1. The Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.（中秋节在农历八月十五）2. The festival originated in ancient times, became widespread during the Han Dynasty, took its current form in the early Tang Dynasty, and flourished particularly during the Song Dynasty and beyond. It is an amalgamation of autumnal seasonal customs, with many of its traditions rooted in ancient practices.3. The Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes the full moon's roundness as a representation of family reunion, embodying the longing for one's hometown and loved ones, as well as the hope for a bountiful harvest and happiness. It stands as a rich and precious cultural heritage.4. The Mid-Autumn Festival, alongside the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival, is counted among China's four major traditional festivals. Influenced by Chinese culture, it is also celebrated by communities in East Asia and Southeast Asia, especially by the Chinese diaspora.5. In May 20th, 2006, the State Council included the Mid-Autumn Festival in the first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage lists. Since 2008, the Mid-Autumn Festival has been designated as a national legal holiday.6. The Mid-Autumn Festival traces its origins to ancient astronomy崇拜—the reverence for the moon. During the autumnal equinox, which falls on the 14th lunar month, the traditional "Moon Festival" is celebrated. The modern Mid-Autumn Festival evolved from the ancient practice of "worshipping the moon."7. In traditional culture, the moon, like the sun, was a celestial body revered by ancient people. The worship of the moon and sun was a survival of early religious practices. The original "Moon Festival" was celebrated on the day of the autumnal equinox according to the Ganzhi calendar. However, as historical development led to the integration of different calendars, particularly the adoption of the lunar calendar (also known as the Xia calendar), the "Moon Festival" was moved to the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.
