FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

What You Need To Know About The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

by Holly Riddle

Sep 1, 2016

Mid-Autumn Festival, Hong Kong © Mike K. | Dreamstime

Tips / Destination

The Mid-Autumn Festival, Sept. 15–17, is one of China’s most important events. The great weather combined with the festivities means it’s a perfect time to visit.

 

Some say the festival originates from ancient pagan beliefs associated with the lunar calendar and the changing of seasons. Communities would make sacrifices to the moon during the fall months to thank her for the harvest as early as 1046 B.C. The practice eventually morphed into a festival, which took on more of its current feel about 1,000 years ago.

 

Today, the moon still plays a big role in the celebrations, as many take place outdoors after nightfall, with participants carrying bright lanterns or releasing floating lanterns. The customary food associated with the festival is the moon cake, a round pastry filled with red bean or lotus seed paste. The cakes are often given as gifts. Beside the lunar calendar, other festival themes include family, thanksgiving and togetherness, with most households sharing a family meal, much like the American Thanksgiving holiday.

 

If you happen to visit Hong Kong during the Mid-Autumn Festival, be sure to check out the city’s own holiday tradition — the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance. A 220-foot dragon made from metal, straw, paper and hemp, covered in more than 70,000 incense sticks and controlled by nearly 300 performers, winds its way through the back streets of Tai Hang on each of the three festival days.

 

Wuyuan is similarly known for its dragon-shaped lanterns, made of straw and incense.

 

In Hunan, it’s customary for young men and women to steal fruits and vegetables growing in friends’ yards, and many interpret the picking of someone else’s plants during the festival as a sign of affection.

 

West Lake in Hangzhou is one of the most popular spots for moon viewing during the festival, and is a setting revered for its beauty during the fall. In fact, an image of the moon and the reflection of candles on the lake’s water during the Mid-Autumn Festival appears on the one yuan bank note.

 

#TrazeeTravel

Insta Feed
Latin America
May 19, 2025

Consider These 3 Spots for Your Latin America Destination Wedding

Planning a destination wedding? You’re not just limited to the same ol’ all-inclusive resorts on the beach. Consider one of these Peruvian Marriott properties for a destination wedding your guests are sure to talk about for years to come.

AmaWaterways’ Specialty River Cruises

When you embark on a river cruise with award-winning AmaWaterways, unpack once and step aboard a world of unparalleled experiences. With enriching excursions, exquisite locally sourced food and wine, nightly entertainment and more included in the fare, you will learn why AmaWaterways has the most returning guests out of any river cruise line.

Cruises
May 19, 2025

4 Cruises for People Who Don’t Like Cruises

Cruising isn’t for everyone. New Scientist Discovery Tours invite cruise skeptics and fans alike to experience its collection of small-ship, science-focused expeditions. The company’s cruises cover a range of topics and host experts to further educate guests along the way.

Destinations / North America
May 19, 2025

3 Reasons to Make for The Maine Highlands This Summer

Shake off winter and embrace the warmer days in Maine’s Highlands this summer. If its natural beauty isn’t enough to convince you to make a trip to the area, these three exciting and unique experiences and events might do the trick:

Destinations / North America
May 16, 2025

New Orleans Storyville Museum Opens

New Orleans is home to a bevy of great museums, and the city just welcomed its most recent addition to the roster: New Orleans Storyville Museum. Storyville, a historic New Orleans neighborhood, experienced its heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s when it served as not only the city’s red-light district, but also a hub for other illegal activity and entertainment.

Hotel
May 16, 2025

The Ultimate Jungle Escape Awaits at Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción in Peru

Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción, in the jungle of Tambopata, Peru, offers the ultimate jungle adventure. Here’s why: