Mid-Autumn Festival which falls on the night of September 17th in 2024 is a combination of traditional rituals and cultural festivity. As the full moon shines bright, it illuminates the path towards good luck, prosperity and happiness.
This guide will walk you through how to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, including ways to attract good luck and enhance prosperity.
Mid-Autumn Festival, known as 中秋節 in Chinese, holds a rich history and is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture and tradition. This festival which represents family togetherness and happiness falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which is when the moon is at its fullest and brightest.
Advertisements
It is said to have originated from the Shang Dynasty as a harvest festival. It became an officially recognized celebration during the Tang Dynasty, and its significance has grown since.
Preparing Your House for Celebrating Mid-Autumn
- Start by cleaning and decluttering your home, getting rid of items that are damaged, no longer needed or unused. Creating an open and tidy space invites positive Yang energy to flow freely into your home. As you clean, open your windows and doors to allow fresh air and light to circulate. You can also perform a simple incense space-clearing ritual to loosen and remove any stagnant or negative chi. This revitalizes your environment and attracts new opportunities into your life.
- Decorate the outside of your home with red lanterns with auspicious syllables or use vibrant multicolored lanterns. On the night of the full moon, light these lanterns with candles to draw in good fortune and ward off negative energies.
- Prepare desserts and snacks for your family, friends and neighbors. It is tradition to make some “tong sui” otherwise known as “tim tong” (糖水; lit. ’sugar water’) – a kind of sweet dessert soup. Popular tong sui includes – black sesame soup, chilled hasma (made from dried frog organs), red bean soup, mung bean soup, peanut paste, sweet potato soup and others.
- The festival is not complete without moon cakes.When choosing moon cakes, select those with auspicious wordings and of a circular shape, as this represents unity and completeness. While there are many types of moon cakes available today, the most auspicious are those filled with lotus seed paste and salted egg yolks. Lotus seeds represent regrowth and new opportunities, while egg yolks represent fertility, abundance and new beginnings.
Rituals and Traditions
- Celebrations start on the eve and continues past midnight when prayers are made to Lord Yue Lao as well as to the Chinese Goddess of the moon Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit. As this day also coincides with the birthday of “Lord Yue Lao”, the Chinese God of Love and Marriage, it an auspicious day for single bachelors and bachelorettes to offer him incense and prayers. It is believed that praying to “Lord Yue Lao”will help you tie the red knot of affinity between you and a suitable life partner. Prayers can also be offered to Chang’e, known as the Moon Goddess of Immortality for good health, long life, and to stay young and beautiful.
- It is traditional for children to accompany their parents and family members on a walk round the neighborhood with lighted lanterns. This practice is believed to create unity and to strengthen and widen friendships with neighbors and the community.
- Invite neighbors and friends over to your home for a meal or simply to enjoy desserts and drinks together. This tradition of having guests over not only fosters stronger relationships but is believed to attract prosperity and Nobleman Luck. Additionally, sharing mooncakes with them symbolizes wishing them good fortune and long life.
Feng Shui Tips for Mid-Autumn Festival
Celebrating the Moon Festival and embracing its rituals and traditions is a wonderful way to harness the festival’s energy, enhancing prosperity, happiness and good fortune.
- Activate the Moon Corners of your Home: In Feng Shui, the moon symbolizes Yin energy, which is calming, healing and nurturing. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, focus on energizing the Southwest sector of your home, as it is linked to the Moon and Yin energy. Keep this area well-lit and place the 9 Dragons Plaque here. The SW this year is also home to the powerful number 9 star, which makes energizing this part of the home exponentially auspicious.
- Balance of Five Elements: Try to incorporate the 5 elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water into your festival decoration. For instance, mooncakes (Earth) on a metal tray (Metal), next to a bowl of water (Water) with floating candles (Fire) and a plant (Wood) ensures a well-rounded presence of all 5 elements.
- Use of suitable colors: In feng shui, colors play a significant role in attracting positive energies. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, use colors that align with the energy of autumn and the Metal element associated with this season. White, gold and silver are excellent choices for decorations, tableware or clothing.
- Harmony in the Dining Area: Ensure the dining area is clean and lit with candles to stimulate the flow of positive energy. Additionally, placing bowls of oranges or apples are symbolic of the full moon and brings peace and harmony.
- Outdoor Spaces: If you have an outdoor space, do try to make use of it during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Watching the moon outdoors while having a meal or snacks not only connects you with nature but taps the power of the moon, and invites fresh, positive chi into your life.
- Tap the Power of the Moon: Place a bowl of water under the moonlight to absorb its energy. This moon-charged water can be used for washing your face to bring you improved beauty and attraction.
