The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is a celebration of the autumn harvest observed by the Chinese and other Asian peoples. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the full moon closest to the fall equinox. Originally a plea to the gods for rains to ensure a good harvest next year, Mid-Autumn Festival has become a more secular bit of autumn fun, with children and adults gathering to give thanks, eat sweet mooncakes, and light lanterns like the hand-painted ones we"re looking at here from a previous celebration in Singapore. This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival coincidentally lands on another holiday, China"s National Day.
A lunar lantern celebration
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Whooper swans in Lake Kussharo, Japan
-
Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!
-
It’s Art Deco Weekend in Miami
-
National Mushroom Month
-
Uncommon clouds are gathering
-
A seabird gets schooled
-
Arbor Day
-
Bioluminescence at Trwyn Du Lighthouse in Wales
-
Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
-
Svolvaer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
-
Ring of fire solar eclipse
-
In the valley of the doll
-
Taking the scenic route to Sturgis
-
Happy holidays!
-
Harvest season begins
-
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
-
Short-eared owl
-
World Turtle Day
-
Pretty in pink, and purple, and red…
-
Let s crack the code
-
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park shines
-
Celebrating Panama s independence
-
Ponta da Piedade rock formations in Portugal
-
Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California
-
Mount Hood, Oregon
-
Crown Fountain by Jume Plensa at Millennium Park in Chicago
-
What s going on in this sky?
-
Oh, happy day!
-
Bridge to infinity
-
The Aomori Nebuta Festival parade, Japan