among the festivals celebrated by some of Asian people is the Moon Cake Festival, also known as the Mid August Festival. Large numbers of small round moon cake are eaten on this day, and children enjoy carrying colorful paper lanterns come in all shapes; the most popular ones are shaped like fish, rabbits and butterflies. According to them, the moon shines the brightest on the night of the Moon Cake Festival. This is one of the biggest music festival in Central Asia. The festival aims to popularise national music, to develop new talents in music as well as to spread it to international circuit. 3. Chabana or Cowboy festival Chabana is a festival in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan border which brings together local herders. In some other Asian countries such as Thailand or Laos, the festival is celebrated around late October or early November to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent & the beginning of the festive season. During the festival, houses are festooned with colorful lanterns, often with riddles written on them; if the riddle is answered correctly, the solver Among the dimerent festivals in Asian region, are there similarities with the Philippine festival celebrations? Explain your answer - 15912929. answered 1. Among the The anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano stresses that "in most cases, language is the only differentiating element in ethnic cultures, particularly among those which occupy adjacent and. Knowledge and expertise on history, dynamics, and issues of Mindanao, Muslim communities and indigenous peoples may be shared by Mindanao resource persons with rIlhlt. The most popular festivals in Southeast Asia originate from a wide variety of religious and cultural traditions. The Buddhist worldview inspires Songkran and Vesak. The Taoist tradition celebrates Chinese New Year and the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Muslims celebrate the month-long Ramadan fasting season and Eid al-Fitr at its end. As most of these traditions follow different calendars, the dates vary relative to the Gregorian calendar; we've included their dates through 2023. 01 of 09 Chinese New Year Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board / Goh Koon Peng The significant ethnic Chinese presence in Southeast Asia celebrates its biggest festival during the Chinese New Year. All across the region—but most especially in Penang, Singapore,​ and Vietnam—street bazaars, fireworks, and family reunions mark the changing of calendars. Penang, in particular, specializes in Chinese New Year foods that are rarely served at any other time of the year; in Singapore, families celebrate by preparing and eating the tossed raw-fish salad known as yu sheng. Dates Moveable feast, following the Chinese lunar calendar—January 25 2020, Friday, February 12 2021, February 1 2022, and January 22 2023Celebrated in Penang, Singapore, Vietnam, and in cities with significant ethnic Chinese communities 02 of 09 Thaipusam Chris McGrath / Staff / Getty Images The Tamil Indian community in Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Thaipusam to honor the Hindu god Subramaniam Lord Murugan; thousands of devotees carry painful-looking offerings called kavadi, attached to each devotee's skin with 108 metal skewers each. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thaipusam festivities take place at the Batu Caves, where the procession ascends 272 steps up to a cave chamber marked with a massive statue of Lord Murugan. A smaller procession takes place in nearby Penang, where the procession moves from the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple to the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani hilltop temple. Dates Moveable feast, following the Tamil calendar—February 8 2020, January 28 2021, January 18 2022, and February 5 2023Celebrated in Malaysia and Singapore 03 of 09 Songkran Kampee Patisena / Getty Images This traditional Buddhist new year celebration occurs around the end of the planting season, now codified to occur between April 13 to 15 every year. Historically, the region's farmers had a rare break in their busy planting schedules at this time of year and could take time to celebrate with their communities. The celebrations are marked with the act of throwing water on passersby, whether in Thailand's Songkran, Cambodia's Chol Chnam Thmey, Laos' Bun Pi Mai, or Myanmar's Thingyan. Devotees in each country believe that water washes away bad luck; thus anybody, on the streets is fair game to be drenched with water pistols or smeared in wet talcum powder. Dates April 13 to 15 annually Gregorian calendarCelebrated in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand 04 of 09 Vesak Jung-Pang Wu / Getty Images Buddhists in Southeast Asia celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha on Vesak. It's believed that good deeds done on this day will return more merit than any other time of the year. Buddhist communities redouble their efforts to do deeds of generosity on this day. The most scenic Vesak celebrations take place near Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Thousands of Buddhists from all over the world gather at Borobudur in a procession bearing sacred objects like holy relics, volumes of holy books, and offerings; after ascending to the pinnacle, monks release sky lanterns into the air to commemorate Buddha’s bringing enlightenment to the world. Dates Moveable feast, following the Buddhist calendar—May 6 2020, May 26 2021, May 16 2022, and May 6 2023Celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos Continue to 5 of 9 below. 