Country, Family or Food?
What first comes to your mind when you see the word “home”?
The name of your country? The lovely house you live in with your family? Or simply the warm soup your mom cooks for you?
For me, the answer varies at times, but at least yesterday, it was the moon!
You may have known that in China, people use two types of calendar – the western/official one and the lunar one in the same time. The latter originated from thousands of years ago when almost everything revolved around nature and agriculture, naturally including marking the time. So in the lunar calendar, the period of the moon changing from eye-brow-thin to half-way-full on to pancake-round and then reversing the process is defined as a month. Is there anything similar in your culture? Or do you celebrate a special day in the middle of autumn when the moon appears the fullest?
That day is called Mid-Autumn Festival in China, the 15th of the eighth month in the lunar calendar. It is a time for family to get together, have moon cakes (a special cake shaped like a full moon with different stuffing, usually sweet) and admire the bright full moon in the night sky.
The Day is full of poetry if I think of it. Poetry written in countless works by ancient Chinese scholars with amazing beauty and subtlety; Poetry not written in the cozy air when mothers are holding little babies under the moon, or lovers leaning on each other quietly in the moonlight.
“When we are looking up at the moon, there is someone looking back at us from the cold palace up there in the distant world. Her name is Chang’e.” said my grandmother many years ago when I was having my favorite flavor of moon cake with red-bean stuffing. Like the story of Santa Claus in western culture, this Chinese young girl is a well-known legend in oriental culture.
“She lives there with her little bunny for many centuries now. She was once a young girl like you, living happily on the earth, but because she wanted long life, she stole a magical medicine, took it and flew up to the Cold Palace on the moon, where an eternal life was granted—yet with solitude. ”
I would always give a long stare at the surface of the moon, seriously trying to find the palace and maybe the girl stroking the little bunny in her arms. I believed I had seen it a couple of times, the shady and bumpy spots in the middle of the moon. I believed in this story for many years till I was older. Now I would think of my grandmother more who passed away a few years ago, rather than the girl living on the moon.
Because of all these connections to the moon running along our cultural line, you will now surely understand why yesterday was so special for me—it was this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival— yet a one without being with my family in China as I am now studying in Heidelberg, Germany.
My Chinese friends here and I still decided to have some small celebrations. We went to a Chinese restaurant in the city center and had the most touching meal I had ever had in the past one month since I was in Germany. The food was of Shanghai style, which is extremely close to that of my hometown, and the Chinese chefs and waiters there felt like family. After the dinner, we walked along River Neckar, a branch of River Rhein, which runs across Heidelberg.
Then there was the amazing brilliance of the moon!
Comments
Oh, how beautiful that picture is, but a little gothic to me.haha.Happy mid autumn festival Jin lu. It seems the moon always appear brightest when we're saying goodbye to our dearests. But i believe we are never alone. Eventhough we can't see or hear from those persons we love,when we look up at the same moon, at the same time, under the same sky, though far apart, we are all ONE. ^^
Hi Jim Lu.. congratulation for to be blogger´s month and welcome. as you could see shirley, the last one, whote very well and helped us a lot to understand her country. I wish you do tha same or better..there is no day without report about you contry here in Brazil..your description of the cultural knowledge is very interesting...how the lunar calendar is used there, the nunbers about your country are really amazing..and became common to meet chineses walking on the streets of São Paulo, many of then did not speak portuguese and even this, most of then working selling things. did you learn how to speak german? how is you life in germany? Hugs Ramilton.
I refer to the house where I live when I say home. But if I were abroad travelling, perhaps I would say it meaning my country
Hi Jin Lu It’s nice to meet you in cyberland, and a big thank you for the wonderful entries. I am from one of your neighbouring countries, Korea but I live abroad like you. Specially, your second entry makes me look back in my childhood. Whenever I was upset I used to look up the night sky counting stars or be staring at the moon. My mum joined me from time to time and asked me like this- can you see the two bunnies making rice flouring? My sadness would be faded away while I tried hard to spot them and I was full of imagination joining with them and making half-moon shape of rice cakes Are you curious what is a Korean rice cake?- it made from rice stuffed with beans and steamed on a layer of pine. I guess my county shares a similar customs of The Harvest Moon Festival with yours. We call the day ‘Chuseok’. Our family get together at my mum’s house and indulge in scrumptious home- cooking- dishes, play some traditional games and catch up with each other. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be with them yesterday this year again and I feel down in the dumps. I am happy for you had having a wonderful dinner yesterday. Keep up the good work, and I am looking forward to your post.
Hello, Jin Lu. Thank you for the interesting story about the girl on the moon, I've never heard it before. Here in Ukraine we sometimes may look in the moon calendar too, but I don't think that's a piece of tradition. Of course our ancestores used to live according to nature, but they rather were guided by the sun, than by the moon. The sun played a huge part in religion, agriculture, treatment, festivals. But unfortunately now the most of old knowledge is lost and people prefer living by fashion, not by traditions. Though, as I said, sometimes poeple may look at the moon calandar to find when they should better go to a dentist or hairdresser. And as far as I know some people use such calendar to know when to plant vegetables, trees or just window plants.
