Rabbit lanterns return to keep Mid-Autumn Festival traditions alive

Carlos Marreiros

A set of creative rabbit lanterns produced by local and international artists has returned to Albergue SCM, as Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations are fast approaching. The “Traditional & Creative Rabbit Lantern, an exhibition by Carlos Marreiros and Friends” features a series of rabbit lanterns hanging over Albergue and part of the S. Lazaro district, ensuring that festivities and old myths stay alive.
“Whilst growing up here, I remember I used to play with traditional lanterns (…) my mother and my grandfather too. It’s a tradition spanning over many centuries. My grandfather had a house in this neighborhood, so I recall playing with Chinese, Portuguese, two English children and one American,” Mr Marreiros, architect and general director of Albergue SCM, told reporters yesterday.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has long-standing traditions amongst the Chinese Community, in Macau. The Macanese architect and artist stressed, however, that mid-autumn festivities have also reached people from other communities who now celebrate the holiday.
According to Chinese mythology, it all began as a harvest festival, during which people would celebrate the completion of the harvest by worshiping mountain gods. Between the Ming and Qing dynasties, the mid-autumn festival gained popularity, becoming one of today’s most important and traditional celebrations.
Baking and sharing moon cakes, carrying brightly lit lanterns and worshiping the moon, whilst reuniting with family members, are traditions kept alive through the festival.
Carlos Marreiros and a group of other artists produce rabbit lanterns annually, aiming to increase public awareness of the traditional Chinese festival.
In addition to the rabbit lantern exhibition, Albergue SCM organizes a calligraphy demonstration and concerts, and provides typical mid-autumn festival food and beverages.
The festivities at Albergue SCM kick off today with a concert performed by the Macau Chinese Orchestra at 6:30 p.m. A mini music concert will also be held tomorrow, featuring the Folk Buddies band. On Monday, Folk Buddies and the Macau Cheong Hong Music Club will perform again, whilst a celebration of the moon will not be forgotten, as traditional rabbit lanterns will be offered to children.
The “Traditional & Creative Rabbit Lantern, an exhibition by Carlos Marreiros and Friends – Part 8” will be on display between Saturday and Monday. It features rabbit lanterns produced by artists from Macau, Hong Kong, Italy, the Philippines, the Netherlands and China.
Carlos Marreiros stressed that the rabbit lanterns can be seen as a representation of Macau’s identity. Although these rabbit lanterns look a bit more modern, he recalled that all of them are the result of artistic freedom, as each artist has their own interpretation.
The Mid-Autumn festivities in Albergue SCM have received support from the Macau Government Tourist Office for the first time, which allowed organizers to expand the event into other parts of the S. Lazaro neighborhood.
“MGTO is thinking of alternative routes for tourists, so that people do not always remain concentrated within the same places. So, they have [partnered] with us and the festival will be extended to the main street and above the stairs [close to Albergue],” said Marreiros.
Five of 14 organizations working with the institution will be participating in this year’s edition of the festivities.
“This is a first step to expand the festival. We want to make it larger next year (…) trying to include people from other neighborhoods, too,” Marreios revealed.
Mooncakes, fruit and other typical delicacies enjoyed by the Chinese community throughout the holiday will be made available. Carlos Marreiros said that drinking red wine has also become a tradition for some, replacing the traditional Chinese tea.
“I don’t see this in a negative way. For me, it’s an intercultural experience, and I am happy that these intercultural exchanges are rooted in Macau’s culture,” he explained.
The “celebration of the moon” activity kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at Albergue’s patio on Monday.