The Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which usually corresponds to mid-September to early October of the Gregorian calendar. The festival is based on the legend of Change, the Moon goddess in Chinese mythology. During the festival, the Chinese believe that the moon is at its brightest and fullest size, coinciding with harvest time in the middle of autumn.

The festival is celebrated with various traditions, including the following:

• Mooncakes: These are a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean, egg yolk, meat, or lotus-seed paste, and are traditionally eaten during the festival.

• Lanterns: Lanterns of all sizes and shapes are carried and displayed during the festival, symbolizing beacons that light peoples path to prosperity and good fortune.

• Family Reunions: The festival is all about reunion with family members, and it is really important to go back home on that day and celebrate there together with those closest to you.

• Moon Worship: In some places, people still worship the moon, just as they did 3,000 years ago. Usually, they put food and fruits on the table towards the moon, praying for luck.

The Moon Festival is celebrated not only in China but also in other parts of Asia, such as Japan and Korea. In Taiwan, the festival is a national holiday, and festivities include eating mooncakes and pomelo, a large citrus fruit related to grapefruit. The festival is also celebrated in other parts of the world, such as the United States.