Mid-autumn is one of the most poetic festivals and the first traditional Chinese festival of this semester. In order to strengthen the students’ understanding of traditional Chinese festival cultures and strictly comply with the university’s anti-pandemic rules, Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College celebrated the festival by inviting students to decorate the College with fairy lights and lanterns, exchange blessings, enjoy mooncakes and solve riddles together in the evening of 20th September, 2021.

The mid-autumn full moon radiates the courtyard of the College

The students hung their blessings on the wishing tree

Colourful Clouds Chasing 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”. Traditionally, the moon carried the nostalgic thoughts and feelings of travelers to their loved ones at home since ancient times. On that night, the sky over UM were filled with purple clouds, like the magical painting, and moonlight shone brightly over every corner of the campus. MLC student leaders quietly placed a blue moon in the middle of the courtyard, filled the tree with affectionate wish cards and transformed the courtyard into a pleasant and delightful spot together with fellow students from CKLC.

Take a picture with the “blue moon” in the courtyard

“Healed by the Moon”

With the decked blue moon on the floor and bright yellow moonlight penetrated deeply into the background, students flocked to the courtyard and showed gratitude and appreciation to each other.  Although their faces were covered by masks, it did not stop the young people’s hearts and minds from colliding. Students from all over the country enjoyed a different kind of Mid-Autumn Festival with their new family members in the college while away from home and families.

College is Your Home away from Home

As night falls, Resident Tutors, Resident Assistants and members of the House Association distributed mooncakes and exchanged blessings with their friends. They chatted about the historical stories of the Mid-Autumn Festival while recalled their precious memories with families and appreciated the happiness and prosperity that the motherland brings. At the same time, Resident Assistants stationed at other RCs due to the RC construction project also sent mooncakes and blessings to other MLC students. Every college teacher and student felt the strong traditional culture and warm friendship from Mid-Autumn Festival on that evening. Through this approach, the College wishes the students could ease their homesickness and prepare with a positive attitude to face new challenges in the new semester.

Student leaders sent mooncakes to students

Student leaders at hosting RCs sent mooncakes to students

(By Zhang Dingyang, Zhao Zhilong, Fung Ka Wai, MLC; 21/09/2021)