On Sept. 21st, Wheaton College’s Chinese Language and Culture Club (CLACC) held its 15th annual Mid-Autumn Festival. The celebration, which is the first CLACC event every year, took place outside Lower Beamer in Keul Plaza.
During the festival, students and community members enjoyed refreshments like mooncakes, red bean popsicles and plum juice, made paper lanterns and watched a video explaining the cultural significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
After Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival is considered the second most important holiday in Chinese culture. The holiday is about celebrating unity and family and is often compared to Thanksgiving. According to the lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also called the Moon Festival, lands on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, during the full moon. This year, the date fell on Tuesday, September 17. Although the moon was already waning during Wheaton’s celebration, the night sky was clear.
Suguang “Rose” Wang, associate lecturer of Chinese language and culture and the faculty advisor for CLACC, said that the full moon is connected to the family values of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
“The shape of the moon symbolizes unity. So the family is united around a beautiful full moon and a fall harvest to celebrate,” says Wang, who is called Wang Lǎoshī, or Teacher Wang, by her students.
“In China, that means that no matter how far you are, you need to go home.”
At the Mid-Autumn Festival, CLACC wanted to offer the feeling of belonging to the Wheaton community to both Chinese and non-Chinese students.
Andy Zhao, a senior studying applied health sciences, is the president of CLACC. When Zhao was a freshman, the Mid-Autumn Festival was the first CLACC event he attended. Zhao, who was born in China, moved to the United States in middle school. He said that CLACC and the Mid-Autumn Festival helped him rekindle connection with a culture he felt separated from.
“These events brought connection back and helped me to engage with this aspect of my identity and culture in a fun way,” Zhao said.
He also emphasized that the Mid-Autumn Festival is not an exclusive event.
“Especially with the Mid-Autumn Festival, we’re welcoming everyone to come,” Zhao said. “CLACC is open to the whole community, even for people who are not part of Chinese heritage or culture.”
Emily Miller, a senior studying Christian formation and ministry and Chinese, served as CLACC chaplain during her sophomore year and co-president during her junior year. In the past, she helped plan the Mid-Autumn festival, although this year she was just an attendee.
“Our main goal has been to make people feel at home. We are here for the Chinese students who are miles and miles away from their family, who can’t be there to celebrate with them. And we are here for people who are not even familiar with Chinese culture at all,” Miller said.
As a person who is not Chinese, Miller says that the Mid-Autumn Festival is a great introduction to Chinese culture.
“It’s been really enriching for me because it’s been opening up my mind to traditions and what it’s like to be in a different culture. I grew up in America, so CLACC definitely expanded my worldview in a good way,” said Miller, “and I think it also enriches our ability to empathize with people when you understand their culture better.”
Wang, who started CLACC with American student Jacquie Goeking ‘12 in 2009, said that the club has always focused on engaging the broader campus community, inviting people unfamiliar with Chinese culture to celebrate with them.
“The philosophy I shared with my students from the beginning was to reach out and to bring in,” Wang said.
Because of Wang’s philosophy, CLACC invites faculty members, graduate students and even community members to attend their events. Historically, they have also welcomed Chinese adoptees from around their community at their events.
Wang said that while the Mid-Autumn Festival is for everyone, it primarily seeks to promote understanding and appreciation for the experiences of Chinese students on campus.
“Understand that this holiday is so dear to the Chinese people’s heart,” Wang said. “Celebrating it helps the group of students who share this cultural background to be seen, understood and appreciated.”
Upcoming CLACC events include the Lunar New Year Festival, which will take place in the spring semester.
