The Chinese August Moon festival is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar. It is believed that the roundness of the moon represents the reunion of family in Chinese minds. For over 2000 years the usually three day celebration has been a time for a post-Autumn harvest celebration giving thanks to the gods for the blessings of hard work and family. Foods served include mooncakes, pumpkin, river snails, taro, wine fermented with osmanthus flowers, duck and hairy crabs.
Li Bai, a poet during the Tang Dynasty, (618-907), expressed both frustration and serenity in the opening of one of his famous poems written to honor the moon:
Drinking alone under the Moon
huā jiān yì hú jiǔ dú zhuó wú xiāng qīn
花 间 一 壶 酒，独 酌 无 相 亲。
From a pot of wine amid the flowers, I drink alone beneath the moonshine without a partner.
jǔ bēi yāo míng yuè duì yǐng chén sān rén
举 杯 邀 明 月，对 影 成 三 人。
Raising my cup, I invite the moon and turn to my shadow which makes us three.
Whether you’re missing your loved ones or finding solace under a full moon, the annual August Moon Festival will surely tug at your poetic heartstrings
Chinatown’s 2022 52nd Annual August Moon Festival, August 14, 2022, 10 am-5pm This celebration promises to be an exciting and welcoming renewal of both spectacle and tradition for the Chinese community and the entire city. It’s about gathering with friends and family, thanksgiving, and collective prayer for a brighter future. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy Chinese cuisine, arts and crafts, calligraphy, lion dancing, traditional folk dances and martial arts.
For more information, see this link: https://ccbaboston.org/en/chinatown-august-moon-festival-2022
The 35th Annual Quincy August Moon Festival, August 21, 2022 from 12pm-4pm, a partnership between QARI (Quincy Asian Resources, Inc.) and the city of Quincy, returns to light up Coddington St. Quincy Center with a colorful and glorious celebration of resilience before, during, and after out troubling Covid times. This remains one of the largest August Moon Festivals in the Northeast, welcoming over 20,000 people from throughout Massachusetts with music, dance, Chinese culture, and a unifying community spirit for all.
For more information, see this link: https://www.qariusa.org/august-moon-festival
The Lowell Southeast Asian Water Festival, Saturday August 20, 2022, all day starting at 8am, celebrates and honors the preservation, protection, and sharing of cultural heritages of the Southeast Asian Americans in Greater Lowell. Since 1972, Lowell’s Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian population have gathered on the third Saturday of August to recognize the blessings of water to their communities. While the exciting boat races are suspended this year due to Covid, don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate with neighbors or take a trip outside your neighborhood and share in the celebration.
For more information, see this link: https://allevents.in/mobile/amp-event.php?event_id=200023000283835
