Celebrating the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival 2014 with a song “The Moon Represents My Heart”
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Chinese Moon Festival, falls on the 8th of September this year. It is one of the most important festivals for many of the Chinese people as it is a day for family reunion. Actually this festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th Chinese Lunar month every year; therefore, its exact date in the Western calendar is different every year. This festival is full of happiness and excitement as friends and loved ones gather to celebrate a time when the moon is at its fullest and brightest of the year. In addition, everyone gathers together in enjoying a delicious meal and moon cakes while at the same time, appreciating the spectacular beauty of the full moon. Chinese people believe a full moon represents peace, prosperity and family reunion.
Chinese Mid Autumn Festival Traditions
In celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of our traditional customs is to admire the glorious full moon. This tradition originated from a memorial ceremony which was held during which sacrifices were offered to the dear moon. Furthermore, eating mooncakes is an activity we will not miss in the Chinese Moon Festival.
Chinese Mid Autumn Festival Food
The round mooncakes, which were traditionally used as sacrificial offerings for the Moon God, symbolise family reunion. The mooncake is traditionally cut into pieces that equals to the number of people in the family, which creates a lot of excitement to the family activities. Every time when I eat mooncakes during the festival, it evokes a longing feeling for my distant parents, relatives and friends. It is also our custom to give mooncakes as presents to our relatives and friends so as to express our love and kind regards to them.
Apart from this, enjoying a family reunion dinner is the highlight event in many of the traditional Chinese families during this festival. Because of the deep ties to family life, this is a moment when family members get together with their parents and extended family. That is why this festival is also known as the “Day of Reunion”. For children, playing with lanterns is the most exciting activity for them.
There is a song which I love and would like to share with you during this special festival. It is called “The Moon Represents My Heart“ sung and popularised by the late Teresa Teng. I always recall this song during the Mid-Autumn Festival as this song expresses in such a romantic way that words cannot adequately convey the speaker’s love. In my eyes, the moon signifies romance. In this song, Teng seems to reassure her lover; my love to you will never change, like the moon, no matter what happens. Even though we are apart, nothing is going to separate our hearts. This very moment we are being together sharing the beauty of the Moon. So you can understand why the moon is such a powerful representation for lovers. Add to all this the significance of the moon in the Chinese culture, and you get this romantic song “The Moon Represents My Heart“.
Here is the violin music:
Below is the youtube link of the Teresa Teng song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_cEeDlop0
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