Asian Mid-Autumn Festival 2026

China's Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 🏮 Giant Lanterns, Lion Dance, and Spectacular Full Moon Festivities 🔥

Thirteen months of moonshine every year (WQ)

(Peaceful Countryside) Experience the magic of the Mid-Autumn Festival 2026, where giant lanterns, lion dance performances, traditional music, mooncakes, and glowing night celebrations come together under the full moon.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese culture, associated with family reunion, moon viewing, lanterns, mooncakes, and wishes for happiness and togetherness.

This special presentation captures the beauty and excitement of a festive night filled with color, tradition, and cultural energy.

• Buddhist lunar observance: Uposatha
• Buddhism in Taiwan
• Chinese Buddhism
• Buddhism in Southeast Asia
• #MidAutumnFestival

Paradise found: Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto (🇯🇵) Bamboo forests, ancient temples, peaceful Japanese scenery

The Mid-Autumn Festival

Chang'e flies to Moon (Gutenberg)

Also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, this grand celebration is an ancient harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture (throughout the Sinosphere).

It occurs on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which can fall between Sept. 7th and Oct. 8th (inclusive) of the West's Gregorian calendar [1, 2]. On this day, the Chinese believe the Moon is at its fullest and brightest, coinciding with the time of harvest in the middle of autumn [3].

Moon Goddess Chang'e

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important holidays and celebrations in Chinese culture. The history of the festival dates back now over 3,000 years [4, 5]. Similar festivals are celebrated by other cultures in East and Theravada Buddhist Southeast Asia.

During the festival, lanterns of all sizes and shapes – symbolizing beacons that light the path toward prosperity and good fortune for the people – are carried, displayed, and set aloft.

Mooncakes, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean or lotus-seed paste, are eaten during this time of celebration [6, 7, 8].

Tang Dynasty mirror: Moon Goddess, Rabbit

The Mid-Autumn Festival is based on the legend of the Moon Goddess Chang'e (and her trusty Moon Rabbit) in Chinese mythology [9].

It is an official holiday in both mainland China [10] and the island-nation of Taiwan [11]. The day after the Mid-Autumn Festival is an official holiday in both Hong Kong [12] and Macau [13]. More

🏮 Festival Highlights

• 🌕 Spectacular full moon celebration
• 🏮 Giant lantern displays and illuminated streets
• 🦁 Energetic lion dance performances
• 🥮 Traditional mooncakes and festive food
• 🎶 Chinese traditional music and drums
• 🎭 Cultural performances and colorful costumes
• ✨ Glowing lantern release and magical night scenes
• 🏯 Beautiful traditional Chinese festival atmosphere
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family reunion and community celebration
• 🎥 Stunning cinematic festival scenes in 4K
• 🌕 Celebrating the lunar deity (Goddess Chang'e)

Asian Mooncake Mania

Ultimate Guide to Vegan Mooncakes (six ways!) 純素月餅

How China’s Mooncakes are mass produced for Mid-Autumn Festival

• Ultimate Guide to egg-free Vegan Mooncakes 純素月餅
• Eating aged rotten eggs? No thank you. Red bean mooncake: Annie's T Cakes vegan snacks, desserts – Little Moon Bakehouse
• Easy and delicious: 4-ingredient vegan mooncake recipe

From massive lantern displays to powerful lion dances and peaceful full-moon moments, this video utilizes AI to celebrate the beauty, tradition, family spirit, and cultural heritage of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and to watch the festivities from all angles.

回看：年中央广播电视总台中秋晚会 Mid-Autumn Fest Gala | CCTV春晚

Mid Autumn Festival story and how Chinese celebrate it

The Moon Goddess Chang'e (Ming Dynasty)

(chinahighlights) The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, which is in late September/early October on the Gregorian calendar. The most famous legend of how the Mid-Autumn Festival began is the romantic love story between HouYi and Chang’e. Learn more at: bit.ly/2k45aza.

See the most popular Mid-Autumn greetings at: bit.ly/2NMPvRC. Ten interesting things about Mid-Autumn Festival:  bit.ly/2Nj0jaQ. Daily updates on FB with interesting things about Chinese culture: bit.ly/3wl2VGO. Learn Chinese: bit.ly/3hgkHGW. To use this video, please contact nora@chinahighlights.com.

