Mid-Autumn Festival Falls On Full Moon After Nearly A Decade

07 Sep 2013

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival is a treat for Moon-gazers as for the first time in nearly a decade a full moon is expected. According to the Hong Kong Observatory, this year’s festival falls on September 19, with the full moon set to occur at 7:13 PM.

2004 was the last time a full moon occurred on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival itself. The observatory said that - weather permitting - this year, moon-gazers will be able to view a ‘bright and clear moon’ from open spaces in all districts.

Hong Kong has a lot of prime locations for moongazing, including, but not limited to the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade and Victoria Peak.

However, Victoria Peak will be the focus this year as a three-storey high lantern is being constructed by the Tourism Board especially for moongazing.

The Tourism Board said that the hemispheric lantern, created from 7,000 recycled plastic bottles, will offer a vantage point in its roof for revelers to view the moon.

An architect who helped design the installation, Stanley Siu said that they calculated the exact location of the moon that evening so visitors at the exhibition will have a perfect view. He said that they are hoping to bring Hong Kong tourists and residents together in one place to enjoy the festival through this lantern.

The Mid-Autumn Festival will also feature several lantern carnivals and fire dragon dances.

Taking place on September 18, 19 and 20 is the century-old Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, and it will involve a 67-metre-long fire dragon and 300 performers. Dancing its way to Pok Fu Lam Village are five smaller fire dragons will combine to create one large creature starting in Aberdeen.

Chinese communities have celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival since the Shang Dynasty in 1600BC. Historically, farmers used the festival to convey their gratitude to the moon god for their bountiful harvests. Today, the festival is an occasion for the consumption of special snacks, especially mooncakes and family reunions.

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