09/17/2024
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Mid-Autumn Mooncake Festival lands on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar — on September 17th 2024 (today!). This is a time to celebrate the moon as it symbolizes the reunion with family, loved ones, and friends by sharing mooncakes and fruits from the summer’s bounty. Mayan, Greek, and Chinese civilizations all share roots in the celebration of the moon.
Chinese folklore evolves around the moon goddess Chang E and her pet Yu Tu, the jade rabbit. The jade rabbit is depicted with a mortar and pestle pounding herbal medicine, mooncakes or other medicinal tinctures. Japanese and Korean folklore renders the rabbit as making rice cakes akin to mochi and tteok. Regardless of culture and interpretation, the universality of the medicinal-moon-rabbit can be attributed to lunar pareidolia and shared amongst families around the world.
Take a moment, share a mooncake or two with those you hold dear to the heart, and savor the waning summer light.
