Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills/Book 6/Midautumn Festival
Midautumn Festival (中秋節), chung ch'iu chieh,
The Eighth Moon Feast
This is the third time for collecting debts, equally important with the 5th moon, but of course less so than the time before the New Year.
Yüeh kuang hui is the moon festival. On the evening of the 15th the moon is worshipped. At this particular season the moon is said to give forth different kinds of light and some declare that the heavenly beings can be seen in the moon. It is also said that Wu Kang (吳剛) can be clearly seen at this time hacking away at the Olea fragrans, but the tree still stands. A lunar eclipse at this season is very unlucky.
Little round cakes are made called moon cakes, the centre of which is black, being made of lentils, boiled soft and then baked. Some cakes are white in the centre, being made with flour and sugar, some are red, made from flour and rose-water. At this time walnuts, pears, and pomegranates are presented, all being round like the moon, and it is hoped by offering these that the family affairs will be prosperous "all round."
Sha chia t'a tzũ, "to kill the Manchu of the family," is an expression which, some say, refers to the Tartars of the Yuan dynasty, others say it refers to the Ch'ing dynasty. It is commonly believed that a Manchu was billeted in each home. A plot was made to kill them on the 15th of this moon, the secret sign being a ticket giving the date to be put inside the moon cakes. The plot was carried out, and the family Manchu became the t'u ti of the family. In this eighth moon the anniversary of his death is observed. The black hearts of the moon cakes are said to represent the hearts of the Tartars.
On the evening of the 15th children put a lighted stick of incense on to the end of a bamboo pole and lift it high in the air. This is called shua hsing hsü to play at stars.
Similarly branches of the pumelo-tree are taken and sticks of lighted incense fixed to the twigs and held high in the air. This practice is now gradually falling into disuse.
This is the time when teachers' salaries are due and children take presents to them. The teacher gives the children pencils. The head of the beggars, the keeper of the city gate, and the night watchman all collect their dues from the shopkeepers and private residences. The fifth and eighth moon feasts and the New Year are the great feasts of the Chinese people.