Mooncakes and the beauty of autumn in neighboring Japan

Chinese-Australians celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival | Asia News Week | ABC News Australia

(Scenery of Japan) Beautiful Zen autumn in Kyoto | walkabout 8 popular spots for autumn leafers

📌 NOTE: This video is an AI-generated artistic recreation for documentary, educational, entertainment, and storytelling purposes. It is inspired by Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival traditions, giant lantern celebrations, lion dances, moon-viewing customs, and lantern-release scenes. It does not contain authentic official event footage or represent an official festival, livestream, or broadcast. #MidAutumnFestival #MidAutumnFestival2026 #ChinaMidAutumnFestival #ChineseFestival #GiantLanterns #LionDance #FullMoonFestival #MoonFestival #LanternFestival #Mooncakes #Chinesefullmoon #LanternParade #ChinaFestival2026

• CC Liu, Crystal Q., Ashley Wells (eds.), Sept. 24, 2026, Wisdom Quarterly; Shen Dan

China's 1 billion uncounted Buddhists

(Chinese Life with Judy & Mao) Is China really non-religious? In Beijing's most crowded temple

List of religions by size (Wikipedia)a

What is the third largest religion in the world?

Who can say? One billion or more Buddhists in China go uncounted in official figures because, officially, all Chinese in China are communist atheists with no interest in religion, just a love of business, STEM, and tech.

• Buddhism in China

India, birthplace of Buddhism, unmentioned

Who admits tradition when the census comes a knocking and it's time to make money, pile up profits, and get more stuff? Capitalism rules here.

• China's undercounted religious populations

The exact same thing happens in the United States, and any American can see it at the largest Buddhist temple in the western hemisphere, "Going West" (Hsi Lai) Temple, in Los Angeles, California:

Is this China or California? (Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda Heights, SGV, LA County)

• Chongsheng Temple: A glimpse of China's architectural beauty

Government and politics in China

Who cares about Buddhist Shaolin Temple of Kung Fu but tourists from around the world?

.

Most earthlings live either in India or China

"China" is actually called the People's Republic of China (PRC). Officially, it is a communist state governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Officially, the CCP is guided by socialism with Chinese characteristics, which it describes as Marxism adapted to Chinese circumstances [184].

The 14th Dalai Lama is considered a demon.

The Chinese constitution states that the PRC "is a socialist state governed by a people's democratic dictatorship that is led by the working class and based on an alliance of workers and peasants" and that "the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party" [185].

Enormous modern Buddha statue, Henan, China

The PRC officially characterizes itself as a democracy—more specifically, a whole-process people's democracy—that is organized around the [Russian] Leninist principle of democratic centralism [186].

However, the [empire or] country is commonly described as an authoritarian one-party state and a dictatorship [187, 188] with some of the world's heaviest restrictions in many civil rights areas, most notably AGAINST:

• freedom of the press,
• freedom of assembly,
• free formation of social organizations,
• freedom of religion, and
• freedom of the Internet [189].

"Freedom of religion"? Not for Tibetans, Uyghurs

China has consistently been ranked among the lowest as an "authoritarian regime" by the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, ranking at 145th out of 167 countries in 2024 [190].

But other sources suggest that terming China as "authoritarian" does not sufficiently account for the multiple consultation mechanisms that exist in the Chinese governmental system [191].

Religion in China

China's top Buddhist Goddess

Freedom of religion is guaranteed by China's constitution, although religious organizations [like peaceful Falun Gong] that lack official approval can be subject to state persecution [198].

The government of the country is officially atheist, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) requires its members to be [or at least say they are officially] atheist [479].

Religious affairs and issues in the country are overseen by the National Religious Affairs Administration, under the CCP's United Front Work Department [480].

Guanyin in neighboring Mongolia

The "Three Teachings" of [spiritual] Buddhism, [social] Confucianism, and [philosophical] Taoism have historically shaped Chinese culture [481, 482], enriching a spiritual and philosophical framework of traditional religion that harks back to the early Shang and Zhou Dynasty.

Chinese folk religion, which is framed by the Three Teachings and by other traditions [483], consists in allegiance to the shen [Japanese kami], who can be:

• deities of the surrounding nature or
• ancestral principles of human groups,
• concepts of civility,
• culture heroes and heroines, many of whom feature in Chinese mythology and history [484].

Among the most popular cults of folk religion are those of

• 

  Chinese ritual with incense

  the Yellow Emperor, embodiment of the God of Heaven, and
• one of the two divine patriarchs of the Chinese people [485, 486] of
• Mazu/Matsu (Goddess of the Seas) [485],
• Guan Yu (God of War and Business),
• Caishen (God of Prosperity and Wealth),
• Pangu, and
• many others.

