The Moon Festival is a harvest festival celebrated by China and many East and Southeast Asia countries, and the Luther community is no exception. Many Asian cultures follow the lunar calendar, where the festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month.
On Oct. 9, a Moon Festival event was held in the Farwell lounge and was a time for students and teachers to come together and enjoy moon cakes, Chinese chess, and many other activities that celebrate this time of year and the harvest moon that accompanies it.
“I love the mooncake and tea associated with the festival,” said Hongmei Yu, associate professor of Chinese, “But my favorite part is Chinese poems on the moon.” Poems about the harvest season are inspired by the themes of reunion, thankfulness and harmony.
Sponsored by the Asian Student Association and Allies and the Department of Modern Languages, the activities held during the festival ranged from creating pipe cleaner lanterns, to a chopstick challenge and calligraphy.
The chopstick challenge consisted of two people racing to see who could pick up and place in their bowl the most beans. This turned from a game to teaching a lesson in chopstick proficiency.
Professor Yu spent most of the time teaching people how to write Chinese characters with brushes on scrolls.
“The turnout for the Moon Festival was excellent; there were lots of different people who were present,” remarked Colin Halverson (‘25), treasurer for Asian Students Association & Allies. “This included students and staff of Asian descent, as well as those of non-Asian descent.”
Tea and mung bean and Oreo-flavored mooncakes were enjoyed by all present. The festival is a time when family and friends come together and feast with one another, and mooncakes are used as a way to express love and best wishes to those you care for.
“The full moon is always used as a symbol for family reunion in Chinese culture,” Yu shared.
The event served as an opportunity for the ASAA to introduce a part of their culture to campus and the college community at large. More about their organization can be found on their Instagram page, @asaaluthercollege.
