The Mid-Autumn Festival is a powerful example of how shared rituals can strengthen communities and sustain cultural identity over centuries. Celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (which is today, October 6, 2025, in the Gregorian calendar), this festival marks the moment when the moon is at its brightest, symbolizing wholeness and connection. Its roots stretch back more than 3,000 years when moon worship was tied to harvest cycles and family unity.
At the heart of the festival are moon cakes, round pastries exchanged among family and friends as a tangible symbol of reunion. Today Ruchi and I are going to make some of these pastries. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
“What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action. “
– Meister Eckhart
