Myanmar embraces Chinese traditions at ceremony marking Mid-Autumn Festival

People write Chinese calligraphy during an event to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival at the China Cultural Center in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe)

YANGON, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Brushes dipped in black ink moved across paper as around 200 people gathered at the China Cultural Center in Yangon on Saturday to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on September 25 this year.

The festive event offered participants an immersive experience of traditional Chinese customs, featuring hands-on calligraphy, DIY bookmark crafting, tea tastings, mooncakes and other festive foods. Lively dance performances, singing, and poetry recitations further heightened the festive atmosphere.

For Li Li Myint, president of the Myanmar-China Women's Association, the Mid-Autumn Festival represents far more than a seasonal holiday; it is a meaningful symbol of unity and family reunion.

Just as the full moon and traditional mooncakes are round, the holiday brings families together in a complete circle. For those living far from home, looking at the moon serves as a warm reminder of their parents, teachers, and friends, she said.

Beyond the traditions of sharing meals and appreciating the full moon, she noted that the true essence of the festival is fostering a unified spirit and sharing love.

Chaw Yu Mon Soe, 25, said she regularly attends cultural events at the center and believes such activities help people in Myanmar experience Chinese traditions.

"Some Chinese people born in Myanmar may be far from their culture, but they can come here, enjoy the event and experience the culture by taking part in these activities," she said, adding that practicing traditional ink-brush calligraphy was her favorite.

Su Zarchi Kaung, who participated in the event as a dancer and singer, said she was proud to perform at the event.

She also saw similarities between the Mid-Autumn Festival and Myanmar's Thadingyut Festival, one of the Southeast Asian nation's most significant religious festivals.

In Myanmar, during Thadingyut, family members who work in different places return home. Families reunite, eat together and pay respects to their elders, she said.

"Through this cultural exchange, every participant can experience and appreciate Chinese culture while deepening the 'Paukphaw' (fraternal) friendship," Xiang Jianbo, director of the China Cultural Center in Yangon, said.

People attend an event to celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival at the China Cultural Center in Yangon, Myanmar, Sept. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Myo Kyaw Soe)