Not the famed Michael Jackson moonwalk, but rather a lantern walk on a full moon night. The Chinese will be celebrating their Mid-Autumn festival on 21st September. Eons ago, the Chinese believe that the moon on the 15th day of the eight month of the Chinese lunar calendar was the biggest and brightest. This was also the time for the Autumn harvests and families got together to light lanterns and eat moon cakes. 
Today, the lanterns are taken for a walk under the watch of the full moon.
It is a difficult task choosing lanterns. There are infinite varieties in vibrant colours. The traditional ones come in folded paper, one just had to pull apart like an accordion, stick a candle in and viola ... all set for the lantern parade.
Then we have the intricate traditional ones made from wires twisted into animal shapes,
aeroplanes or whatever takes the maker's fancy. The wire frames are enveloped in transparent cellophane, painted to enhance the design and lastly tied to a bamboo stick.
In today's language these creations would be called "artisan lanterns!"
With the advance of technology, lanterns have also "evolved" to plastic ones
with an artificial light from a battery. The hearts above the seven dwarfs provide music.
The candles in the traditional lanterns have to be replaced frequently. These lanterns catch fire easily. We learnt how to relight our lanterns safely. Kids walked around with boxes of candles and matches in their pockets. We got some wax burns on our hands and that's about it. But this will be a huge NO, NO today! Kids DO NOT play with matches!!
Lantern gathering in the park.
And when we finally thought we had outgrown this silly MOON walk,
we started again with our own kids! I prefer these traditional cellophane lanterns. The colours just bounce off the cellophane and dance on the roads. These are also environmental friendly and can be recycled for another year.
The Mid-autumn festival and lantern parade under the full moon
will live on as an everlasting tradition.
Just what the world needs, more things made of plastic . It would be great to have a renewal of ancient craft making and have people make their own lanterns. It would be a great project for school children.
ReplyDeleteI agree David, the plastics ones though safer are clumsy and not recyclable. The battery light does not sent out the glow, unlike candle light which shines through the coloured cellophane.
DeleteEchoing David, and thoroughly enjoying the photos you shared.
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the best festivals for children. I always looked forward to mid-autumn as a child. Never liked the moon cakes then, but loved the lantern walk.
DeleteEnjoyed your photos', when I was in China, it coincided with the Moon festival, and we had mooncakes. Interesting morsal.
ReplyDeleteLucky you, I heard the moon cakes in China and Hong Kong are the bestest! Before the pandemic, people would actually fly to Hong Kong and bring home many boxes as gifts.
DeleteThis sounds fun and creative with lanterns. I had no idea about this festival until reading yours, and your post is 4th in the series of blogs I read about mooncakes, and now, about the moonwalk, I would love to join the walk with you, people, if I was there. Like you say, the traditional lanterns look colorful and fun to light on. Happy Mid-autumn festival to you and all
ReplyDeleteIf you were here during mid-autumn Jeevan, I would accompany you around the neighbourhood with a bright lantern of your choice.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such a fun festival and it's so nice that you can reuse some of the lanterns too so it would be an even more fun tradition keeping the lanterns for future years! :)
ReplyDeleteHope your week is going well :)
Away From The Blue
I find other culture interesting.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Oh very cute lanterns
ReplyDeleteLots of interesting information about the Moon Festival and its tradition. I hope people will keep lanterns in the years ahead ... plastic ones are better than nothing :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Kestrel! Thanks for including these interesting pictures ... I would like to taste moon cakes :-)
Have a nice weekend!
If your country has Chinatown, you'll get to buy some. Don't be surprise, there is no butter, flour or eggs in these cakes!
ReplyDeleteBoa tarde. Os artesanatos são lindos e maravilhosos. As fotos ficaram muito boas.
ReplyDeleteLove all the beautiful lanterns. Great festival.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea - would love to take part ...of course, not here in the mountains with all the forest but down in the city what fun. For two years at the lake before Covid we finally had lanterns on the lake - same idea, and then they would be put on the water to float. I didn't partake in the fun because at 40 dollars to get a lantern and a candle which at the end you give the lantern back... i though no way. But I did go down and watch it all. I had to stay outside of the fence but that was okay. lol
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting ^^
ReplyDeletesound the festival is very fun....
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing interesting story and beautiful photos .... love it.
I just remember about the mooncakes :D. When I was working in HSBC, most of my Chinese customers gave me a package of mooncakes, and always loooove for the taste :D. And about the festival history, honestly I didn't know much, unless about making the lantern. It's often was assigned as a creativity homework in many schools :D.
ReplyDelete