by Bowen Fang ~
Hosts of the Mid-Autumn Festival stand waiting for the lights to be turned on. (Photo credit: James Leavy/Daily Collegian)
On September 20th, around 1,000 students gathered in Eisenhower Auditorium on the Penn State University Park campus to celebrate one of China’s most significant festivals, the Mid-Autumn Festival (otherwise known as the Moon Festival). Once a year, the Penn State Chinese Student and Scholars Association presents a vibrant and culturally rich performance full of traditional song, dance, and history, an event that brings together Chinese students but also shares the traditional event with students from many cultures.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has over 3,000 years of rich history since the Zhou Dynasty (1045-221 BC). Ancient Chinese emperors worshiped the harvest moon every autumn, as they believed that the practice would bring them a plentiful harvest the following year. The custom of offering sacrifices to the moon originated from worshiping the Chinese Goddess of the Moon, and it was recorded that kings offered sacrifices to the moon in fall during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1045 – 770 BC). Since the Tang dynasty (618-907 BC), this festival has become very popular and its meaning has become more culturally significant. One of the important meanings of this festival has already switched from worshiping the moon goddess to celebrating the family reunions in modern China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as the moon in its roundness signifies return and connection to family.
Penn State’s 2019 Mid-Autumn Festival brought together students from various organizations and backgrounds. The performances included modern dance numbers from the Bounce Dance Organization and K-Pop Music and Dance Club, but also more traditional performances historically associated with the festival, presented by musicians and dancers from the Chinese Student and Scholars Association.
I enjoyed this evening of connection and nostalgia with my Chinese classmates, but in addition, I enjoyed sharing our traditions and culture with others. We helped some American students understand what was going on during the show and were pleased to see students who came from different countries get a better understanding of Chinese culture.
For the first part of the evening, around 20 experienced Chinese undergraduate instrumentalists came to the stage and perform five traditional songs by using a guzheng (a 21-25 stringed instrument in the zither family), a lute, an erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument with a lower register), a Chinese flute, and war drums. The five songs are about the stories of how the first Emperor, from the Huang Dynasty (2717 BC-2599 BC), built up the Chinese nation. Those five songs were so soul-stirring, and they brought us back to a time when China was the most powerful country in the world.
A member of the the Chinese Student and Scholar Association plays the yueqin, a traditional Chinese instrument. (Photo credit: James Leavy/Daily Collegian)
The second part of the ceremony is the Long Sleeves Dance, which was performed by about 20 Chinese undergraduates. This kind of dance has been around since the Qin dynasty (221BC-207BC), and it is one of the traditional Chinese royal dances that were at one time performed only in the palace.
Extra-long sleeves are associated with Confucian moral conduct, which promoted covering the entire body from sunlight. The sleeves are used as both an extension of the hands or are thrown back to reveal sensitive and beautiful hand movements of the dancer. Nowadays, this dance has evolved into a folk dance where people perform in order to celebrate important festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival. Dancers need to be trained for many years to understand the essence of this ancient dance.
-
-
Long Sleeves Dance (Image Source: Penn State Chinese Students and Scholars Association Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/pennstatecssa/)
-
Here at Penn State, the performers of this dance electrified the audience and elicited strong emotions of homesickness. They not only reflected a reverence for Chinese dancing culture, but also showed their deep affection for the profound nature of Chinese culture.
In summary, this kind of ceremony provides a bond to connect international students with their cultures and with each other.
One thousand years ago, one of the greatest poets in Chinese history Su Shi (1037BC-1101BC) wrote “Prelude to Water Melody,” often hailed as the best poem on the Mid-Autumn. Enjoy the spirit of the festival: