As the autumn equinox approaches, the point of direct sunlight gradually moves to the southward and the day and the night gradually become equal. Now the time has entered into the third season of the year—autumn. The first raining day in Wuzhen with a slight chill feeling a bit cool means the autumn have been here.

In June, 2018, the State Council announced the approval of the "Chinese Farmers Harvest Festival" and established the lunar autumn equinox as the "Chinese Farmers Harvest Festival", so the autumn equinox has a new name.

Autumn is the season when crops mature and it is also a festival for people to reunite. This year, after the autumn equinox is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Because of the two festivals together, it makes people have many expectations, not only for the wonderful nature but also for the joy of the reunion.

In order to celebrate the two festivals, Wu Village will launch a celebration on the theme of “Farmers' Harvest, Mid-Autumn Festival” on September 23, and invite all friends to celebrate the festival with lots of traditional activities such as offering moon festivals, hand-made moon cakes, and guessing under the moonlights. This modern international town still maintains the greatest respect for traditional festivals.

Handmade moon cakes

September 22-September 24

Wu Village Baking Workshop

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the traditional Chinese festivals. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, usually in the middle period of the three autumn months, a time that in the cloudless sky hangs high a bright moon. The full moon is thought as a symbol of family reunion, therefore the festival is also named by the ancient people as “Reunion Festival”; while people now are used to call it as “Mooncake Festival” because of its tradition of eating mooncakes.

In the past, people in Wu Zhen preferred eating Suzhou-style mooncakes. The whole family would sit together to enjoy the full bright moon and the joy of family reunion. Nowadays, with a rich variety of mooncakes, more different kinds of mooncakes come to their dinning tables.

This year, the Baking Workshop in Wuzhen has introduced two special kinds of snow skin mooncake and fresh meat mooncake with mustard. Coming with clever hands, you can participate in the making process and have a taste.

Hand folding paper rabbit

September 22-September 24

Wu Village private school

The story of the Chang’e must be very familiar to everyone. She stole the elixir and became the moon god in the moon. From then on, there was only a rabbit called Yutu that accompanied with her.

You will be taught to fold paper rabbit at the Hand Private DIY Room in Wu Village in Mid-Autumn Festival. In this summer, Paper Art Class of the summer camp in Wu Village was welcomed by many friends. A paper art master of the Class will be invited to teach you how to fold. Please don’t miss it.

Lantern Riddles

September 23

Wu Village: Riverside Bar

Wuzhen West Scenic Spot: Zhaoming Academy 

Guessing riddles is one of the traditional activities in the Mid-Autumn Festival in China. At 8:15 pm to 9:00 pm on the 23rd, we will hang the lanterns and riddles under the lights at the Wu Village Riverside Bar and the Zhaoming Academy. We have prepared a lot of gifts as a reward for your riddles.

Sacrifice to Luna with incense

September 24

Wu Village: Riverside Bar

West Scenic Spot: White Lotus Tower Square 

The Book of Rites has the record of "Qiumu Xiyue", that is, the meaning of sacrifice to the moon god. The festival ceremony is also a traditional retention item in Wuzhen's Mid-Autumn festival activities.

Since last year, the festival ceremony has to be held in the Wu village bonfire area. People set the case table incense, put a variety of flags and the stories about moon. All the moon cakes, fruits and melons on the table are produced in Wu village, which is in line with the autumn harvest.

Local elders in Wuzhen preside over meetings. "Fairies" dressed in traditional costumes dance and send moon cakes to visitors with blessings of health.

Performance of the Civic Corner in Wuzhen West Scenic Spot

Evening on September 23

Wuzhen West Civic Corner (Zhaoming Academy Inn Square)

There is a Civic Corner in the middle of Wuzhen West Scenic when people usually go there for rest and relax, so the corner was called “West Open-air Tea House” in the past. People from town and countryside all came to here together and drunk tea, talked to each other or held activities in the past.

This summer, the Wuzhen West Civic Corner was reopened. Citizens and tourists were dancing, playing and performing different programs everyday.

On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, performer will bring a show to all visitors. At that time, various activities such as cheongsam show and dance performance will be staged.

Mid-Autumn Evening Feast

September 23

Wu Village Riverside Bar Outfield 

(Change the place to Rose Restaurant in case of rainy days)

Autumn is the season of harvest and Mid-Autumn Festival is a reunion day. Nowadays people's living standards are increasing day by day so the trend for families to travel abroad during festivals is more popular, but no matter travel or not, a good dinner is indispensable.

In order to feel the atmosphere of the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival during travellers’ vacation, Wu Village has set the venue for the dinner at the Riverside Bar so that they can enjoy full moon and have a pleasure time with their family.

Note: The dinner will be held in Rose Restaurant if rainy.

The ancient Wuzhen with the quaint Wu Village. We are here waiting for you to come with me to the spend the time in Mid-Autumn Festival.