Mid-Autumn Festival at UTM: Mooncakes, Togetherness, and Hands-On Fun

On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the full moon, a symbolism of reunion and togetherness in Chinese culture, rises, and families and communities gather together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节 Zhōngqiū Jié). On Monday, October 6, 2025, our Chinese language instructors hosted a celebration with the UTM community, with over thirty students, four faculty members, and three staff members joining in on the festivities.

Attendees explored the festival’s origins and meaning, expressing gratitude for the harvest, wishes for family reunion, and partaking in the tradition of moon-viewing, before diving into hands-on activities and treats. Everyone sampled mooncakes, chrysanthemum tea, and classic Chinese snacks. In small teams, they competed in 投壶 (tóu hú), the traditional “pitch-pot” game, and crafted rabbit-shaped lanterns, a nod to the Moon Rabbit legend. They also learned how to share warm Mid-Autumn greetings in Chinese, such as “中秋快乐!” [Zhōngqiū kuàilè!], which means “Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!”).

It was a wonderful evening with our community learning and celebrating together, in the true spirit of the full moon.

We hope that everyone enjoyed the celebration!

Thank you to Dr. Xinliang Jiang and Dr. Xiaohui Ren for organizing this event, as well as to our student volunteers who helped during the event!