event proposal
the
moon fest
CON TENTS 03
moon fest | an introduction cultural variations
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chinese - mid autumn festival japanese - tsukimi korean - chuseok
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time and venue suggestions
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events lantern display entertainment workshops
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overview
Come celebrate with us at the first 2015 Moon Fest in the heart of London at Trafalgar Square! This dynamic event celebrates the Asian moon-gazing festival that Chinese, Japanese and Koreans all take part in. Come enjoy our beautiful lantern display, live performances and delicious food. Also don’t forget to sign up for a variety of funfilled workshops!
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WHAT IS THE
MOON FEST? The Moon Fest is based on the Mid-Autumn Festival that is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. For centuries, this festival has been one of the most important Chinese celebrations. It was an occasion where families got together to celebrate the abundance of a good harvest. Nowadays, it is a wonderful time of moon-gazing with the company of loved ones through fun activities and delicious food.
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CHINESE ( 中秋節 )
midau t um n f e s t i va l The Mid-Autumn Festival takes its name from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middle of the autumn season. The day is also known as the Moon Festival, as at that time of the year the moon is at its roundest and brightest. This festival is the second grandest festival after the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in China.
( 中秋節 ) ( 中秋節 ) ( 中秋節 ) 6
The festival is intricately linked to the legends of Chang E, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality. Once a beautiful mortal on earth, Chang E and her husband owned an elixir of immortality but was persecuted for it. In order to stop this elixir from falling into the wrong hands, Chang E swallowed it and gained powers to fly away into the sky. She had become a goddess. Her husband who was separated from her, grieved and took the food liked by Chang E to an altar and offered it as a sacrifice for her. After hearing that Chang E became a goddess, folk people also offered sacrifices to Chang E to pray for peace and good luck. Since then, the custom of sacrificing to the moon has been spread among the folklore.
Mid-Autumn Festival is an inherited custom of moon sacrificial ceremonies. The ancient Chinese observed that the movement of the moon had a close relationship with changes of the seasons and agricultural production. Hence, to express their thanks to the moon and celebrate the harvest, they offered a sacrifice to the moon on autumn days.
JAPANESE (
TSU KIMI
( 十五夜 ) ( 十五夜 ) ( 十五夜 ) 8
In the days of ancient Japan, the elite would gather beneath the full moon to write poems and drink sake (Japanese wine), while farmers would pray to the moon to ensure good crops.
月見
The custom of moon viewing held in midautumn is called Tsukimi and widely celebrated in Japan. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Japanese Solar Calendar, hence also known as Jugoya which translates as “the night of the 15th”.
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Tsukimi traditions include displaying decorations made from Japanese pampas grass (susuki) and eating rice dumplings called Tsukimi dango in order to celebrate the beauty of the moon.
Seasonal produce are also displayed as offerings to the moon. Sweet potatoes are offered to the full moon, while beans or chestnuts are offered to the waxing moon the following month.
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KOREAN (
추석
CHU SEOK
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추석
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Originally known as Hangawi, Chuseok is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Korean lunar calendar. It is one of the biggest and most important holidays and could be seen as the Korean version of Thanksgiving. Family members from near and far come together to share food and stories and to give thanks to their ancestors for an abundant harvest.
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During Chuseok, the major representative foods are freshly harvested rice, alcohol and songpyeon (rice cakes). Family members sit down together at the table to enjoy delicious food after the services where they honor their ancestors.
Ssireum matches are also a form of entertainment during Chuseok. During the match, two competitors face each other in the middle of a circular sandpit and try to pin their opponent using their strength and skills, running through a one on one tournament.
Visiting ancestral graves during Chuseok is known as Seongmyo. During this visit, family members remove the weeds that have grown around the graves in the summer season, a practice which is called Beolcho. This custom is considered a duty and expression of devotion and respect for one’s family.
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S U G G E S T E D
dat es + t i m e s f o r
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Friday September 25 Saturday September 26 Sunday September 27
5pm - 11:30pm 12pm - 11:30pm 3pm - 11:30pm
These dates were chosen because it would be ideal to hold the event during the weekend when more people would be able to attend the Moon Fest.
The actual day of the Mid-Autumn festival falls on Saturday September 26, 2015 but it would be better to have the event on multiple consecutive days to preserve the effort put into the set up of the elaborate lantern display (only if that plan is executed).
