Reminiscent of “Reunion Day”

by vicky

There is a classical Chinese poem that mentions "On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one’s dear ones far away”. It means people miss family and friends particularly when the Mid-Autumn festival, one of the famous Chinese reunion days, comes. As one of the overseas Chinese immigrants in Chicago, the strong homesickness is deep in my heart because some customs have been lost, so I cannot feel the lively atmosphere in the Mid-Autumn festival anymore.  Especially looking at the full moon in the night sky, I always miss some special celebratory customs of the Mid-Autumn festival in China.

Since I moved to Chicago, I don’t hang lanterns in anymore. Even though it is a traditional celebration of the Mid-Autumn festival custom, which is particularly joyful for children. Whenever the Mid-Autumn festival came in China, every family put beautiful red lanterns on the door to celebrate the big traditional festival. Lighted lanterns in the evening made the street look beautiful like a red dragon.  On this day, my parents would buy a traditional paper lantern for me when I was a child. In the night of the Mid-Autumn festival, I used to carry own little lantern to the small courtyard and sing the traditional Mid-Autumn festival songs with friends. It was a very happy time in my childhood. Since I came to the United States, I have never played with the lantern in the Mid-Autumn festival because there are no traditional lanterns to sell, and friends who have lived here a long time are all unfamiliar with this custom. Therefore, I no longer see lanterns flooding the streets, I no longer see children playing with lanterns in the street, and I no longer feel the joy that the lanterns brought me.

            Since coming to the United States, I not only lost the meaningful playing for fun, but I also gradually lost the traditional Mid-Autumn custom, which is having dinner with family. The implied meaning of The Mid-Autumn festival is reunion. Many people in China would take advantage of the vacation to go home and reunite with their family. Therefore, the dinner of Mid-Autumn festival is very meaningful. My parents and I would go back to the countryside to meet many relatives and have dinner together when we were in China. For younger generations who are usually very busy, my grandma and grandpa were the most happy in this special holiday because they could see us all. At night, the family sat around a large table to have the big dinner. Everyone would chat, toast together and be immersed in happiness. I have felt the family reunion was the best time when I looked at the smile in each person’s face. Since I came here, I felt alone in the Mid-Autumn festival because of the far distance. My relatives are in China except my parents. We can't have the big dinner with big family. Now in Chicago, I can only use telephone greeting with my family instead of the big dinner for reunion in Mid-Autumn.

While the family reunion is an important part of the Mid-Autumn festival, the Mid-Autumn tradition of eating moon cake and enjoying the full moon with family is the custom which we cannot ignore in China. However, this has changed since coming to the US. Whenever the Mid-Autumn festival comes, the moon is full, and its shape means reunion. Moon cakes are also like this. Their round appearance is like the full moon, and also means the reunion. Therefore, whenever the day arrives, people would eat the moon cake to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival. In China, after dinner on that day, I would sit on the patio with family and eat moon cakes together with everyone while at the same time enjoy the moon. Looking at the large full moon, elders would talk about the past, and young people would talk about the future. In this sweet moment, the full moon and moon cake make everyone's heart feel closer. Although there is a full moon in U.S. which is the same with china’s in the Mid-Autumn festival, the difference is that no family member celebrates together because of the distance, and also parents still have to work in the Mid-Autumn festival. Therefore I felt alone. This simple but meaningful custom is getting lost, and it makes me feel lonely.

            The Mid-Autumn festival is coming this year, but the festival that got lost in translation makes my homesickness stronger and stronger. The past time is always good, but the reality is cruel. Living in a new land, I have had to give up some precious things from the past, such as some significant and meaningful customs. However, change is not equal to forgetfulness. I am trying to accept this new lifestyle at the same time. The good time in past and the traditional culture are still strong memories.