Mid-Autumn Festival 2025: The Moon Festival
Festival guide · 2025
The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節, Zhōngqiū Jié) falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month — the night of the year's fullest and brightest moon. It is a public holiday in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, and one of the most widely celebrated Chinese festivals.
It is a time for family reunion, moon gazing, lantern lighting, and sharing mooncakes. The festival is linked to the legend of Chang'e, the Moon Goddess, and is celebrated as Tết Trung Thu in Vietnam and across Chinese diaspora communities worldwide.
2025 Dates
| Date | Monday, October 6, 2025 |
Dates are calculated automatically and may vary by ±1 day. Always confirm with your local religious authority.
Traditions & Observance
The Legend of Chang'e
The archer hero Hou Yi shot down nine of ten suns that scorched the earth and was rewarded with an elixir of immortality. His wife Chang'e drank the elixir to prevent it falling into wrong hands and floated to the moon, where she lives with the Jade Rabbit. Families gaze at the full moon and think of loved ones near and far.
Mooncakes (月饼)
Mooncakes are dense, round pastries filled with lotus seed paste, red bean paste, salted egg yolks, or modern flavours like matcha. They are given as gifts between family, friends, and business associates. The round shape symbolises reunion and completeness — 团圆 (tuányuán).
Lanterns
Children carry paper lanterns in streets and parks on the festival night. Traditional lanterns take the shapes of rabbits, fish, and flowers. Many cities hold spectacular lantern fairs and light installations. Sky lanterns are released in Taiwan and parts of Southeast Asia.
Moon Gazing and Pomelos
The heart of the festival is gathering to admire the full moon over a reunion dinner. Pomelos (柚, yòu) are a traditional offering because the word sounds like 'protect.' Persimmons, grapes, and watermelon are also traditional offerings to the Moon Goddess.
Other Years
Dates are based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Public holiday arrangements vary by country.