05 of 09 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr vm2002 / Getty Images Throughout the fasting month of Ramadan, the Muslim communities in Southeast Asia come together to feast after dark. Tourists can chow on Ramadan food at the pasar malam or night markets that populate the streets—take your pick from curries, rice cakes, and other Malaysian street foods; or browse through clothes, souvenirs, and CDs on display. The end of Ramadan—Eid al-Fitri, or Hari Raya Puasa in Malaysia—is met with joy, as families stage get-togethers and congregate at the mosques for Thanksgiving. Places like Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia come alive with exultant devotees join them if you like, just observe proper mosque etiquette. Singapore's significant Malay Muslim population can be found partying mainly in Kampong Glam, Singapore. Dates Moveable feast, following the first sighting of the crescent moon—Eid al-Fitri falls on May 24 2020, May 12 2021, May 2 2022, and April 21 2023Celebrated in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore 06 of 09 Galungan Sheldon Levis / Getty Images The Balinese celebrate the victory of good Dharma over evil Adharma during the festival season known as Galungan. Following the 210-day Balinese Pawukon Calendar, Galungan takes a full 10 days to celebrate, within which the spirits of the ancestors are believed to be visiting, thus encouraging the Balinese to show their gratitude to the divines in different ways. Families offer bountiful sacrifices of food and flowers in their family altars and at local temples. The sides of houses sprout tall bamboo poles called "penjor," and villagers welcome the mythical beast known as the "barong" into their homes, in an exorcism ceremony known as Ngelawang. Dates Moveable feast, following the Balinese pawukon calendar—February 19 to 29 and September 16 to 26 2020, April 14 to 24 and November 10 to 20 2021, June 8 to 18 2022, and January 4 to 14 2023Celebrated in Bali, Indonesia 07 of 09 Hungry Ghost Festival NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty Images Following the Taoist belief in the afterlife, the Hungry Ghost Festival marks the seventh lunar month, when the afterlife momentarily allows the spirits of the dead to roam in the world of the living. For Chinese communities in Malaysia particularly Chinatown and Singapore particularly Penang and Melaka, the Hungry Ghost month is a time to make offerings of food and burnt prayer money to the deceased to appease them. Stages are set up to entertain the ghosts and the living as well with music and theatrical performances. Dates Moveable feast, following the Chinese lunar calendar—September 2 2020, August 22 2021, August 12 2022, and August 30 2023Celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, and in cities with significant ethnic Chinese communities 08 of 09 Deepavali Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board Known elsewhere as Diwali, the Tamil Indian community in Singapore and Malaysia celebrates Deepavali to commemorate Lord Krishna's victory over Narakasura, cementing the victory of good over evil. Deepavali is also the Hindu equivalent of the new year; Indian families take time to hold reunions through the season. In the Singapore ethnic enclave of Little India, street markets flourish outdoors, dispensing spices, flowers, fine clothing, and traditional dishes to locals and tourists alike. Dates Moveable feast, following the Tamil calendar—November 14 2020, November 4 2021, October 24 2022, and November 9 2023Celebrated in Malaysia and Singapore Continue to 9 of 9 below. 