Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrations in China and Beyond

Mid-Autumn Festival, in my opinion, is the most beautiful Chinese holiday. It has the perfect blend of everything – the most striking time of the year in nature, the perfect weather, a long and rich history, some of the nicest mythology and folklore stories, delicious food and drinks, lots of activities and outings and the joy of family gatherings without the extra fuss of Chinese New Year. 

If you’re travelling to China at this time of year, get ready for a real treat, and if you’re heading to other Asian countries, there’s a good chance you will find areas where the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in ways that are unique to that country.

I’ve gathered all the information you need, from the history to traditions and activities, so read on to start planning your trip. 

 What is the Mid-Autumn Festival? 

The Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important holiday in China after the Chinese New Year. With a documented history of over 3,000 years, this folk custom of moon worship became an official holiday during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). It’s celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, generally falling in mid-September or early October (this year, it’s on 6 October 2025). Celebrations take place in China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, and Chinese communities around the world. 

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On the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, the full moon is magnificent, so big and so close that you feel you can reach out your hand and touch it. This is because the celebration takes place on the evening the moon is closest to the autumnal equinox, when the sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of equal length. 

Family is at the centre of this celebration, and the full moon represents wholesomeness and perfection, much like the dinner table around which everyone gathers. Indeed, the blessing for this holiday is '团团圆圆' (túan túan yúan yúan), representing the wholesomeness of a family reunion.

Lanterns, often shaped like animals or plants, also play a central role. Many have auspicious words written on them and can be hung on trees or courtyard gates, floated on the water or sent into the sky, depending on where you are in Asia. Many hotels across Asia offer lantern-making experiences at this time of year. 

What are the traditional foods? 

Like in so many holidays, food is the most interesting and fun part! Since the Mid-Autumn Festival takes place during the harvest season, it is only natural that it has the most diverse and abundant offerings when it comes to food. Nature is showcasing its best, from fruit and vegetables to flowers and grains, fish, seafood, nuts and tea. 

Mooncakes are the stars of the show, which explains why it’s also known as the Mooncake Festival. Round and full like the harvest moon, mooncakes symbolise togetherness and wholesomeness, and are the signature food of this celebration. They come in many shapes and sizes and are made of different ingredients depending on their location. In northern China, they are mostly sweet, with skin made of wheat flour, and fillings that are a mix of fruit and nuts. In Guangdong Province in the south, you’ll find smaller, more delicate mooncakes with a sheer skin made of rice starch or rice flour and sweet or savoury fillings such as lotus seed paste or even abalone.

Traditionally, the Chinese characters on the mooncakes are auspicious words such as ‘wholesomeness’ and ‘prosperity’. In ancient times, some wealthy families, especially in Beijing, even brand them with their names, and recently, many international companies have released their own signature versions. If you’re travelling through China at this time of year, mooncakes will give you an insight into the flavours of your chosen city. 

Where to go to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival?

With so many flavours to taste and places to see in China and beyond, choosing your destination can be a daunting task! To help, here’s a collection of Mid-Autumn Festival highlights from across Asia. Which will you choose? 

BEIJING – WATERSIDE WONDERS

The reflection of the full moon on the water has always been a captivating sight for Chinese poets and artists, both in ancient and modern times. Even the emperors appreciated its shimmering reflection in the lakes of Beihai Park. If you visit around Mid-Autumn Festival, take a boat and slowly cruise across the lake, sipping tea and enjoying mooncakes, trying to interrupt the water as little as possible to retain that perfect round full moon reflection. 

Stay at Kempinski Hotel Yansha Center and you can pick up your tea and mooncakes, then head outside to the waterfront of the Liangma River to take in the view and catch a riverboat night tour to explore further downstream. 

Alternatively, away from the bright city lights, Sunrise Kempinski Hotel might tempt you with a beautiful scene of the full moon over the Great Wall of China, a bike ride followed by a lakeside picnic, or even a moonlit stroll. 

Looking for local flavour? If you’re staying at Kempinski Hotel Yansha Center on the day of the festival, be sure to book their special themed brunch featuring hairy crab, yellow wine and the hotel’s popular mooncakes.  

SUZHOU – MAGIC GARDENS

Suzhou, known as the ‘Venice of the East’ for its canals and bridges, is also celebrated for its gardens and is home to some of the most lavish private palaces of the wealthy merchants of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, who built magnificent gardens to flaunt their wealth. The Master of Nets Garden is the smallest, yet in my opinion, also the most beautiful. Around Mid-Autumn Festival, the garden extends its opening hours, allowing visitors to see it in a completely different light (literally). It’s as magical at night as it is in the day, especially under a full mid-autumn moon. There are often nighttime performances of Kunqu Opera, and folk songs where performers dressed in ancient-style silk attire play traditional Chinese instruments. 

