The moon festival is the second most important festival in the traditional Chinese calendar and occurs on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. This year's moon festival falls on September 28.

The moon on that night is thought to be brighter, fuller and more beautiful than at any other time. And it is time for the Chinese people to mark their Moon Festival, or the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The round shape symbolizes family reunion. Therefore the day is a holiday for family members to get together and enjoy the full moon - an auspicious token of abundance, harmony and luck.

Myths and legends abound in Chinese culture about the moon, hence the popularity of this festival. Perhaps the best known myth is of Chang'er flying to the moon.

In this story, it is said that a long time ago, there were 10 suns in the sky, causing great misery to the inhabitants of earth, with the seas boiling, mountains falling and the earth cracking. An expert archer Hou Yi decided to help and took his bow and shot down nine of the ten suns.

Because of this the people of the earth made him king. However, his pride soon lead him to become a tyrant, drinking, womanising and killing people as he liked. He became much disliked by the people, and seeing that his days were numbered went to see Wang Mu the Fairy Queen in search of the elixir of immortality.

Although he obtained the elixir, his wife Chang'er drank it before he could to save the people from his tyranny. Chang'er was transported to the moon where she still lives.

Round "moon cakes", made of fruit, ice cream, yogurt, pork, mushrooms, green tea, flowers, jelly etc., are a traditional food eaten during the festival. People also enjoy pomelos on this day; yu, the Chinese word for pomelo, sounds the same as another Chinese word to beseech the moon god for protection.