Moon festival, Fairy Lady Chang E and Jade Rabbit

Fairy lady Chang E and her Jade Rabbit in the moon

The romantic Mid-Autumn Festival (or Moon Festival in English) comes on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. This is a day to worship the moon god. Chinese believe in praying to the moon god for protection, family unity, and good fortune. The round "moon cakes" eaten on this festival are symbolic of family unity and closeness

Unlike most other Chinese festivals, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a low-key holiday, characterized by peace and elegance. Moon gazing is another essential part of this festival. Although on this day (15th of August in lunar calendar), the moon is full and bright but Chinese believes on 16th it is at its roundest and brightest.

The Chinese call the emperor in heaven Jade Emperor, and rabbit in the moon Jade Rabbit. To learn more about this folklore and the fairy lady Chang E, join our Moon Festival Celebration on boat with famous singers, musicians, Chinese Yellow wines (Sep. 23 and Sep. 25)

What's on

Lecture: Chinese Art History 1: Han & Tang Arts and Artifacts Wednesday, Sep.19, 20:00-22:00 CCC invites three professors from China Fine Arts Academy to give three presentations on Chinese Arts and Artifacts of Han and Tang Dynasty based on archaeological findings; History of traditional Chinese paintings and Contemporary Chinese art. >>> more

	Tying Chinese Knots: necklace Thursday, Sep.20, 13:00-15:00 Learn to tie the auspicious Chinese knots from a CCC folk artist, and work out your own knots (knots, butterfly or lily shoes, and other patterns of crafts), and hang them up on your neck or your handbag >>> more

Walk: Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square Friday, Sep.21, 09:00-12:30 The 3.5-hour guided walk will provide informative and real explanation, covering not only the history, city planning, architectural details & symbols, fengshui of Tiananmen Square and the palace, but also the the life and fate of emperors and eunuchs >>> more

	Yellow Mountain & Ancient Anhui Villages Sep.21 eve.-23 Explore two UNESCO-listed sites with CCC: Yellow Mountains, the loveliest mountain of China', and Hongcun, an ancient Anhui Village with unique architecture and decoration (shooting site for the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) >>> more

Back-street-Beijing Walking Tour (5): Xiannongtan Altar Sunday, Sep.22, 14:30-18:00 This is an expert guided tour to the ancient imperial altar dedicated to the first farmer of China. Once shared the same size of the Tiantan (Temple of Heave) with royal level of architecture (high wall, grand palaces and spacious... >>> more

	Day-trip: Vineyard & Wine-tasting in Hebei Sunday, September 23, 09:00-16:30 Tour the best winery and vineyard at Huailai, 130 kilometres to the northwest of Beijing, which is the same latitude as Bordeaux and California. Situated inbetween Guanting reservoir and Yanshan mountain range, Huailai boasts the best soil and climat >>> more

Moon Festival Celebration on boat Sunday, Sep.23, 19:00-22:30 Chinese Moon (or Mid-Autumn) Festival 2007 will fall on September 25 (Tuesday). CCC will celebrate this traditional festival by organizing a concert on boat on Sep. 23 (Sunday, by then the moon will be almost full) and Sep. 25. >>> more

	Moon Festival Celebration on boat Tuesday, Sep. 25,19:00-22:30 Chinese Moon (or Mid-Autumn) Festival 2007 will fall on September 25 (Tuesday). CCC will celebrate this traditional festival by organizing a concert on boat on Sep. 23 (Sunday, by then the moon will be almost full) and Sep. 25. >>> more

Royal Canal Boat Tour to the Summer Palace Wednesday, September 26, 09:00-13:30 Cruise along the imperial canal in a motorized canopy boat past the Beijing Zoo, the Beijing Aquarium and the Purple Bamboo Garden; appreciate the great views en route, and stroll in the garden to meet taichi practitioners beside lotus ponds and amat >>> more

	Beijing Walk: Summer Palace Wednesday, Sep.26, 14:30-17:15 The Summer Palace is an imperial garden mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. Three quarters of the garden is water and rest are a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures. >>> more

Talk: Musicals in China Wednesday, Sep.26, 20:00-21:30 Jiao Gang, famous director and choreographist, will talk about the development of western musicals in China, from import, learning to developing their own Chinese musicals. >>> more

