Culture Insider: Things you need to know about Mid-Autumn Festival

View of the full moon against an ancient building in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]

As one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals, Mid-Autumn Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Sept 27 this year. This day is also considered as a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain are harvested by this time.

Here are the things you should know about this special occasion, perhaps they could be a guide to what you can do on this day.

Legend

Mid-Autumn Festival's legend concerns Houyi, an archer, who saved the earth by shooting down nine of the suns. He became a tyrant and stole an elixir from a goddess, but his beautiful wife, Change'e, drank it to save the people from her husband's forever tyrannical rule.

After drinking it, she found herself floating, grabbed a rabbit to keep her company and then flew to the moon. When the local people heard this, they arranged incense tables to worship the goddess Chang'e, praying for happiness and safety. Since then, worshipping and appreciating the moon during Mid-Autumn festival has become popular.