Celebrating the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in Nigeria: My Experience
“I wish for your life to always be satisfactory just like the roundest moon on the mid-autumn festival”
I got to celebrate the mid-autumn festival here in Nigeria on the 21st of September and it was all shades of fun. Let me take you through it.☺
Where shall I begin? I have a whole lot to tell you.
The fact that I started learning Chinese at the Confucius institute in my school on the 20th of September 2021? Or the fact that I had to present for the mid-autumn festival with my classmates?
Well, I will start with school❣.
I began classes at the Confucius Institute and began at HSK level 2 since I had already taken pre-courses from Beijing Univerity (北京大学Běijīng dàxué).
During the cause of learning, my teacher (老师 Lǎoshī) spoke about the mid-autumn festival and we had to perform an act.
We acted the moon goddess story which is the genesis of the mid-autumn festival. We also sang a song by Faye Wong titled “May we all be blessed with longevity”.
The moon goddess myth
This is a story about a beautiful lady named Chang’e (Cháng’é) who was married to a man called Houyi. Huoyi was the best in his field of archery. He shot down nine out of the ten suns that were scorching the human race and was granted the elixir of life (immortality potion).
A student of Huoyi (Fengming)sought to steal the elixir which was entrusted to Chang’e because Huoyi didn’t want to take the elixir of life and leave Chang’e.
Sadly, Chang’e drank the elixir to prevent Fengming from gaining immortality.
Upon drinking the elixir, Chang’e floated to the moon where she lives to this day waiting for her one true love Huoyi to return to her.
In honour of Chang’e, Huoyi offered moon cake to the moon in hope that his beloved wife shall return. consequently, every 15th day of the 8th month in the Lunar calendar, moon cake is offered to the moon in remembrance of Chang’e.
A good depiction of this myth is the Netflix adaptation “over the moon”. Trust me. You would love it!
Amazing right? This was acted out by my class. Pictures incoming!!!!!!!
I am excited to have registered for physical lessons. Now I have wonderful classmates and teachers:)
Prior to writing this, I had thought about what to write as regards the mid-autumn festival and nothing was forthcoming. I let it be.
Now, I am grateful for the experience.
I love my classmates (我爱我的同学).
