Mid-Autumn Festival

Date: The Mid-Autumn falls exactly seven months from the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The moon's orbit is at its lowest angle on the horizon, making it appear brighter and larger than at other times.

Myth: According to legend, heaven has ten suns that represent the ten sons of God. Taking turns to give Earth light, one day all the suns shone together, burning crops and creating drought.

Hou Yi, the great archer spirit shot nine of the suns out of the sky. God was angry that he lost his sons and decided never to let Hou Yi or his wife, Chang E, back in heaven.

Chang E was unhappy being left a mere mortal back on Earth. The Lady Queen Mother gave Hou Yi a potion to keep them both forever young, but Chang E mistakenly took it all when Hou Yi was not home.

Her body was made so light by the potion that she flew to the moon. Since then, the story goes, she has lived in a palace of the moon, alone.

Custom: In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates family reunions.

Moon cakes, which symbolize reunions, and which are made with many different fillings, are eaten to and salute the beauty of the moon in the company of family and friends.

Chinese characters on the cakes usually stand for longevity and harmony.