representative traditions during this special time of year.
Eat mooncakes
Eating mooncakes is one of the most important traditional customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival. This practice evolved from the moon worship ceremonies of ancient times and has been going on for thousands of years in China. The round mooncake, mirroring the full moon during the festival, symbolizes prosperity, reunion, and happiness. As a result, people usually eat them together with family or present them to relatives and friends to express their love and best wishes.
Eat pomelos
The Mid-Autumn Festival in the Guangdong region is not only about mooncakes but also about pomelos. The pomelo, known as "You Zi (柚子)" in Chinese, is believed to protect people from harm and danger due to its pronunciation as "You (佑)", which means blessing in China. Its juicy pulp also symbolizes the family reunion. During the festival, families in Guangdong will gather to share pomelos, praying for the days ahead to be peaceful, safe, and far from disasters.
Bai Yue Niang (worship the Moon Goddess)
In the Chaoshan area in Guangdong Province, the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated with a unique ceremony called "Bai Yue Niang (拜月娘)," a traditional custom to worship the Moon Goddess in the Chinese Taoist mythology - Tai Yin Xing Jun (太阴星君). On the day of the festival, families gather under the bright full moon and set up their altars adorned with fruits, mooncakes, and incense, praying for blessings and good fortune.
Sing folk songs
Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival in Shitang Village, Shaoguan City, Guangdong, is a vibrant affair with a local twist. The village is known for the traditional musical custom of singing folk songs named "Yue Jie Ge (月姐歌)." These songs, usually performed by women and girls under the full moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, tell various stories in the local dialect and melody, expressing their feelings and moods.
Fire dragon dance
In Guangdong, the Mid-Autumn Festival flares with the exhilarating Fire Dragon Dance. As an auspicious symbol in China, the Fire Dragon is believed to burn away evil spirits and bring good fortune. During this event, people bring the Fire Dragon to life with glowing lanterns and fiery incense, carrying it through the streets to pray for a brighter future.
Fan Ta burning
Fan Ta (番塔) burning is a unique custom in Guangdong Province during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Fan Ta is a tower made of brick and filled with flammable material, ranging from half a meter to ten meters in height. Burning a Fan Ta symbolizes burning away all misfortune and embracing prosperity. Families gather around the fiery tower, celebrating the festival with joy and hope for the future.
Author: Li Muzi, Holly, Nina
Poster: Alice
Editor: Will, Monica, James
