The Mid-Autumn Festival, one of China’s four major traditional holidays, has a history spanning thousands of years. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, when the weather is clear and the moon is full and bright.
This festival is often referred to as "Mid-Autumn" because of its timing, and the round, luminous moon symbolizes family reunion and harmony.
On this special day, families come together to enjoymid-autumn festival food, admire the full moon, and drink tea. It’s a time to express longing for family gatherings and fondness for distant loved ones.
Similar to Thanksgiving in the West, themid-autumn moon festival story represents not only a reunion but also deep emotional ties to one's homeland and a hopeful outlook on a happy life. Celebrate this tradition with thoughtfully curated Tea Gift Sets filled withLoose Leaf Teato share moments of warmth and connection.
The Story of Mid-Autumn Festival
One of the most well-known legends associated with the mid-autumn festival story is the tale of Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit. To protect her husband Hou Yi, Chang’e was forced to drink a magical elixir, causing her to float up to the moon palace, where she has lived alone ever since. In the moon palace, the Jade Rabbit became her only companion, continuously making special medicine that symbolizes hope and the renewal of life.
Each Chinese moon cake festival, people gaze at the bright full moon, remembering Chang’e’s sacrifice and her love for Hou Yi while expressing their own longing for loved ones. Families gather, share mooncakes that symbolize reunion, and sip tea under the moonlight, embracing the warmth of these ancient legends.
This tradition of tea sharing brings people closer, and what better way to celebrate than with Tea Gift Sets filled with Loose Leaf Tea? Pair the richness of Loose Leaf Green Tea with sweet mooncakes for a perfect blend of flavors that enhance your Mid-Autumn experience.
Traditional Foods of Mid-Autumn Festival
Mooncakes are the most iconic food associated with the Chinese mid-autumn festival food.
With a long history and many varieties, mooncakes come in different styles such as Cantonese, Suzhou, and Beijing, each with unique characteristics.
Cantonese mooncakes are known for their rich fillings and sweet taste, Suzhou mooncakes are famous for their crispy, flaky crust, while Beijing-style mooncakes are recognized for their soft texture and sweetness.
Because mooncakes tend to be rich and sweet, many people pair them with loose leaf tea to balance the flavor. The freshness of loose leaf green tea, the richness of loose leaf black tea, or the unique aroma of loose leaf oolong tea can enhance the tasting experience, making the sweetness of the mooncakes more harmonious.
Tea’s aroma and mooncake’s flavor bring out the best in each other, making the taste of mid-autumn festival food more vibrant and balanced.
Whether celebrating with family in person or sending greetings from afar, the reunion symbolized by mooncakes and the warmth of tea bring people closer. The Mid-Autumn Festival allows people to find peace amid busy lives, while also conveying deep emotions of love and connection to family and homeland.
