On September 25, 2025, China celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节). Another common name for it is the Mooncake Festival (月饼节). Among the national holidays, it rivals only the Founding Day of the Republic, May Day, and Chinese New Year.

The festival originated as far back as the Bronze Age, during the Shang Dynasty (商代), and only grew in popularity from there. Already during the Han Dynasty (汉代), the main components of the festival took shape: moon gazing, showing respect for the elderly, and distributing flat cakes – the prototype of mooncakes (月饼).

During the Tang (唐代) and Song (宋代) dynasties, it received official recognition, and mooncakes became even more similar to today’s versions. Subsequently, the tradition of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival only grew stronger, despite the frequent change of dynasties in the Middle Kingdom. The tradition was even adopted by the Manchus of the Qing Dynasty (清代), who conquered the country.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a kind of equivalent of Valentine’s Day in China – an opportunity to have a picnic in the park, admiring the full moon and treating each other to the indispensable mooncakes.

This attitude toward the holiday is connected with the legend of the Old Man of the Moon (月老), who joined lovers with an invisible magic silk thread. He is also considered responsible for love and marriage. For this reason, this day is favorable for prayers for love and a happy marriage.

Chinese language teachers from the Department of English and Oriental Languages – Nazarenko V.Yu., Linevich K.A., Karpovich A.E., Meng Jialiang — and second- and third-year students of the Faculty of International Business Communications took part in preparing and holding the event.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!