Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations held across China and the world

From colorful lantern displays to mooncake-making workshops, poetry readings, and musical performances, Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations are taking place across the globe, inviting people from all backgrounds to explore traditional Chinese culture.

The ongoing festival is observed on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It is one of China’s most significant holidays, where families gather to enjoy the full moon, share mooncakes, and celebrate the harvest season.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared a message on X (formerly Twitter) saying, “The Mid-Autumn Festival serves as a beautiful reminder of our shared history and heritage. It highlights how multiculturalism enriches our modern Australia. I wish everyone the best during this year’s festivities.”

In Myanmar, students celebrated the festival at the China Cultural Center in Yangon with poetry recitations, traditional music, and quiz competitions. The event drew about 150 people, including local students and Chinese company employees. Fifteen-year-old Htet Thiri Win played the Chinese zither, delighting the audience with soft, melodic tones, later commenting, “I love the mooncakes, and the tea is excellent!”

Tin Maung Tun, rector of the University of Yangon, highlighted the shared cultural appreciation for the full moon in both Chinese and Myanmar traditions, symbolizing harmony and reunion.

In Laos, the China Cultural Center and the National University of Laos hosted a poetry event, promoting friendly ties between the two nations. Vice President Thongsouk Keomany of NUOL said it offered Lao teachers and students a unique opportunity to appreciate Chinese culture.

New Zealand held its “Mid-Autumn Concert of Timeless Poetry” as part of the Auckland Moon Festival, attracting around 700 attendees. Eru Oneroa, a 23-year-old singer from Auckland, performed a song in Mandarin with Chinese children, receiving a warm response from the crowd.

In Kenya, the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi and Afristar co-hosted celebrations to promote cultural integration. Wang Xinyu, a lecturer at the institute, emphasized the growing connection between Kenya and China through shared cultural events.

In Hungary, despite rain and a temperature drop, over 400 people attended the festivities. Jin Hao, director of the China Cultural Center in Budapest, expressed delight at the turnout, stating, “We didn’t expect so many Hungarian friends to join us. We’re excited to share the festival’s spirit of connection and goodwill.”

Over 215 million passenger trips were handled by China’s transportation sectors early on Sunday, the first day of the three-day holiday for the Mid-Autumn Festival, marking a 37.9 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.

Of this total, China recorded 17.09 million passenger trips by railway, 544,100 by water, and 1.84 million by air. Highway traffic accounted for the largest share, with 196.45 million passenger trips.

This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 17. MDT/Xinhua