What Is the Mid-Autumn Festival?
The Mid-Autumn Festival—also known as the Moon Festival—celebrates harvest, reunion and legendary moon goddess Chang’e. Families gather outdoors to admire the brightest full moon of the year, share mooncakes and light lanterns.
6 October
The 15th day of the 8th lunar month. In 2025 it merges with National Day week for a mega-holiday.
¥27B
Estimated retail sales in 2024 across hotels, bakeries and duty-free stores.
1300+ years
Tang dynasty records describe palace lantern displays that inspired today’s park events.
Top 3
Ranked among China’s three most important family holidays alongside Spring Festival and Qingming.
Legends and symbols behind the festival
Storytelling powers Mid-Autumn marketing and event design. Revisit the mythic cast so your scripts and visuals resonate locally.
The goddess drinks an immortality elixir to stop villain Houyi from abusing it, flying to the moon and inspiring moon-gazing rituals.
An immortal rabbit pounds elixir with a pestle. You will see it in lantern designs, pastries and children’s costumes.
A woodcutter condemned to chop a self-healing tree symbolises perseverance—popular for corporate messaging.
Families offer fruits (pomelo, taro, grapes) to express gratitude and seek blessings for unity.
Mooncake styles and gift planning
Mooncakes are both dessert and corporate gift. Match flavours to your audience and watch out for regional expectations.
| Type | Region | Signature filling | Gifting tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantonese baked | Guangdong, Hong Kong | Lotus seed paste, double salted egg yolk | Premium hotel sets sell out in August—pre-order for clients. |
| Su-style puff pastry | Jiangsu, Zhejiang | Sweet red bean or savoury pork | Fragile layers; hand-carry rather than courier. |
| Snow skin (bingpi) | Hong Kong innovation | Mango, matcha, durian mousse | Chilled desserts—ship in insulated boxes. |
| Chaoshan Teochew | Eastern Guangdong | Taro paste, pork floss | Pair with oolong tea tastings for foodie events. |
| Ice cream mooncakes | Nationwide chains | Gelato, chocolate shells | Great for Gen Z campaigns; use cold-chain delivery partners. |
Best places in China to celebrate
These destinations offer lantern shows, moon-viewing terraces and cultural performances tailored to Mid-Autumn.
Classical gardens, poetry recitals and boat rides interpret the lake’s famous “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”.
Light shows and guqin concerts under UNESCO-listed architecture draw families and photographers.
A 67-metre incense dragon weaves through Tai Hang streets, recognised as national intangible heritage.
Massive lantern installations line the walls; perfect for drone footage (with permits).
Production and travel tips
Whether you are covering the festival or planning a corporate celebration, keep these logistics in mind.
Launch mooncake pre-orders by late July. Use livestream sales in August when premium boxes debut.
Outdoor lantern events may require fire safety approval. Register with local fire brigade at least 15 days ahead.
Full moon reaches peak brightness around 19:30–21:00 local time. Scout elevated rooftops or lakeside decks for reflections.
For corporate gifting, log recipients and value to comply with internal anti-bribery rules, especially in regulated industries.
Mid-Autumn celebrates reunion. Align campaigns around togetherness, gratitude and moonlit serenity to resonate with Chinese audiences.