We are anticipating over 120,000 attendees in total, with 30,000 visitors on Friday, 50,000 visitors on Saturday and 40,000 visitors on Sunday evening. Saturday is predicted to have the highest attendance due to that day being the actual day of the moon festival.
A higher attendance is expected during evening times due to the lights in the lantern displays being turned on when it gets darker. However there would still be a steady flow of people coming in the afternoon due to the availability of workshop activities.
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lantern
d i s p l ay
( 中秋花燈 ) Nowadays, many cities across China arrange a host of magical lantern exhibitions and carnivals in homage to the Mid-Autumn Festival. These extravagant lantern sculptures are found at large outdoor events in parks at night.
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One tradition involving lanterns is to write riddles on lanterns and have other people try to guess the answers. Riddles of varying difficulty can be hung on the smaller lanterns, therefore allowing people to be entertained by challenging their minds.
By replicating and showcasing a colorful and beautifully designed lantern display, it would enhance the atmosphere of the festival in the evening and create many photo taking opportunities for attendees as well.
( 中秋花燈 ) ( 中秋花燈 ) ( 中秋花燈 ) 15
E N T E R T A I N M E N T
live per for man ces
d r a m a p e r f o r m a n c e Story of the Moon Goddess, Chang’E
Duration: 1 Hour
The story of Chang’E or the Moon Goddess is always remembered every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival. People offer mooncakes to her in honour, stare at the Moon in hopes of seeing her, and retell her sad tale of unrequited love. No one is certain of all the details of the Chang E legend, but the story goes something like this: Chang E was a beautiful young girl working in the Jade Emperor’s palace in heaven, where immortals, good people and fairies lived. One day, she accidentally broke a precious porcelain jar. Angered, the Jade Emperor banished her to live on earth, where ordinary people lived.
d a n c e / a c t i o n t r a d i t i o n a l m u s i c
Guest performers that specialize in folk and traditional dancing as well as martial arts (Taekwondo, Kungfu etc.) and acrobats will be invited to be a part of the program.
Guest performers (Solo and Ensemble Groups) that specialize in Chinese, Korean and Japanese Instruments will be invited to be part of the program.
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パフォーマンス ) 공연
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work shops
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mo oncake making Target Age Group: Ages 5 and above Participants per Workshop: 20 People Duration of Workshop: 1.5 hours
The moon cakes are round, symbolizing the reunion of a family, so it is easy to understand how the eating of moon cakes under the round moon can evoke longing for distant relatives and friends. One teacher will be teaching the workshop while one assistant will provide help and guidance to the participants if necessary. Workshop Procedures: 1. Storytelling of the Mooncake legends 2. Introduce the ingredients needed to make a mooncake 3. Instructor will demonstrate the process and participants will follow one step at a time 4. Hand out a recipe sheet for participants to take home
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j a pa n e s e dango Target Age Group: Ages 5 and above Participants per Workshop: 20 People Duration of Workshop: 1.5 hours
Female rabbit dango (Japanese dumpling) are filled with anko (sweet red bean paste), while the male rabbits are filled with kinpira (Stir-fried filling that is seasoned with sugar and soy sauce) One teacher will be teaching the workshop while one assistant will provide help and guidance to the participants if necessary. Workshop Procedures: 1. Storytelling about the Moon Rabbit and the tradition of eating dango 2. Introduce the ingredients needed to make dango 3. Instructor will demonstrate the process and participants will follow one step at a time 4. Hand out a recipe sheet for participants to take home
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lantern making Target Age Group: Children (Ages 3-8) Participants per Workshop: 15 people Duration of Workshop: 1 hour
One teacher will be teaching the workshop while two assistants will provide help and guidance to the young participants. Workshop Procedures: 1. Storytelling about the legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival 2. Introduce the significance of lanterns in Chinese culture 3. Introduce the available art supplies 4. Allow children to decorate their own lanterns 5. Cut lanterns with scissors and fold to assemble the lantern. Younger children may need help with cutting.
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overview The Moon Fest is truly a great opportunity to fuel multicultural interactions within London’s community, as it would also heighten the cultural profile of this city and make it even more attractive and welcoming to its people and even tourists during the month of September. Organizing and hosting The Moon Fest would also demonstrate that this borough is respectful to these Asian cultures. It will be a place of exciting collaboration between a multitude of cultural organizations. A festival like this celebrates diversity and will continuously inspire people to find ways to embrace the unique traditions of each culture.
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