by Kaili Shi, Chinese FLTA
On a rainy Friday evening, the Chinese Program at Wesleyan celebrated the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, bringing together students from around the world to savor delicious mooncakes and experience the warmth of this traditional Chinese festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the “Moon Festival” or “Harvest Moon Festival,” is one of China’s most significant traditional holidays. This year, students in the Chinese Program enthusiastically joined in the celebration, embracing the cultural richness of this holiday. Mooncakes took center stage at the event, with a wide variety of flavors on display, including traditional lotus seed paste, red bean, etc. Amid laughter and cheerful conversations, students shared these delectable treats, embodying the spirit of togetherness and friendship.
To enhance the event’s cultural experience, the Chinese Program also invited tea master Hu Lindan to showcase the art of traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Hu Lindan not only demonstrated her exquisite tea-making skills but also shared the history and significance of Chinese tea culture with the students. Her demonstration provided an authentic cultural experience and elevated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration to new heights.
Marin Theis, a student of Chinese 103 said, “I loved the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration! The tea ceremony was cool to watch and the tea itself was delicious, definitely the nicest tea I’ve ever had. I also had fun getting to know my TA and some of my classmates outside of class.” Her classmate Tamiraa Sanjaajav also enjoyed this event. “The Mid-Autumn Festival marks the first of my holiday celebrations here at Wesleyan. It was fun, refreshing and introduced me to an important part of Chinese culture and traditions. I especially enjoyed the combination of Teochew mooncakes and freshly brewed hong cha in the rainy weather.”
Santiago Galvan, a student of Chinese 205 thought “the tea demonstration and mooncakes were excellent ways to represent the depth of Chinese culture and the importance of this special day! Mandarin students were given the opportunity to try new flavors that they had never heard of before, such as old white tea, which was a first for me as well.” His classmate Baron Fisher believes that this was a great way to bring together the Chinese community at Wesleyan. “We tried many different and delicious types of tea while learning about the complexity behind the tea making process. The mooncakes were a highlight too!”
This Mid-Autumn Festival celebration not only promoted cultural exchange and friendship but also highlighted Wesleyan’s commitment to respecting and embracing multiculturalism. It provided students with an opportunity to come together and celebrate this important festival.