Hi Jin Lu, please to meet you. I'm absolutely enchanted by your superb writing. Your words describe exactly atmospheres and feelings, they are touching and relaxing. I'm looking forward to your next posts.
Hi, Jin Lu. A warm welcome from your motherland! From your extraordinary learning experience I can tell that you must be an outstanding student throughout your learning lives. Wow! Tsinghua University, that’s my dream college. When it comes to festivals, I think it means a lot to people who live far away from their families. It may be a bit sensitive and nostalgic especially to people who live abroad. Kind of you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. But the gains will be worth the loss. You must have a fabulous future life after such a special life experience abroad. And these days I am enjoying my long holidays at home with my family. We have 8 days off this year because of the traditional Middle Autumn Festival and the National Holiday. And we Chinese people had a sixty anniversary celebration for funding of People Republic of China in Tian’anmen Square in Beijing. I was stuck behind a TV set the whole morning on October 1 watching the live broadcast of military parade ceremony and feeling proud of rapid development of our country. Have you ever watched the live broadcast of celebration of National Holiday in Germany? How do you feel, Jin Lu?
The same feeling as i have read your first blog one year ago. You language has always been my pearl.
Hi Jin Lu! Great to e-meet you. I did not know about this festivity. It is very interesting. What do you study at university? Are the courses demanding? I cannot wait to read your next posts!!
Hi Jin Lu! Great to e-meet you. I did not know about this festivity. It is very interesting. What do you study at university? Are the courses demanding? I cannot wait to read your next posts!! Ps: I post it again because I forgot to mention where I live.
HELLO !MY NAME IS MOON ,I AM FROM CHINA.I AM LIVING IN WOLLONGONG AUSTRALIA NOW.THIS IS MY FRIST TIME TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON WEBSITE IN ENGLISH.LAST SATURDAY WE HAVE A FANTASITAIC PARTY IN MY HOME FOR CHINESE FASTVIAL,IT NAME IS MID-AUTUMN FASTVIAL.WE HAVE 23 PEOPLE TO COOK SOME CHINESE TRADITONAL FOOD.ACTUALY,WO JUST COOK SO MANY CHINESE DUMPLINGS ONLY.WE SPENT ABOUT 4 HOURS TO FINISH IT THAT IS A BIG WORK,BUT WE LOVE IT VERY MUCH,WE ARE ALL FEEL A LOT OF A FEELING OF HOME.I HOPE TO HAVE GOOD TIME IN NEXT STUDYING TIME IN ZO.GOOD LOCK!
...pretty mind, pretty words..definately your narrative technique reflects the Mid-Autumn Festival. How you coin the words is simply outstanding. we felt the way you had felt while describing; it seems to me. It is amazing learning about Chinese culture and tradition with a charming Myth,though unknown to me earlier. I really felt for the girl and her solitude. But ultimately your turning back to reality thinking of your Grandmother rather than that imaginary girl leads me to perceive that you are missing your family. One thing more....you are a worshiper of Nature, aren't you ?..I would like to know more about chinese culture that we don't find usually in book or internet, something possible only through you.....
Hi, Jin Lu. A warm welcome from your motherland! From your extraordinary learning experience I can tell that you must be an outstanding student throughout your learning lives. Wow! Tsinghua University, that’s my dream college. When it comes to festivals, I think it means a lot to people who live far away from their families. It may be a bit sensitive and nostalgic especially to people who live abroad. Kind of you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. But the gains will be worth the loss. You must have a fabulous future life after such a special life experience abroad. And these days I am enjoying my long holidays at home with my family. We have 8 days off this year because of the traditional Middle Autumn Festival and the National Holiday. And we Chinese people had a sixty anniversary celebration for founding of People Republic of China in Tian’anmen Square in Beijing. I was stuck behind a TV set the whole morning on October 1 watching the live broadcast of military parade ceremony and feeling proud of rapid development of our country. Have you ever watched the live broadcast of celebration of National Holiday in Germany? How do you feel, Jin Lu?
Hi Jin, how are you?. Your story about the moon is very impresive. Here we don't have any tradition linked with the moon, at least celebrated masively and regularly for everybody. Reading your lines I've been catched for the memmory of your grandmother. For ever you will link the moon with she. (marvellous). I also have several moments linked with my pased father. (Living like this they are also with us, taking care of us). See you, Toni.
HiJin This is a very nice story still there are different belief about the Moon in different societies. Its a good thing to know about the chinies culture and belief. Jin I want to say you one thing about use of different calenders in different countries. In Arabic countries they have different calender called Arabic Calender. hope we you will share nice stories like this
Hello! We don't have this kind of tradition related with moon in Spain, but yours sound very good. Thanks a lot and enjoy your time in Germany as much as you can because is a one time experience.
Hi Jin! I am curious to know more about your life as a chinese student in Germany. It is very interested to know about China festivals and traditions too.
oh, in viet nam there is also Mid-Autumn festival. It's really interesting and I like it. I don't know the diffience between Mid-Autumn in China and in Vietnam. who can tell me, pleas! my username in yahoo mess is nguyenminhhuong_tp5. please answer me :D
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