About 700 Chinese international students will gather at Richmond Olympic Oval on Sept. 14 to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Hundreds of Chinese students from nine universities and colleges across the Lower Mainland are expected to attend the celebration, including Kwantlen Polytechnic University. The gala event, hosted by UBC Chinese Students and Scholars Association (UBC CSSA), will feature Chinese classical dance, singing and sharing of mooncakes.
The mid-autumn festival is a special occasion for family gatherings. People enjoy mooncakes and watch the full moon together. Many Chinese students value this festival because it’s a time of family reunification, according to Kimberley Zhu, UBC CSSA president.
“Lots of students can’t spend the holiday with their family members who live in China since they are busy with assignments and upcoming exams. So we hope to use this opportunity to gather everyone together and make them feel less homesick,” said Zhu. “Also, Oct. 1 will mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, we have celebrated China’s National Day in the past, so we are thinking to combine two events.”
As one of the most famous foods found in local Chinese communities during the mid-autumn festival, mooncakes mean much more than bakery products. They are as crucial to festivities as turkeys to Thanksgiving Day, said Richard Shan, UBC CSSA vice-president.
The highlight of the event includes sharing these treats, Shan said. “Instead of sitting at home alone, we hope everyone will get out of the dormitory to have some fun,” he added.
