Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival, also called “Moon Festival”, is celebrated in Taiwan and elsewhere in East Asia to mark the fall harvest and, to some, to offer traditional worship to the moon. In 2026, Mid Autumn Festival falls on Friday 25 September. The holiday will be on Wednesday 15 September in 2027. It comes on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Han Chinese calendar and falls on the full moon of either September or October on the Western calendar. Ethnic Chinese have been observing this holiday since at least the 10th Century B.C., and it has been extremely popular since the Tang Dynasty of the 7th through 10th Centuries A.D. Today, it is a day of joining together to feast and fellowship with family and friends, as much as a time when farmers give thanks at local temples for the recent harvest. Many also go to temples to pray for specific requests, such as to marry one’s desired partner, to give birth to a child, or to live a long, prosperous life. There are many ancient myths and fables connected to Mid-Autumn Festival. These are often told to young children this time of year, but adults “are allowed to” listen in too if they wish. You may hear about the sun and moon being married and the stars being their children, about the full moon being pregnant and the crescent moon having shrunk after giving birth. You will easily encounter the legend of Chang’e, but it’s hard to say which version, for there are many. One version has Chang’e the wife of a cruel emperor who is planning to drink a magic elixir that will make him live forever. To prevent everlasting oppression, she drinks the elixir herself and then flies off to become the moon goddess. Unlike China, Taiwan is not known for paper lantern displays during Mid-Autumn Festival, these being mostly put out on the 15th day of Chinese New Year, but travellers will still find much to do, such as the following: If in Taiwan during Mid-Autumn Festival, you will find there are many enjoyable events to participate in that will help you better understand Taiwanese culture.