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Posted by saturn on 15-09-2008 at 08:51:
Dear all
Feeling very happy to be able to share this special celebration with you all here.
Basically, the greatest thing of the moon cake festival is of course because it coincides with the full moon phase. The Chinese has always associated the full moon with family reunion. It is customary to those who work or study outside of their hometowns to return home to have a family reunion, and that is why this festival is also sometimes called the Reunion Festival.
Even the food served on this day has a round shape. As you can see, moon cakes are in the shape of a full moon, which reflects people's pursuit of a round and perfect life. It is therefore customary for people to watch the full moon, while eating these cakes, to encourage people to seek the brightness of the moon in their journey through life.
Most people worship their ancestors on this day, because it is the day when family members return home.After the worship and the burning of paper money, the adults then prepare food and wine in the courtyard, followed by moon gazing and chanting.
Children are usually playing around the courtyard, carrying brightly lit paper lanterns (which are becoming more&more "westernised" in their shapes nowadays, as you can see in this pic,there are lanterns with the shape of Superman,Garfield and even Bubbles from the Powerpuff Girls, 
)
At some public places, there will be some fire dragon dance shows.
It is also worth mentioning that since full moon can evoke various romantic feelings in people, this festival is still a favorite for most Chinese couple to express their loves to each other (a little bit like Valentine's day).Many single chinese women also pray to the moon goddess on this day,hoping to be blessed with good husbands.
Speaking about the moon cake itself, in the past, most of the fillings for the moon cakes are made of lotus seeds and sweet beans and LOTS of sugar, but now there are more varieties of fillings for moon cakes, like chocolate, coffee, peanut, ice cream, cheese, etc, with less sugar& fat (due to the increased popularity of health-conscious lifestyle).
At my place, the most favourite filling is durian, but I don't really think I would recommend this filling for you, as I have been told that most westerners can't even stand the smell of durian, , I would definitely recommend the coffee filling.
Perhaos one day we could all sit around a table under the full moon, eating moon cakes while sipping chinese tea, and playing around with Gatchaman paper lanterns. I would love either a Ken or Joe paper lantern, especially if it lits up at the right places, 
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Posted by shamrokchick on 15-09-2008 at 13:44:
Saturn this celebration sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing this information, I had never heard of any of this before. Mmmmm.... moon cake and tea 
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"They say the Titanic sank because it hit an iceberg, but that must have been Galactor's fault too." 
Posted by Transmute Jun on 15-09-2008 at 13:46:
That sounds wonderful, Saturn! I would be all over a chocolate moon cake!!!!!
Hey, can we have a God Phoenix lantern and then set it aflame to make the firebird? 
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Posted by lborgia88 on 15-09-2008 at 21:00:
I would love to be at a moon festival.
The one moon cake that I had years ago was, I think, the traditional seeds, sweet beans and sugar filling, but I would definitely like a coffee one, while sipping wine and gazing at the moon...
Posted by gatchgirl on 15-09-2008 at 22:40:
Thanks Saturn for the info about your festival.... I love the thought of a Joe or Ken paper lantern for all of us... and TJ's idea for a "firey" phoenix one too. Maybe someday we can all enjoy one in each others company.
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" No gratitude needs to be voiced, your mind speaks to us!"
Racer by day, Feather Thrower all the time!
Posted by Hinotori on 15-09-2008 at 23:15:
Thank you for the moon cake and explaination of the festival, Saturn! It sounds wonderful and I love the meaning behind it. Maybe someday all of us could have our own "reunion" together!
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Hinotori
Eagle in Charge
Posted by Ebonyswanne on 16-09-2008 at 02:10:
Saturn,
Its interesting to read about other people's traditions.
You know when I first read your information I thought "This sounds like a pagan tradition." Something you would have heard of in old England or Scotland, or Ireland in the days of the High Kings. Forgetting your background and where you live. Still there are similarities. The cake looks yummy. What does it taste like? Its looks heavy and sticky.
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by saturn on 16-09-2008 at 03:24:
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TJ, that idea actually occured in my mind too, but then again, if I could have a God Phoenix lantern, I would not want to burn it down.
I would rather have the jigokiller lantern, then I would be able to set it aflame, and later reenacted the scene from the Jigokiller episodes (my most favorite GatchI episode so far) with my Ken & Jun paper lantern. I am such a hopeless shipper.
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It tastes mostly sweet, that's why we put the salty egg yolk inside (could be up to 4 egg yolks in one cake) to counter some of the sweetness. It does feel sticky sometimes, and therefore the cake is best eaten while sipping tea to eliminate the stickiness.
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Posted by Springie on 16-09-2008 at 09:22:
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I LOVE that idea! I'm so glad to see another shipper around...and the Jigokillers ep ROCKS!!
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 16-09-2008 at 13:22:
But... if you burn the Jigokiller lantern, does the Jun landtern have to be inside? And will there be spores coming out as well? 
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 17-09-2008 at 05:54:
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Me too!!! TJ's the most flexiable of all of us when it comes to pairing.
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by saturn on 17-09-2008 at 09:35:
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Well, we could always just draw Jun in the Jigokiller lantern, and just pretended that she was burned along with the Jigokiller lantern. Would rather not risking burning down the Jun's lantern, still need the lantern for another "heated" moments with Ken's lantern,
Rregarding the spores, perhaps we could just use a popcorn pouch, heated it up, and pretended that the popcorns are the spores. Wow, popcorn and moon cakes, now that will be a very nice combination of east meeting west.
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TJ is indeed very flexible, just waiting for the day when TJ finally decides to write a fic about 7-zark-7 and Princess (Jun), after all, she was the only girl who would kiss an annoying robot like Zark.
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 17-09-2008 at 10:05:
ROTFL!!!!I have this image... ahhh do you really want me to share I think not!!!
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by clouddancer on 17-09-2008 at 15:17:
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I was thinking the spores could be fireworks.
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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
Posted by Transmute Jun on 17-09-2008 at 17:01:
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Ahem.... I AM????? Since when? Let's see, in my fics, the Swan's choices are limited to Eagle or Condor. Okay, sometimes it's Condor or Eagle.
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Posted by Transmute Jun on 17-09-2008 at 17:04:
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I love it!!!! That sounds like an awesome Gatch party!!!!!
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Um, that is NEVER going to happen. I have a hard enough time writing about Zark. He's not going to be paired with Princess unless it's some kind of obsessive stalker thing. Not in my fics. Nuh uh.
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Posted by saturn on 18-09-2008 at 07:31:
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Glad to hear that TJ, I would rather see the smutty side of you in your fic, ummmm, I mean, the funny side of you,
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 18-09-2008 at 10:15:
Tj we did talk about a stalker ficcie were Susan becomes jealous of Zarks affections towards Princess and starts to get bitchy...
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Ebonyswanne on 18-09-2008 at 10:18:
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So Jun is praying for Ken to notice her???
I loved the pictures of the lanterns! So colourful, the Chinese are very creative. no wonder the most beautiful artwork comes from your country...
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Transmute Jun on 18-09-2008 at 21:33:
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No offense, Saturn, but I don't swing that way. Only
and are going to see my 'smutty side'.
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