The simple traditional customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival include appreciating sweet-scented osmanthus, admiring the moon, eating moon cakes, worshiping the moon, and lighting lanterns.

1. Appreciating osmanthus

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, it happens to be the time when the fragrance of osmanthus blooms. Osmanthus has always been associated with the moon in ancient times, and has also derived many myths and stories. As a precious species, osmanthus also symbolizes happiness and auspiciousness.

2. Moon Appreciation

On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, family sitting together and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the bright moon is one of the essential activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival. In ancient times, many poets and literary giants would invite friends to admire the moon, drink wine and compose poems at this time, leaving many well-known masterpieces throughout the ages.

3. Eating mooncakes

Mooncakes are a must-have custom for the Mid-Autumn Festival across China, symbolizing family reunion and expressing longing for each other. At the same time, mooncakes are also an important gift used to connect friends during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

4. Sacrificing the moon

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, people should worship the moon god, set up an incense table, and put out mooncakes, watermelons, apples, dates, plums, grapes and other sacrifices. Among them, mooncakes and Watermelon is absolutely indispensable, and the watermelon must be cut into lotus shapes. They worship the moon one by one, and then the housewife cuts the mooncakes according to the number of people in the family. This is a very important thing.

5. Burning lanterns

Mid-Autumn night lanterns have internal burning candles tied to bamboo poles with ropes and hung high on the eaves or terraces, or small lanterns are used to form glyphs or various shapes. Hanging high in the house, it is commonly known as tree Mid-Autumn Festival or vertical Mid-Autumn Festival. Wealthy families would hang lanterns that could be several feet high, and their families would gather under the lanterns to drink and have fun. Ordinary people would erect a flagpole and two lanterns to enjoy themselves.