In the early decades of the 21st century, the Chinese government has been engaged in a rehabilitation of folk cults—formally recognizing them as "folk beliefs" as distinguished from doctrinal religions [487] and often reconstructing them into forms of "highly curated" civil religion [488]—as well as in a national and international promotion of Buddhism [489].

A visit to 'evil' atheist China

(Leah's English) CHINA VLOG: An American's daily life in China

Big statues: India, China, USA, Russia, Brazil

China is home to many of the world's tallest religious statues, representing either enlightened Buddhist beings or deities of Chinese folk religion; the tallest of all is the Spring Temple Buddha in Henan. More

European Buddhist nun in Chinese: "Stop comparing, start living"

• Chinese temple praying (rawpixel)
• Chinese Life with Judy & Mao; CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Why we can't have nice things. China can

(Li Jingjing)

(The Absurdist) What's a Uyghur? And why does West lie about China?

The Absurdist: I traveled to Xinjiang [China in March 2025] to speak directly with Uyghurs and hear their stories firsthand. What I found challenges much of what we often hear in Western media. This is their side of the story.

• The Uyghur China the Western media won't show

(Barrett) The West is WRONG [or lying] about Xinjiang, China

R. Gere 'Wisdom of Happiness' (Lion's Roar)

Richard Gere on “The Wisdom of Happiness” and the Dalai Lama’s message for our time

Magazine Nov. 2025 (lionsroar.com)

(Lion’s Roar) In the new film The Wisdom of Happiness, HH the Dalai Lama shares his timeless message of compassion and interconnection on the big screen.

In conversation with Lion’s Roar magazine Editor Andrea Miller, Richard Gere -- American Zen and Vajrayana Buddhist, actor, humanitarian, and one of the executive producers of the film -- reflects on the nature of true happiness, the roots of suffering, and how meeting the Dalai Lama transformed his life.

The Wisdom of Happiness premieres in theaters Oct. 2025 and, while best viewed on the big screen, it is also available for streaming. To find a screening at a nearby theater, visit: wisdomofhappinessfilm.com.

• The Roots of Good and Evil: Buddhist Texts translated from the Pali (Buddhist Publication Society)

ABOUT: Lion’s Roar is an independent non-profit foundation whose mission is to communicate Buddhist wisdom and practices in order to benefit people’s lives and our society and to support the development of Buddhism in the modern world. Through its print and digital publications, it aims to bring Dharma to people right where they are, knowing what a difference it can make in their lives.

Sign up for Lion's Roar's free "How to Live a Good Human Life Summit," from Oct. 23-27: lionsroar.com/how-to-live...

Subscribe to channel: @lionsroaronline. Get weekly top stories delivered to inbox: lionsroar.com/newsletter. WEBSITE: lionsroar.com. Facebook (lionsroarbuddhism). Instagram (lionsroarbuddhism).

• The Simpsons; Actor Richard Gere, editor Andrea Miller (lionsroar.com), Oct. 15, 2025; CC Liu, Crystal Quintero, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

China is the future: 'Looper' was right

Who will be the pan-Asian inhabitants of the future Empire of China when 1984 comes true?

Chinese futuristic engineering: most amazing wonders

(Lifeder) Ahead of the USA and Russia, the PRC (People's Republic of China) has had its proficiency in mathematics and other STEM subjects pay off. Is there space alien technology afoot or just better chips and AI computing? Maybe 5,000+ years of civilization has finally paid off again to make China the world leader in technology, complexity, advancement, and cultural cohesion, seamlessly blending Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

(Dwarkesh Clips) Why China will betray Russia – Sarah Paine

(Dwarkesh Clips) Nov. 2, 2025: Military historian Sarah Paine. In the full lecture, military historian Sarah Paine explains how Russia—and specifically Dictator Stalin—completely derailed China’s rise, slowing the mega-country down for over a century. This lecture is of particular interest because, in my opinion, the Chinese Civil War is one of the top three most important events of the 20th century. To understand why it transpired as it did, one needs to understand Russian Dictator Stalin’s role in it.

• Full episode: How Russia sabotaged China's rise

Great Chinese Empire: Terracotta Army

(The Curious Mind)

China is 100 years ahead of the USA

(The Extreme Discovery)

Secret Chinese pyramids coming to light

This is why scientists are terrified of China's prehistoric mega structures and unexcavated pyramids

(Incredible Stories) In this chilling deep dive, we explore 20 massive ancient archeological sites across China that defy logic, challenge technology, and remain cloaked in silence.

