Moon Festival, Sunday, 9/14

News from Xinhua Newsnet, China


BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's first moon probe satellite Chang'e-1 sent back greetings to earth on Sunday, China's Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Let's (all Chinese compatriots) enjoy together the bright moonlight and look forward to our reunion," the verbal wishes said, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

The traditional festival, which falls on the full-moon fifteenth day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is associated with reunion.

The satellite also sent two songs, both featuring reunion, besides the verbal wishes.

One is named "Ali Mountain Girl", a famous song describing young people's love affair of Gaoshan ethnic group in Taiwan. It was created in 1949 by Deng Yuping for an Ali Mountain-related movie and became very popular across China in 1960s.

The other song was named after one famous Chinese poem written by Su Shi, an eminent writer of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), saying "We (lovers) wish each other a long life so as to share the beauty of this graceful moonlight, even though far apart."

The song was written in the 1980s for Teresa Teng -- "pop music classic" singer in the heart of Chinese worldwide, by Liang Hongzhi, a famed singer in Taiwan.

Sep. 12

BEIJING, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- With the first mid-autumn festival holiday nearly upon China, many people are asking 'what is it for?'

An online survey by the website Sohu.com saw 55.7 percent of the 1,313 respondents saying they would spend the holiday with their families. The festival, similar to the Spring Festival or the dragon boat festival, has been a time for family reunion since ancient China.

Li Kang, from Pingxiang City of eastern Jiangxi Province, never celebrated the festival with his family during his college years. Work pressure after graduation made him ignore the get-together moment.

But this weekend, Li would celebrate the mid-autumn festival with his parents in his hometown. The three days off, including this weekend, allowed him to go home.

Li said the Sichuan earthquake in May made him think that leading a safe and simple life with the family was the key to happiness.