Mid-Autumn Festival: Why the 15th Day of the 8th Lunar Month Bears This Name

We celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, but what exactly does "Mid-Autumn" mean?

Back in the Song Dynasty, Wu Zimu offered a clear explanation in Meng Liang Lu (Record of Dreams Over the Liang River), Chapter "Mid-Autumn":

"The 15th day of the 8th lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival. This date falls right at the midpoint of the three autumn months, hence the name Mid-Autumn."

Under the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, the 7th, 8th and 9th lunar months together make up the "Three Autumns": the First Autumn (Mengqiu), the Second Autumn (Zhongqiu), and the Last Autumn (Jiqiu). The 15th day of the 8th lunar month lands exactly in the middle of this autumn period. That is how the festival got its name — a fitting label that reflects ancient people’s careful observation of seasonal rhythms in nature.

The earliest written mention of the term "Mid-Autumn" can be traced to pre-Qin Dynasty texts. The Rites of Zhou records: "In mid-autumn, fine fur garments are presented, and the king distributes feathered artifacts." The passage describes how officials in charge of furs would offer premium fur coats to the king in the 8th lunar month, and the king would reward court officials with ornaments crafted from bird feathers. At this stage, "Mid-Autumn" was merely a seasonal marker and had not yet evolved into a festival.

The Book of Rites also states: "In spring, the Son of Heaven worships the sun at dawn; in autumn, he pays homage to the moon at night." This ancient royal custom of moon worship in the 8th lunar month laid the cultural foundation for what would later become the Mid-Autumn Festival.

It was during the Wei and Jin Dynasties that "Mid-Autumn" gradually shifted from a seasonal term to a time of festive gatherings. Noble scholars began climbing towers to admire the moon and drink wine, planting the seeds of the holiday tradition. By the early Tang Dynasty, Mid-Autumn had officially become a major festival celebrated across the nation by both royals and commoners. Moon worship and moon-viewing customs spread widely among ordinary people, and the festival grew increasingly popular.

The festival reached its golden age in the Song Dynasty. It became a grand celebration enjoyed by all, from the imperial court down to everyday households. When the festival arrived, fresh fruits and plump crabs filled market stalls. Families opened jars of aged wine, gathered to admire the moon and toast one another. Shops stayed open all night long, while children laughed and played on the streets deep into the evening. The whole nation was wrapped in warm, joyful festivity.

Over thousands of years of inheritance and evolution, the cultural meaning of Mid-Autumn has deepened. What began as a ritual to honor the moon has grown into a symbol of family bonds and reunion for loved ones separated by distance. Far more than just a seasonal observance, it stands as an indispensable icon in Chinese cultural heritage.

Today, Mid-Autumn Festival remains China’s second-most important traditional holiday, only after the Spring Festival. When the festival comes, no matter how far people travel from home, they yearn to reunite with family, gaze up at the full moon together, and share mooncakes — carrying the warmth of reunion forward through generations.