• Buddhism in China

From the impossible engineering of the Longyou Caves (formerly filled with water and only revealed when local villagers sought to drain them) to mysterious burial pyramids locked beneath military zones, these structures are more than relics. They're unsolved threats to our understanding of history.

China's official secrets?

This dark side of China is shocking

Why are experts and Chinese authorities afraid to investigate further? What secrets are too dangerous to uncover? Watch now and find out what lies buried in China’s forbidden past.

• The 25,000-year-old Indonesian "pyramid" was likely not made by humans | IFLScience
• Incredible Stories, Aug. 12, 2025; CC Liu, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Succession? Dalai Lama turns 90 Sunday

I'll be back. I'll return. And it won't be like Saint Issa who said he would have second coming.

(DW) The 14th Dalai Lama affirms he will have a successor after his next death and rebirth

(Al Jazeera) How will the next (15th) Dalai Lama be chosen, who could it be? Will he return?

He may return as a "hot" female as he has said.

Who is the Dalai Lama? He turns 90 next Sunday, on July 6th, 2025. Only John Oliver (Last Week Tonight) has been able to get to the bottom of it. Why do Americans and most of the world (other than China) love him? He got to the bottom of that. The Dalai Lama is the alleged 14th reincarnation (rebirth) of a transformed Vedic Hindu deity named Avalokiteshvara (manifesting as the female deity Chenrezig, Guanyin, Kwannon, Kwan Yin). It's not that there have been 13 previous Dalai Lamas so much as the same one coming back, but not a Buddhist messiah figure. That messiah is Maitreya, the Buddha of the future.

Past life memories are not so unusual. We can remember

How will the next Dalai Lama be chosen – and who could it be?

(Al Jazeera English) July 2, 2025: The Dalai Lama has told followers that the role, that he embodies, will continue after his death. In a video message to a religious gathering in northern India he added that the search for a future Dalai Lama would be carried out in accordance with tradition. That's at odds with China's assertion it should choose the next Dalai Lama. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama is reincarnated into the body of a child. Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride reports on the succession process. Tibetan writer and activist Tenzin Tsundue says the Dalai Lama's statement cuts China out of the process to choose a successor.

Al Jazeera is funded in whole or in part by the Qatari government. Subscribe to channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe. Follow on X: x.com/ajenglish. Find on Facebook: aljazeera. Website: aljazeera.com. Check out Instagram: aljazeeraenglish. Download AJE mobile app: aje.io/AJEMobile. #DalaiLama #Tibet #Succession #Reincarnation #China #Dharamshala #TibetanBuddhism #Buddhism #Religion #AlJazeeraEnglish

Richard Gere celebrates Dalai Lama, 90

Tibet and China headed for spiritual showdown: How will the NEXT Dalai Lama be Chosen?

What are Buddhist relics, 'stupas'?

Secrets of the Dead: Bones of the Buddha - full documentary HD

Buddhist Stupa: What we know about Buddhist burial mound reliquaries

(Bodhisattva) Everything anyone needs to know about stupas might be found here. Stupas are some of the oldest structures venerated in India [and Central Asia long before that]. Until a thousand years ago the entire region of the Indian subcontinent from Afghanistan (ancient Gandhara) to formerly Buddhist Bangladesh was dotted with thousands of stupas, large and small. Sacred relics (sarira) are placed inside of them.

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka: Worship, Heritage, Wars

Now only a few survive that are also in very bad condition. Why were these stupas made in the first place? What is the significance of stupas in Buddhism? What role did they play in the spread of Buddhism? Why is this stupa different from that one and that one and this one? How are they different from each other apart from basic structural differences? Why have abandoned stupas in India been continuously targeted by treasure hunters for centuries? What was placed in stupas that is of such interest to the treasure hunters?

Ancient stone caskets that stored the Buddha’s relics | Sanchi Stupa, India

NOTE: The Buddha did not "die," which means rebirth. He ended samsara.

CHAPTERS

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:18 - Origin of stupas
• 3:55 - Types of stupas
• 6:18 - Architecture of stupas
• 11:52 - Rituals, pilgrimage, perambulation
• 15:46 - Global expansion and evolution of stupas

Celtic noblewoman Lady of Vix burial mound

Let's find out more about stupas and understand their significance so that the world can appreciate and preserve them better. Origin of stupas, different types, architecture, significance, and global expansion and evolution of stupa architecture. This is a comprehensive video on the subject. #Buddha #Stupa #Buddhism

• Bones of the Buddha; Bodhisattva; Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly