Hongkongers love basking in the joy and fervour of festivals. This city observes everything from Easter to the Buddha’s Birthday. Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional harvest festival that East and Southeast Asians celebrate. It is one of the most popular festivals in Hong Kong with families gathering for a feast and watching the full moon. Curious to learn more about the festival? Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong.
One of the most important spiritual days in Hong Kong and China, Mid-Autumn dates back thousands of years. It is second in cultural importance only to the Lunar New Year. It traditionally falls on the 15th day of the Chinese lunisolar calendar’s 8th month, a night when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, just in time for the autumn harvest season.
Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong is a public holiday (or at least the day after Chinese Mid-Autumn). This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 17, 2024. So, get ready to experience plenty of gift-giving, lantern lighting (and the appearance of noisy plastic ones), glowsticks, family dinners and, of course, devouring mooncakes.
Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong: Interesting things to know
- The Mid-Autumn Festival traditionally started as a way of expressing gratitude for crop harvest. Despite Hong Kong turning into an urban landscape now, the festival still holds the same importance as before.
- The most popular customary practices during the festival include eating mooncakes, a lip-smacking concoction of egg yolks and lotus seed paste. During this time, Hong Kong transforms into a lantern wonderland and you’ll see spectacular city-wide lantern displays beautifying the streets with festive joy.
- Moon gazing is another interesting tradition among the Chinese community. Don’t be surprised if you find families, couples, and friends flocking at night to capture the best moon-sighting spots in town.
- Victoria Park hosts the best carnival and lantern exhibition in Hong Kong. Did you know that the 2011 display even made it to the Guinness World Record as the largest sculpture made of lanterns?
- How can we miss the iconic Fire Dragon Dance at Tai Hang? Today, this dance is a part of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage and trust us, it will leave you spellbound.
Mid-Autumn Festival: Origin & history
The very first hints of the festival can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty (1025-221BC). This was a time when ancient Chinese emperors worshipped the harvest moon in autumn.
Honouring the autumn harvest dates back as early as the Shang dynasty. But it’s thought to have gained popularity as a celebratory festival during the early Tang period. It was officially designated a specific day (the 15th of the 8th month) in the Northern Song dynasty.
The legend of Hou Yi and his wife Chang’e
There are many legends out there associated with Mid-Autumn, spanning different cultures and people. But the most commonly cited tale is “Chang’e flies to the moon”.
The hero Hou Yi, an excellent archer, shot nine of the ten suns that beat down on the land, leaving one for light. As a reward, he received an elixir of immortality. But when one of his apprentices broke into his house and attempted to take the elixir, Yi’s wife Chang’e swallowed the potion. She began floating up into the sky and landed on the moon, becoming the moon goddess. Her husband, devastated, honoured her by displaying fruit and cakes she liked as offerings to her every night.
There are alternative versions out there including one where Chang’e steals the elixir from her husband after he becomes a tyrannical ruler and one where she is simply greedy and steals it out of selfishness. In all versions, Chang’e drinks the liquid, becomes immortal and reaches the moon.
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The overthrow of the Mongols in the 14th century
Another historic highlight of the Mid-Autumn festival is the overthrowing of the Mongols. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), mooncakes played a major role in liberating Yuan China from the Mongols. Legend has it that Mongol guards were stationed everywhere due to the fear of an uprising and all large gatherings were prohibited. However, rebel leader Zhu Yuan Zhang was able to start a rebellion by placing hidden messages in mooncakes. Finally, the rebellion kicked off during the Mid-Autumn festival, giving a whole new meaning to this occasion and eating mooncakes.
The popularity of the festival only peaked during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). While the way each generation celebrated the festival has only evolved, some traditions have stayed the same.
Let’s go through the most popular Mid-Autumn festival traditions and celebrations.
Most popular traditions associated with the Mid-Autumn festival
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The most important part of the festival is gathering with your loved ones, giving thanks and praying. In ancient times, traditional worship of the moon would include praying to moon deities (including Chang’e) for health and wealth, making and eating mooncakes, and lighting colourful lanterns at night. Some people would even write good wishes on the lanterns and fly them into the sky or float them on rivers. Tick off the following checklist this Mid-Autumn festival:
Eating mooncakes
For many Hongkongers, the entire Mid-Autumn festival revolves around feasting on mooncakes. Symbolising unity and harmony, mooncakes are devoured by families together with a side of tea or wine, on the night of the festival. While traditional mooncakes were made with dense lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk, you’ll now find a host of modern mooncakes like vegan, ice-cream mooncakes offering a delicious twist to tradition.
If you’re on the hunt for a good mooncake spot, don’t forget to check out our list of the best Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes in Hong Kong in 2024.
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Enjoying lantern displays
Soothe your senses with the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern displays, which transform the city into a visual spectacle. While the biggest and most popular one is always at Victoria Park, you can find a host of other interesting displays at Harbourfront Shared Spaces, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Lee Tung Avenue, and more.
Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance is over 140 years old, dating back to 1880 when Tai Hang villagers performed the ritual to ward off a plague. For three nights, a grass and straw woven dragon covered in lit joss sticks parades through the village with dancers in tow. This year it will take place from September 16 to 18.
Another time-honoured tradition is the lantern lighting at Tai O Village, where the stilt-house fishing town’s streets are lit up with beautiful handmade lanterns in all shapes and sizes.
In a nutshell, make the best of the night by:
- Having a traditional Chinese dinner with family — popular autumnal dishes include Peking duck as well as hairy crab.
- Eating mooncakes — we’ve rounded up the best ones in town.
- Attending one of the stunning lantern lighting displays around the city.
- Moongazing! We’re particularly fond of the beach but you can also do a (short!) night trek up a mountain or hill, or find a rooftop or park to take in the views.
It’s almost time to ring in the 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong!
This story first appeared here.
(Featured image credit: vivabluehouse/Facebook)
Related: Hong Kong’s Famous Fire Dragon Dance Makes A Roaring Return In September
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
While the biggest and most popular one is always at Victoria Park, you can find a host of other interesting festivities happening at Harbourfront Shared Spaces, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Lee Tung Avenue, and more.
Mooncakes hold a culturally deep connection to the Mid-Autumn Festival. Presenting mooncakes to families and friends is an expression of love/ best wishes and symbolises reunion.
Mooncakes, duck, and osmanthus wine are some of the most popular delicacies during the Mid-Autumn festival.
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