Festival brings Chinese culture to Civic Plaza
THE Southside Chinese Residents Association celebrated the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival recently with a free outdoor event at the Civic Plaza in Bray.
Shanghai Empireast Culture Group, a troupe of 22 artists, came all the way from China to put on an hour-long outdoor performance. There was also lots of entertainment afterwards for the many people of all ages who went along.
Those who attend had the opportunity to try some authentic Chinese tea and rice, learn Chinese calligraphy, have Chinese language lessons and much more.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Full Moon Festival, is a harvest festival celebrated by ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese people. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar with a full moon at night, corresponding to late September to early October of the Gregorian calendar with a full moon at night.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is an inherited custom of moon sacrificial ceremonies. Observing that the movement of the moon had a close relationship with changes of the seasons and agricultural production, the ancient Chinese wished to express their thanks to the moon and celebrate the harvest.
They therefore offered a sacrifice to the moon on autumn days. The mook cake, a round cake coming in a variety of flavours, is the special food of the festival and is offered as a sacrifice to the moon.
The Chinese Embassy and Wicklow County Council sponsored the event.