Younger generation in tune with Mid-Autumn fest tradition

GEORGE TOWN: More of the younger generation are joining in the Mid-Autumn Festival tradition, with many making last-minute preparations to spend quality time with their families.

For student Celine Fong, the Mid-Autumn Festival which falls today is just like another Chinese New Year a time to be spent with family.

“It's the time for my family members to gather for a reunion,” said the 18-year-old.

“After the dinner, we will go outdoors to enjoy the scenery while feasting on mooncakes and lighting up lanterns together.” 

Fong and her friends, Saw Phaik Yean, 23, and Lee Zi Qi, 21, were spotted purchasing lanterns and mooncakes at the Tai Tong Restaurant in Lebuh Cintra yesterday and were spoilt for choice with the various designs and colours.

The restaurant's manager James Lee said lanterns had become very popular this year.

“We've sold more than 5,000 lanterns already, with the dragon and Angry Birds ones proving to be a hit among customers.

“I have tourists coming from as far as China, Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, Australia and Britain to buy my lanterns in bulk,” he said, adding that he had also sold some 8,000 mooncakes over the past month.

The festival also known as the Mooncake or Lantern Festival marks the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Since the Shang Dynasty over 3,500 years ago, the eighth lunar month in autumn was deemed the most auspicious day for celebrating the harvest and families would venture out to admire the moon.

During the Yuan Dynasty when China was ruled by Mongolians, legend has it that rebels would pass messages hidden in mooncakes.

There will be a Mid-Autumn FestoRama in Beach Street today from 10am to 10pm, featuring various events such as Creative Lantern Competition, Creative Mooncake Competition, a parade, games and contests.

Summary:

For Celine Fong, the Mid-Autumn Festival is just like another Chinese New Year a time to be spent with family. They will go outdoors to enjoy the scenery while feasting on mooncakes and lighting up lanterns together after dinner. For Fong, Saw and Lee, they spotted purchasing lanterns and mooncakes at Tai Tong restaurant. According to the manager of restaurant, they have sold more than 5000 lanterns already and some of the customers are come from overseas.

My opinion:

Mid-Autumn festival is one of the festival that used to celebrate by Chinese in everywhere around the world. Mid-Autumn festival is just like another one of Chinese New Year that we can spend our time together with our lovely families. Normally all of us will sit at the round table take our dinner together. After that kids will be start playing candles and lanters and adults will sitting together and chat. Some of them will be telling about the story of Mid-Autumn festival to the kids. This is one of the way for the childrens know how and where does the story begin.