Mid-Autumn Festival Dates in 2016, 2017, 2018…

8 things you might not know baout Mid-Autumn Festival 8 Things You Might Not Know About the Chinese Mid-­Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar.

In 2016 it takes place on Thursday September 15th. 

A 3-Day Short Trip Peak Time Appears

Chinese people will have a three-day "public holiday" on the 15th and 17th — a normal weekend off for 5-day week workers, however...

When Mid-Autumn occurs at the end of September or early October its statutory day of public holiday is usually combined with the statutory National Day three-day holiday for a seven-day public holiday (October 1–7), sacrificing one adjacent weekend day ( for example, in 2015 people need to work on Saturday, October 10).

Date of Mid-Autumn Day in the Coming Years

Years Dates  Day
2016 September 15 Thursday
2017 October 4 Wednesday
2018 September 24 Monday
2019 September 13 Friday
2020 October 1 Thursday
2021 September 21 Tuesday
2022 September 10 Saturday

Mid-Autumn falls as early as September 8 (2033) and as late as October 6 (2025) in the next 30 years.

Why Mid-Autumn Is Celebrated at Month 8 Day 15

mid-autumn festival Mid-Autumn Festival celebration

Traditional Calendar Seasons

According to the Chinese lunar calendar (and traditional solar calendar), the  8th month is the second month of autumn. As the four seasons each have three (about-30-day) months on the traditional calendars, day 15 of month 8  is "the middle of autumn".

For the Full Moon

On the 15th of the lunar calendar, each month, the moon is at its roundest and brightest, symbolizing togetherness and reunion in Chinese culture. Families get together to express their familial love by eating dinner together, appreciating the moon, eating mooncakes, etc. The harvest moon is traditionally believed to be the brightest of the year.

For Harvest Celebration

Month 8 day 15, is traditionally the time rice is supposed to mature and be harvested. So people celebrate the harvest and worship their gods to show their gratitude.

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