Looking for local flavour? The mooncakes at Kempinski Hotel Suzhou feature Su-style black sesame and packaging with patterns inspired by Suzhou textiles and garden motifs. 

SHANGHAI – SCALE THE HEIGHTS

Shanghai is known for its skyscrapers, so why not take advantage of the height to get a closer look at that gorgeous full moon? And if you’re going high, go really high. 

Head to the top of the 468-metre (1540 feet) high Oriental Pearl Tower to dine at the revolving restaurant and enjoy the panoramic views of this moonlit megacity and the Huangpu River. 

Looking for local flavour? At Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai, choose from three carefully crafted mooncake gift boxes: Radiant Moon, Serene Moon and Serene Ladybug. Suntime Century Restaurant also invites you to enjoy a limited edition duo of Wagyu Beef Puff Pastry Mooncake and the new Creamy Custard Mooncake. 

HANGZHOU – STORIES BY THE WEST LAKE

Perhaps no other place in China has had more ballads, poems and stories written about it than the West Lake in Hangzhou. Its beauty has been praised for centuries, and it was even likened to heaven itself. So it’s no wonder that it’s home to one of the most impressive spots in all of China to view the full mid-autumn moon. ‘Three Pools Mirroring the Moon’ has been a popular appreciation site since ancient times, and even more so in modern China. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, candles are lit on the three pagodas in the lake, and reflections of the candlelight and the moonlight mix, casting shadows of the pagodas and creating a picturesque scene.

Of course, the moon is inextricably linked to the tide, and Hangzhou is also celebrated for one of the world’s greatest tidal waves. The Qiantang River Tidal Bore (known locally as the ‘Silver Dragon’) reaches several metres, and live broadcasts take place across the country. Speak to the concierge at Kempinski Hotel Hangzhou to book a tour and get a closer look. 

Looking for local flavour? Join the Mid-Autumn family dinners at Kempinski Hotel Hangzhou to experience a tailored menu that brings together traditional Hangzhou-style family dishes with Cantonese cuisine. Mooncake-making and chef demonstrations complete the activities on offer. 

SINGAPORE – LANDMARK PERFORMANCES

As mentioned, the popularity of the Mid-Autumn Festival extends across the region. It’s a Chinese holiday, and as such, the best place to enjoy it in Singapore is Chinatown, with its colourful markets, speciality food stalls and bright lanterns.

Celebrations also take place at many other landmarks in Singapore, so head over to Gardens by the Bay to enjoy its exhibition of Chinese lanterns or watch a staged performance of the traditional story of Chang'e at Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Looking for local flavour? This year’s mooncakes at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore feature crowd-pleasers, including white lotus seed paste or champagne truffle, and new flavours such as rum and raisin. The turquoise and gold musical box packaging adds a touch of whimsy and creates a lasting memory at home. 

TRY SOMETHING NEW

And if you still haven’t found the one? Pick a flavour and allow it to guide you to your next destination:

Thai-Japanese fusion: Travel to Bangkok and be the first to taste the inaugural mooncakes of Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, displayed in a beautifully crafted trunk and accompanied by fine porcelain plates. 

Umami: A tribute to tradition, the combination of barbecued pork and white lotus seed paste showcased the creativity of the team at Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen.   

Pandan: A staple ingredient of Indonesian cuisine, the pandan in the mooncakes at Kempinski Hotel Jakarta offers a unique aroma and vibrant green colour. Choose from a selection of elegant hampers. 

Mandarin: Take an island escape and sample your handcrafted mandarin and white lotus mooncake as part of a delicious artisanal afternoon tea in Selsar Deli throughout the season at The Apurva Kempinski Bali. 

FAQ

Are there savoury mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival?
Yes. While traditional mooncakes are sweet, many regions create savoury versions. In Guangdong, fillings can include ham, dried seafood or abalone, while modern chefs experiment with ingredients like Wagyu beef, truffle or even curry.

What is a snowy mooncake?
Snowy mooncakes, also called “snow skin mooncakes,” are a modern twist from Hong Kong. Made with glutinous rice flour and served chilled, they have a soft, mochi-like texture and are often filled with fruit pastes, ice cream, or custard.

If you enjoyed this, why not learn about other famous festivals around the world?