	Hike: Great Wall Simatai and Jinshanling Thursday, September 27, 08:30-18:30 Simatai section of Great Wall in Miyun County, Beijing, remains one of the best options for those who want more of a challenge from the Great Wall, harrowing, steep and unrestored. It connects to another section, Jin Shan Ling, in Hebei. >>> more

	Biking Hutong, Making Dumplings and Boating Houhai Lake Friday, Sep.28, 16:00-20:30 Ride bike leisurely in the alleyways and along the bank of the beautiful houhai lake area, visit courtyard houses and families, Drum Tower... make and share meal with one family and in the evening take little wooden boat ride on the lake >>> more

Walk: Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square Friday, Sep.28, 09:00-12:30 The 3.5-hour guided walk will provide informative and real explanation, covering not only the history, city planning, architectural details & symbols, fengshui of Tiananmen Square and the palace, but also the the life and fate of emperors and eunuchs >>> more

Tour: Antique Furniture in Rural Beijing Saturday, Sep.29, 14:00-18:00 Wish to see thousands of pieces of finely refurbished antique Chinese furniture, from opium beds to scholar' s writing tables, in a 5,000 square metres warehouse and furniture studio and gallery beside 12,000 square metres lotus pond? >>> more

	Great Wall Mutianyu & Ming Tombs Monday, October 1, 09:00-18:00 Mutianyu is a famous section of the Great Wall, and it is not so commercialized but also a moderate section (not so physically demanding). Ming Tombs is the largest and well preserved imperial tomb complex with over 500 years >>> more

Royal Canal Boat Tour to the Summer Palace Tuesday, October 2, 09:00-13:30 Cruise along the imperial canal in a motorized canopy boat past the Beijing Zoo, the Beijing Aquarium and the Purple Bamboo Garden; appreciate the great views en route, and stroll in the garden to meet taichi practitioners beside lotus ponds and amat >>> more

	Biking Hutong, Making Dumplings and Boating Houhai Lake Tuesday, Oct.2, 16:00-20:30 Ride bike leisurely in the alleyways and along the bank of the beautiful houhai lake area, visit courtyard houses and families, Drum Tower... make and share meal with one family and in the evening take little wooden boat ride on the lake >>> more

Tianjin Historical Architecture Tour Wednesday, October 3, 08:00-18:00 This is a unique cultural tour guided by curator from Tianjin Historical Architecture Museum, exploring the old colonial districts and areas of six European countries >>> more

	Overnight Excursion: Obscure Castle of Great Wall & Bone Chinawares October 6-7 Take coach to Tangshan, famous bone chinaware city, and then stay overnight at courtyard houses in an obscure village next to the Great Wall at the Green Mountain Pass >>> more

Ancient City Xi An (Terracotta Warriors) Oct.8 eve.-10 Take weekend trip to visit the famous Terracotta Warrior Site; Ancient City Wall, Shaanxi Museum; Great Mosque and Muslim Street; Wild Goose Pagoda, etc. >>> more

Chinese Yellow Wine Tasting Wednesday, October 10, 19:30-21:30 Chinese wine expert will give a lecture on the history, technique, taste and quality of Chinese yellow wines. Some typical brands and types of wines and snack will be tried during the talk. >>> more

Back-Street-Beijing Walking Tour (2)-Xinjiekou Wednesday, October 10, 09:00-12:30 The walk gives an good opportunity to quickly learn the variety of local life and two famous artistic figures, a restaurant with most famous traditional Beijing snacks... >>> more

	Datong Trip (Grottoes & Hanging Monastery) Oct 12 eve.-14 Join this weekend tour to see the second-largest of the nearly 51,000 sandstone statues of Buddha in 53 Yungang grottoes. Buddhist cave art began here in Datong, 160 miles west of Beijing, in the fifth century, by Xianbei minority, which ruled North >>> more

2 Days Qingdao (beach, beer and old buildings) Oct. 12-14, Fri.10pm-Sun.9pm Joining the August Qingdao Beer Festival has been proven to be unwise by our CCC friends because of the extreme crowding; the festival is just like a Karaoke site and the hotel fees for all of August are tripled. Take Friday night train with CCC >>> more