Chinese Mid Autumn festival celebrated in Colombo
The moon carries the aspirations and hopes of both the Chinese and Sri Lankan people for a better life. It connects us and draws our hearts closer together, building a bridge of cultural understanding between our two nations, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka – Mr. Qi Zhenhong says.
He said this during the celebrations of the Chinese Mid Autumn festival held in Colombo earlier this week.
“It is particularly noteworthy that today also marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka. Ten years ago today, leaders of China and Sri Lanka jointly unveiled the Center. Since then, it has played an active role in fostering cultural and tourism exchanges between our two countries, serving as a bridge and bond that connects our cultures and people,” the ambassador added.
Titled as ‘A Moonment to Remember’, the event was hosted by the Chinese embassy in Colombo as well as the Culture and Tourism Ministry of China.
Speaker – Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena attended the event as chief guest.
The event featured several cultural performances by a troupe of performers from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region as well as a poetry recital by several Sri Lankan students studying Chinese.
The event also featured a photographic exhibition featuring the 10 years’ journey of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka as well as several cultural activities including mooncake making.
The Chinese Mid Autumn festival is one of the four main traditional festivals celebrated in China.
It is celebrated on the night when the moon reaches its fullest and brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar. This year, the day fell on Sept 17. During the festival, families reunite, admire the moon, share mooncakes and light up lanterns.