Tonight we were in Chinatown to check out the tail end of this year’s mid-autumn festival, held at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. This was a two night event, inviting guests and those interested in learning more about this tradition to visit on both Saturday and Sunday night.
Tickets included entry to the entirety of the garden, and that in itself was worth it. Normally only the front court hard is accessible, so to be able to gain access and explore at our leisure was lovely.
Not to mention the gardens just looks and feels different after dark. Things were especially lovely with the full moon offering additional light and casting reflections onto the still ponds.
There were lit archways, overturned paper umbrellas hanging from the ceiling in decoration, and a variety of lanterns strung in celebration of the occasion.
For those unfamiliar, the festival symbolizes family unity and the joy of reuniting with loved ones during the harvest season. At the heart of the festivities are cherished traditions such as sharing mooncakes, lighting colourful lanterns, admiring the full moon at its brightest, and honouring ancestors in gratitude for the harvest.
The lanterns themselves symbolize reunion, hope, good fortune, and the dispelling of darkness. This reflects the festival’s core themes of family togetherness and prosperity. They are displayed to symbolize thus prosperity and guide paths to good luck. Historically, lanterns also represented unity and family, with customs like releasing lanterns symbolizing missing loved ones and yearning for a better life.
This weekend’s activations included a Lion Dance, Cantonese Opera, Guzheng Music, Roaming Magic, Mooncake Tasting, Osmanthus Incense Experience, Traditional Sugar Arts, Lantern Making, and a Family-Friendly Lantern Walk under the Full Moon.
Sadly our late arrival meant that we caught mostly the end of everything, including the last performance of light up fan and cloak dancing.
The dancer was accompanied by a musician playing the Guzheng, a Chinese plucked zither.
We helped ourselves at the make your own mooncake magnet station, and had help making our own mooncake pins.
There was a stamp station where you could pick a design and have the satisfaction of stamping it yourself on to a cardboard stock card as a souvenir.
I tried their Osmanthus Incense Experience, thinking I could redeem myself from my first attempt at the Sun Yat-Sen garden fundraiser the other day. This would not be the case.
There was also a tea seminar where you could learn proper technique then enjoy a cup on this colder night.
There were also art installations like a giant Buddha board for you to paint water onto bamboo paper that will eventually fade and disappear. The premise is the reminder that nothing lasts forever, so to appreciate what you do have now all the more.
And guests could leave their mark by helping to colour in a scene of the garden.
Others took the time to fold their own paper lanterns.
For those who didn’t want to, they could buy a paper one at the gift stand. Other stands sold mooncakes that you could sample then buy. There was one that sold rabbit and moon lollipops that fit in with the night’s theme.
The rabbit is synonymous with the Mid-Autumn Festival as a symbol of longevity, good fortune, and reunion. It is believed that the Jade Rabbit lived on the moon, pounding herbs or medicine for an elixir of life alongside the Moon Goddess Chang’e. The legend of the rabbit’s self-sacrifice to feed disguised sages led to its immortality and position on the moon, creating a celestial presence and inspiring decorations and traditions for the festival. (But that is a story for another day).
I was enamoured by the traditional sugar art. Poured candied caramel made into a variety of shapes then attached to a stick for easy transporting and eating.
For those who missed things and are interested in visiting next year, below is a list of all the entertainment provided during this showcase.
Performances
- Lion Dance by Hon Hsing Club
- Cantonese Opera by Vancouver Cantonese Opera
- Live Guzheng music by Barrett Bai, our resident Guzheng performer
- Roaming Magic with Rod Chow
- Roving Mid-Autumn Dance by Chloe Chua (Changeling Movement)
Food & Demonstrations
- Mooncake tasting with SunGiven Mooncakes
- Mooncake demonstration with Lucia Zhang, Fuye Gourmet
- Incense stenciling with JJW Aromas Studio
- Traditional sugar arts by Yee Chan
- Mossball demonstrations with Plantalogue
Arts & Crafts
- Lantern Making
- Paper Fan Dipping
- Multi-sensory art and painting with Jesse & Jenna Gouchey, MISKA Society
- Buddha Board interactive installation
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
578 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2
(604) 662-3207
vancouverchinesegarden.com