09 of 09 Christmas Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board The Christian population in Singapore and the largely Catholic Philippines throw the biggest Christmas celebrations in the region. Singapore's Christmas in the Tropics coincides with massive street light-ups, shopping specials read about shopping in Singapore and parties ramping up to the New Year festivities in Sentosa and Marina Bay. In the Philippines, the capital Manila experiences massive gridlock leading up to Christmas—families hold reunions during the Yuletide season and hang up lanterns called parol outside their houses. The Giant Lantern Festival shows off the biggest and brightest of these parol. Dates December 25 annually Gregorian calendarCelebrated in Philippines and Singapore Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhongqiu Jie 中秋节 in Chinese, is also called the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival. It is the second most important festival in China after Chinese New Year. It is also celebrated by many other Asian countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In China, Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of the rice harvest and many fruits. Ceremonies are held both to give thanks for the harvest and to encourage the harvest-giving light to return again in the coming year. It is also a reunion time for families, a little like Thanksgiving. Chinese people celebrate it by gathering for dinners, worshiping the moon, lighting paper lanterns, eating mooncakes, etc. Content Preview Mid-Autumn Festival 2023 Date Why Mid-Autumn Festival is Celebrated? How People Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival Mid-Autumn Festival Stories Mooncakes and Other Foods Happy Mid Autumn Festival Greetings Mid-Autumn Festival Dates in 2023, 2024... Mid-Autumn Festival traditionally falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. As, traditionally, the four seasons each have three lunar months, day 15 of month 8 is "the middle of autumn", hence the festival's lunar date. For more, see How the Date of Mid-Autumn Festival Is Determined. In 2023, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 29th Friday. Chinese people have a 2-day public holiday September 29th and 30th. Year Date Public Holiday 2023 September 29 Friday Sep. 29 2024 September 17 Tuesday Sep. 17 to 18 2025 October 6 Monday Oct. 6 2026 September 25 Friday Sep. 25 Why Mid-Autumn Festival is Celebrated? Mid-Autumn Festival has a history of over 3,000 years. It was derived from the custom of worshiping the moon in autumn to thank it for the harvest. In the process of cultural/historical developments, Mid-Autumn Festival has been infused with more meanings, including families gathering together and praying for good health and happiness. In modern times, people mainly celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival as a time for family reunions. It is said the moon on this day is the brightest and roundest, which has come to mean family reunion. Because of the central theme of family reunion, sometimes the festival evokes comparison to Thanksgiving in the You might want to read more on Mid-Autumn Festival Origins or 10 Interesting Mid-Autumn Facts. How People Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival As the second most important festival in China, Mid-Autumn Festival Zhongqiu Jie is celebrated in many traditional ways. Here are some of the most popular traditional celebrations. 1. Enjoying a Dinner with Family The roundness of the moon represents the reunion of the family in Chinese minds. Families will have dinner together on the evening of Mid-Autumn Festival. The public holiday usually 3 days is mainly for Chinese people working in different places to have enough time to reunite. Those staying too far away from their parents' home usually get together with friends. 2. Eating Mooncakes Mooncakes are the most representative food for Mid-Autumn Festival. Their round shape and sweet flavor symbolize completeness and sweetness. At the Mid-Autumn Festival, people eat mooncakes together with family, or present mooncakes to relatives or friends, to express their love and best wishes. Mooncakes are usually eaten after dinner while admiring the moon. Click to know Mooncakes — Symbols, Flavors, Regional Varieties, and How to Eat Mooncakes. 3. Appreciating the Moon The full moon is the symbol of family reunions in Chinese culture. It is said, sentimentally, that "the moon on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival is the brightest and the most beautiful". Chinese people usually set a table outside their houses and sit together to admire the full moon while enjoying tasty mooncakes. Parents with little kids often tell the legend of Chang'e Flying to the Moon. As a game, kids try their best to find the shape of Chang'e on the moon. There are many Chinese poems praising the beauties of the moon and expressing people's longing for their friends and families at Mid-Autumn. 4. Worshiping the Moon Worshiping the Moon According to the legend of Mid-Autumn Festival, a fairy maiden named Chang'e lives on the moon with a cute rabbit. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, people set a table under the moon with mooncakes, snacks, fruits, and a pair of candles lit on it. Some believe that by worshiping the moon, Chang'e the moon goddess may fulfill their wishes. 