Tuesday 25 September 2007

Mooncake Festival

Tonight is the Chinese mooncake festival. I'm not sure that this is the correct name but this is how it has been explained to me. My favourite visit from a parent at school has to be when they are bearing gifts and yesterday it was a box full of mooncakes. This very kind parent then explained that in the middle ages-ish (could research it but I'm knackered) the peasants in China wanted to plan an uprising so they sent messages inside mooncakes. Eventually they were victorious so now it is celebrated. Hey any excuse for a party eh - and cake!


So for the celebration we headed up to the chinese temple nearby. The manic drumming heralded the dragon dance - I've always been a fan - and we watch entranced as they danced around and then negotiated the steep steps until they were balancing on top of each other on a tiny podium. We were surrounded by people with glowing lanterns and happily joined in the festive atmosphere. Happy mooncake festival everyone.

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