Did You Know San Francisco Celebrates the Moon?

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007 @ 9:28 pm | San Francisco, City Living

While Westerners may talk about the “man in the moon”, the Chinese speak of the “woman in the moon”.

Harvest Moon over San Francisco, CA

As our days are getting noticeably shorter with the Autumn Equinox now behind us, there is good reason why every San Franciscan takes notice of the moon.  Both September’s Harvest and October’s Hunter’s full moons rise in the East roughly at approximately the same time the sun sets in the West and vice a versa in the early morning. What a perfect time for every San Franciscan to celebrate the Chinese “woman in the moon”.  

 17th Annual Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair, San Francisco, CA

On the 15t h day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the bounty of the summer harvest, the fullness of the moon and the immortal moon Goddess, Chang O (who lives in the moon) is celebrated in different parts of Asia with festivals of many names: the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Moon Festival, and/or Moon Cake Festival.

Idle Dragon awaiting to dance down Grant Street at the 2007 Chinatown Annual Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair, San Francisco, CA

One of two auspicious San Francisco festivals in Chinatown each year (Chinese Lunar New Year being the other) is the highly celebrated Annual Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair and one not to be missed next year.  

Dragon Dance at the 2007 Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival, San Francisco, CA

Walking down Grant Street, one can easily imagine being at any one of these Asian festivals with the excitement of dragon dancers performing to the beat of the drums and gongs.

In concert Chinese Opera at the Annual Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival Street Fair, San Francisco, CA 

And listening to the unique sound of a Chinese Opera in concert on the street.  

 Street Vendors sold Moon Cakes at the Chinatown Annual Autumn Moon Festival, San Francisco, CA

And the sound of Chinese vendors calling out 月饼, 月饼  (moon cakes, moon cakes) on the street, as they sell the traditional festival food, the moon cake. The moon cake is to be eaten outside under the Harvest Moon with good friends and family, looking up at the rising “woman in the moon”, as the moon cake symbolizes a “Chinese Thanksgiving” of sorts as the bounty of the summer harvest ends. 

 

 

What better time to eat a moon cake with man’s best friend in San Francisco, CA

Mark your calendar now for another San Francisco photo-op as the October Hunter Moon rises on Thursday, October 25 just as the sun is setting at 5:51 PM and look for the “woman in the moon”.

 

 

 

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    One Response to “Did You Know San Francisco Celebrates the Moon?”

    1. Do you have your camera ready? | San Francisco Real Estate Properties Says:

      […] you recall, last month in my article entitled  “Did You Know San Francisco Celebrates the Moon?”, I said that Thursday, October 25, […]

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