Question 1

True or false: Lanterns used during Mid-Autumn Festival are always red and shaped like moons.

Accepted Answer

False. Lanterns come in many colors and shapes—animals, fruits, and stars—though red is common. Moon-shaped ones are a modern gimmick.

Question 2

True or false: The Mid-Autumn Festival is only celebrated in China and nowhere else.

Accepted Answer

False. It's also widely celebrated in Vietnam, Japan (Tsukimi), Korea (Chuseok), and other East Asian communities, each with unique twists.

Question 3

True or false: The full moon on Mid-Autumn Festival appears brighter and larger because it's at perigee.

Accepted Answer

False. The Moon's larger appearance near the horizon is an optical illusion, not due to orbital distance. The Mid-Autumn Festival moon is not necessarily at perigee; a supermoon can occur on any full moon date.

Question 4

True or false: The Mid-Autumn Festival originated as a harvest celebration over 3,000 years ago.

Accepted Answer

True. Ancient Chinese emperors worshipped the moon for bountiful harvests, and commoners later adopted it as a thanksgiving festival during the Zhou Dynasty.

Question 5

True or false: The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated on the same day every year on the Gregorian calendar.

Accepted Answer

False. It follows the lunar calendar, falling on the 15th day of the 8th month, so the Gregorian date shifts between mid-September and early October.

Question 6

True or false: Eating pomelo during the festival is believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

Accepted Answer

True. The Cantonese word for pomelo sounds like 'to bless' or 'to have,' and its round shape symbolizes family unity and abundance.

Question 7

True or false: According to legend, mooncakes were used to coordinate a rebellion, which is why they are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Accepted Answer

True. A legend holds that Han rebels passed messages in mooncakes to plan an uprising against the Mongols, making them a symbolic snack for the festival.

Question 8

True or false: During the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional fire dragon dance with burning incense sticks takes place in Hong Kong.

Accepted Answer

True. The Tai Hang fire dragon dance, held during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong, features a dragon covered in thousands of burning incense sticks, creating a dramatic spectacle.

Mid-Autumn Festival Trivia Questions