Hi everyone, Lausla Montgomery here again. This week's China History Podcast will be much lighter

fair than usual, and certainly lighter than last week's episode. That was a heavy meal. Like we did back in January

when the Chinese New Year rolled around, this time we're going to look at one of the

other big three traditional Chinese holidays, the mid-autumn festival.

This year it's going to be held on September 12th, so wherever you are, go out and Kanieliang. Go look at the moon. Like I said this is one of the big three in China,

the other being the Chinese New Year of course, the Spring Festival. The other is the Dongzir, the winter solstice. Today we look at

Jong-Cho-Chiye, the mid-autumn festival, and what it's all about. This one, believe it or not, goes all the way back to the

Scheng Dynasty, you know the first real dynasty of China, 1600 to 1046 BC.

Remember from an earlier podcast, everyone thought

Sama Chin was pulling their leg about this dynasty's existence, but show enough in 1899 the ruins of

Yin, the Yin Shu, were discovered in Anyanang, proving the existence of this up until that time legendary dynasty.

And all those who doubted Soma Chien, who mentioned the Scheng Dynasty and his records of the Grand Historian.

They had to bow in reverence and respect.

Chinese holidays, well, there's a lot of them, but only six of them are big enough to be

public holidays.

So of all the holidays in China, the big ones are of course

Chinese New Year, Ching Ming, Dragon Boat,

Mid- Autumn, and Double Nine, or chong yang.

That day is also known as the Chinese Thanksgiving.

It's an important family get-together day where a big banquet is served and everyone

eats Teng yin and jion Yang, or if you're a northerner, for sure you'll have

dumplings. Chingming is the holiday known as Grave Sweeping Day. You know, you visit your ancestors' graves.

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