Mid-Autumn Rituals: Mooncake Offerings and Moon Gazing Ceremonies

BY NICOLE LAU

Mid-Autumn rituals honor the harvest moon, celebrate family reunion, and express gratitude for abundance. These ceremonies, refined over thousands of years, create sacred space for connection, thanksgiving, and lunar magic.

Preparation for Mid-Autumn

Timing: The 15th day of the eighth lunar month (full moon). Rituals are performed in the evening when the moon rises.

Space: Outdoors where the moon is visible, or by a window with a clear view. Clean the area and set up a table facing the moon.

Gather: Mooncakes, fresh fruits (pomelos, persimmons, grapes), incense, candles, tea, wine, flowers (osmanthus if available), and a beautiful cloth for the offering table.

The Traditional Moon Offering Ceremony

Setup:

1. Place table outdoors facing the moon
2. Cover with red or gold cloth
3. Arrange offerings in the center
4. Light incense and candles

The Offerings:

• Mooncakes (13 pieces representing the 13 lunar months)
• Fresh fruits arranged in pyramid
• Tea or osmanthus wine
• Flowers (especially osmanthus)
• Incense (sandalwood or osmanthus)

The Ceremony:

1. Wait for the moon to rise
2. Light incense and candles
3. Family gathers around the table
4. Eldest family member (or host) bows to the moon three times
5. Speak prayers of gratitude: "Honored Moon, we thank you for your light, for the harvest, for bringing our family together. We offer these gifts in gratitude and ask for your continued blessings."
6. Each family member bows and makes a silent wish
7. Leave offerings for at least one hour
8. Share the mooncakes and fruits among family

The Moon Gazing Ritual (赏月, Shǎngyuè)

The heart of Mid-Autumn celebration is simply gazing at the moon together.

The Practice:

1. After making offerings, sit comfortably where you can see the moon
2. Bring tea, mooncakes, and conversation
3. Spend the evening admiring the moon's beauty
4. Share stories, recite poetry, sing songs
5. Reflect on the year's blessings
6. Think of distant loved ones who see the same moon

Contemplations:

• The moon's perfect roundness represents completeness and reunion
• Its brightness illuminates what we've accomplished
• Its constancy reminds us that some things endure
• Its shared visibility connects us across distance

The Lantern Lighting Ceremony

Traditional Practice:

1. Light colorful lanterns as the moon rises
2. Children carry lanterns in procession
3. Hang lanterns in trees and around the home
4. Write wishes on sky lanterns and release them
5. Float water lanterns on rivers or lakes

Modern Adaptation: Use LED lanterns for safety, create a lantern display at home, or simply light candles in decorative holders.

The Reunion Ritual

For families separated by distance who cannot physically reunite:

Synchronized Moon Gazing:

1. Agree on a specific time to look at the moon
2. Each person sets up their own offering table
3. At the agreed time, everyone gazes at the moon
4. Know that your loved ones see the same moon at the same moment
5. Send thoughts of love and connection
6. Video call while moon gazing to share the experience

The Gratitude Circle

A family ritual for expressing thanksgiving:

1. Gather in a circle under the moon
2. Pass a mooncake around the circle
3. Each person shares one thing they're grateful for
4. After everyone shares, cut the mooncake and share it
5. The shared mooncake symbolizes shared blessings

The Poetry and Music Ritual

Traditional scholars would compose or recite poetry under the moon.

Classic Poems to Recite:

• Li Bai's "Quiet Night Thought"
• Su Shi's "Water Melody" (Shui Diao Ge Tou)
• Du Fu's moon poems

Modern Practice: Read poetry aloud, play traditional music, sing folk songs, or create your own moon-inspired verses.

The Children's Ritual

Special practices for children:

Lantern Parade: Children carry lanterns and parade around the neighborhood or yard

Moon Stories: Tell the legends of Chang'e and the jade rabbit

Moon Wishes: Children write wishes on paper, attach to lanterns, and release them

Pomelo Hats: Carve pomelo peels into hats for children to wear

The Tea Ceremony Under the Moon

A refined ritual combining tea culture with moon appreciation:

1. Prepare tea outdoors under the moon
2. Use osmanthus tea or oolong
3. Perform a formal tea ceremony
4. Serve tea to family members
5. Sip slowly while gazing at the moon
6. Discuss the tea's flavor and the moon's beauty

Modern Adaptations

Urban Celebration: If you can't see the moon due to city lights, create a moon altar indoors with a picture or symbol of the full moon

Solo Practice: Perform the offering ceremony alone, using it as meditation and gratitude practice

Virtual Gathering: Host a video call moon-gazing party with distant family and friends

Simplified Ritual: Simply step outside, look at the moon, eat a mooncake, and think of those you love

Closing the Ritual

After the evening's celebrations:

1. Thank the moon for its blessings
2. Extinguish candles and incense
3. Share remaining offerings with family
4. Some offerings can be left overnight for the moon
5. Clean up respectfully
6. Carry the feeling of connection and gratitude forward

The Heart of the Ritual

Mid-Autumn rituals aren't about perfect execution—they're about connection. Whether you perform elaborate ceremonies or simply step outside to look at the moon while eating a mooncake, the essence remains: gratitude for abundance, appreciation for beauty, and recognition that the moon connects us all.