5. Making and Carrying Mid-Autumn Festival Lanterns Mid-Autumn Festival Lanterns Lanterns are a notable part of Mid-Autumn Festival. People make lanterns, carry lanterns to do moon gazing, hang lanterns in trees or houses, release sky lanterns, or visit public lantern displays, hence it is even be known as a lantern festival not to be confused with the Lantern Festival on the full moon after Chinese New Year. Lanterns have long been associated with the festival since the Tang Dynasty 618–907, possibly because of their traditional symbolization of luck, light, and familial togetherness. Mid-Autumn lanterns have many shapes and can resemble animals, plants, or flowers. A tradition is to write riddles on lanterns so that people can enjoy solving them with friends or family. In modern times, besides traditional activities, many Chinese people send WeChat red envelopes and/or go traveling during the 3-day public holiday to celebrate the festival. Check out more on Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrations. Mid-Autumn Festival in other Asian Nations In many Asian communities besides China, Mid-Autumn Festival is widely celebrated. Many interesting activities with unique local features are held. In Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines — three countries with many ethnic Chinese citizens — the celebrations are more Chinese, such as lighting lanterns and dragon dances. The date is also the same as in China, but there is no public holiday. Mid-Autumn Festival Stories There are many legends about Mid-Autumn Festival. The most popular stories are about Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit. Want to share the Mid-Autumn Festival story with your family? The 3-minute video below will show you all about it. The Story of Chang E — Chinese Goddess of the Moon The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival is associated with the popular legend of Chang'e 嫦娥, the goddess of the moon… Hou Yi, the husband of Chang'e, was rewarded with an elixir of immortality by the Queen Mother when he shot down nine of the ten suns and saved people from their smoldering heat. He did not drink it straight away because he did not want to gain immortality without his wife. So, he asked Chang'e to keep it safe for him. Unexpectedly one mid-autumn day, while Houyi was out hunting, an evil person tried to force Chang'e to hand over the elixir. Chang'e swallowed the elixir however and flew higher and higher. She then chose the moon as her immortal abode, to be close to her beloved husband and look down on him on Earth. Hou Yi was very sad and made sacrifices to Chang'e with incense, cakes, and fruits. Along with the legend, the custom of worshipping the moon on Mid-Autumn day has been passed down from generation to generation. Click to know another version of the story you didn't know. The Story of the Jade Rabbit Legend has it that there is a rabbit on the moon, white as jade, so it is called 'jade rabbit'. In Chinese folklore, the jade rabbit is a companion of Chang'e. It constantly pounds the elixir of immortality. As time passed, the jade rabbit became synonymous with the moon in Chinese culture. Get to know the Top 5 Interesting Things about the Jade Rabbit. See more details on our page about stories of the Mid-Autumn Festival including one more story about Wu Gang Chopping the Cherry Bay. Mooncakes and Other Mid-Autumn Festival Foods Celebrating the harvest is one of the most traditional meanings of Mid-Autumn Festival, thus harvest foods are favored during the festive period. Mooncakes are the must-eat Mid-Autumn food in China. They are a traditional Chinese pastry. Chinese people see the roundness of mooncakes as a symbol of reunion and happiness. Other foods eaten during the festival are harvest foods, such as crabs, pumpkins, pomelos, and grapes. People enjoy them at their freshest, most nutritious time, and enjoy their auspicious meanings that are particularly associated with round foods. Read more on Mid-Autumn Festival Foods and Their Meanings. Mid-Autumn Festival Greetings Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!... Mid-Autumn Festival is a time of good will. Many Chinese people send Mid-Autumn Festival cards or short messages during the festival to express their best wishes to family and friends. The most popular greeting is "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival", in Chinese 中秋节快乐 — 'Zhongqiu Jie kuaile!'. Other popular sayings are usually related to the moon or reunion. For example 'Wishing us a long life to share the graceful moonlight, though hundreds of miles apart.' 但愿人长久，千里共婵娟 Dàn yuàn rén chángjiǔ, qiānlǐ gòng chánjuān 'Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! May the round moon bring you a happy family and a successful future.' 祝福中秋佳节快乐，月圆人圆事事圆满. Zhùfú Zhōngqiū jiā jié kuàilè, yuè yuán rén yuán shìshì yuánmǎn. Check out more on Popular Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Greetings/Wishes.

among the festivals celebrated by some of asian