The Asian Student Organization (ASO) will once again hold their annual Mid-Autumn Festival this week on Sept. 21st at the Lower Quad.
The festival celebrates the changing of the seasons on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar and is also referred to as the Moon festival as it symbolizes the harvest moon during the fall season. All students are encouraged to attend, free of charge.
“The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated by China, Vietnam, and Japan. It is at the time when the moon is its roundest and brightest during the fall season. The ancient Chinese observed how the movement of the moon had a close relation to the harvest that year, which is why they started to celebrate it. They offered sacrifices to the moon on mid-autumn days, which can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty,” Sophomore and Educational Chair of the ASO, Emily Sibounheuang said in an email.
During the festival, students will talk about about information regarding their experiences and the history behind the Moon Festival.
“All the culture groups have volunteered to set up the event so they are gonna help us a lot rather than just ASO being involved,” Sophomore and Vice President of the ASO, Samridha Rana said in an email.
ASO members will be discussing the importance of the various traditions associated with the Fall Festival. Several different countries around the world will create lanterns, drink tea and eat traditional Asian food throughout the duration of the festival. Mooncakes, guava candies, hi-chews and mango aloe vera juice are all popular foods provided during the Fall Festival. Students are encouraged to try these Asian treats and learn about the history behind this celebration.
Last year the ASO recorded over one hundred students that attended the event and they are hoping that this year the cultural event attracts a variety of students to come and celebrate this traditional Asian celebration. Several games will be played during the celebration such as a calligraphy competition and a chopstick challenge game. Students will also have the opportunity to create their very own lantern during the festival. Sibounheuang said that this year the ASO will be raffling off prizes during the festival.
“We want to share presentations to other students so they are able to learn about Asian culture. It is important to the ASO that people of all cultures feel free to participate in this annual Asian celebration,” Sophomore and Social Chair of the ASO, Rosasung Zathang said. Zathang anticipates that this event will help others to learn more in depth about Asian culture and traditions.