China News Service, September 22. According to the Japanese "Oriental News" report, for Liu Xiaoxiao, a Chinese in Japan who is familiar with the consumer market and cultural comparison between China and Japan, "Mid-Autumn Festival" is a cultural imprint that cannot be erased and is indelible. The strong nostalgia is a splendid cultural lesson.

Living overseas to enjoy different festival experiences

　　In Liu Xiaoxiao's view, the best expression of the Mid-Autumn Festival ritual is to eat moon cakes with everyone.

When she first came to study in Japan, she was unfamiliar with her place. She occasionally saw mooncakes made by Japanese food companies in the supermarket near the school. She always bought a few pieces and shared them with her classmates.

Everyone got together to chat about the homework and introduce the meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival to foreign students. It was joyous and warm.

She said: "It's not so much about tasting moon cakes, it's better to say that the emotions of celebrating the festival with friends are more memorable. Overseas and the moon in the country of China are as clear as Yuen Long."

　　Having lived in Japan for nearly 10 years, she has observed that every year approaching Mid-Autumn Festival, Japanese Chinese supermarkets will open Mid-Autumn Festival stores and engage in special promotions, and Chinese restaurants will also sell moon cakes and give away snacks.

In recent years, with the development of e-commerce and wechat commerce, Chinese people can also taste the taste of their hometown in WeChat groups.

In the WeChat group of the Chinese supermarket she joined, she has released moon cake reservation information since mid-August.

Fresh seasonal products such as litchi and bayberry in spring and summer, and hairy crabs in autumn and winter are also available online.

　　"What has attracted more attention this year is that the well-known Chinese mooncake brand has a reservation service in Tokyo's high-end department store." Liu Xiaoxiao analyzed, "These changes are due to the Japanese people's gradual familiarity with moon cakes, and the Chinese presence and consumption on the other. A manifestation of increasing abilities."

"Mid-Autumn Moon", do you know these customs in Japan?

　　"The moon is born on the sea, and the world is at this time." Many Chinese in Japan will also experience the interesting connection between Chinese and Japanese cultures during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

In Japan, there is also the "Mid-Autumn Festival" "born by the moon", which is often referred to as the "Mid-Autumn Moon" or "Fifteen Nights".

　　It is traditional Japanese culture to enshrine "Tsuki danzi" (white glutinous rice ball) to the moon during the "Moon-Autumn Bright Moon", but not everyone does it now.

Liu Xiaoxiao explained: “As part of the ceremony, after offering the dumplings to the rabbits on the moon, the dumplings need to be eaten. Because the particularly round dumplings are enshrined by the deceased’s pillow, it’s better to squash the Yuejian dumplings. It means a full harvest, health and happiness. The number of consecrations varies from 5, 12, 13, 15 and it is placed on a white paper and then placed on a special vessel, just by the window."

　　What is the meaning of the moon in Japanese culture?

Liu Xiaoxiao once asked several Japanese friends of different ages and genders, and they all mentioned the keywords "female", "gentle", "rabbit" and "romance".

　　Liu Xiaoxiao said that when talking about Japan's understanding of the moon, the most famous thing is the anecdote that Japanese writer Natsume Soseki translated "I love you" into "The moon is so beautiful tonight."

She said: "Of course, maybe ordinary Japanese people can't understand Mr. Natsume's translation 100% accurately. But in any case, the image of the moon in the hearts of contemporary Japanese people is gentle and mysterious."

Cultural messenger, let Japanese colleagues fall in love with Chinese festivals

　　After coming to Japan, Liu Xiaoxiao gradually realized that every time during the holidays, the deep feeling of homesickness and the pride of being a son and daughter of China would be overwhelmed by her heart, which made her feel very emotional.

In her view, whether it is the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Spring Festival, whether it is eating mooncakes or glutinous rice balls, it is a kind of Chinese complex, and it is a re-cognition of Chinese identity.

　　There are many traditional festivals in China, each of which has a unique origin, customs and cultural charm.

"There are many Japanese friends around me who are interested in Chinese culture. I will take the initiative to explain to them the cultural significance of traditional Chinese festivals." Liu Xiaoxiao said.

　　On the fifteenth of the first lunar month a few years ago, Liu Xiaoxiao went to lunch with a few Japanese colleagues.

She said, "Today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and the last day of the Spring Festival. Can I go to eat Chinese food?" Colleagues readily agreed and walked into a very authentic Chinese restaurant with her.

While waiting for food, Liu Xiaoxiao introduced: "In China, the fifteenth of the first lunar month represents the end of the Spring Festival, so eating glutinous rice balls in the south and Yuanxiao in the north means reunion and success."

The Japanese colleagues were surprised by the exquisiteness of these festivals, and they were fascinating.

At the end of the lunch, the owner of the restaurant brought a small bowl of glutinous rice balls to everyone, saying: "Since you already understand the traditional Chinese culture, we will invite you to have a glutinous rice dumpling. Originally, this was a Chinese New Year dim sum for our internal staff. Let's spend a year together."

　　Her careful introduction and the warm hospitality of the restaurant owner impressed the Japanese colleagues. Later, they also ate moon cakes, ate hot pot, and also drank white wine. They fell in love with Hunan cuisine and promoted them in their circle of friends.

"This kind of cultural exchange is very meaningful." Liu Xiaoxiao said, explaining Chinese traditional culture to foreigners is a kind of fun and a process of self-learning. I hope that more people will understand Chinese culture.

(Wei Bing)