Get your mooncakes ready: The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (aka Moon Festival) is Sept. 17. The day commemorates the end of the autumn harvest and is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture.
Its history dates back 3,000 years during the Zhou Dynasty but became popular during the Tang Dynasty. The holiday is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, which is when the Chinese believe the moon is brightest. On the Western calendar, it corresponds to mid-September every year.
The tradition of eating mooncakes became popular during the Yuan Dynasty which was ruled by the Mongols. The mooncakes were used to send messages to rebel against the Mongols.
People share mooncakes because they symbolize harmony and unity. Families and friends serve them with tea or wine on the night of the festival.
As you might expect, the moon plays a central role and the Chinese celebrate it for three days: welcoming the moon on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, appreciating the moon on the night of the holiday and sending off the moon on the third day.
Lanterns also play a significant role in the festival and can often be seen hanging in the streets and in homes, where children write wishes on paper and send them into the night sky.