« August Moon Janiak | Main | Wow, am I bored right now... »
Our daughter, the restaurant
20 · Mar · 2006
We chose the two names apart from each other. August means "majestic" and it also is the name of a poem I wrote ten years ago about children. On top of that, it is the month that my sister (Alice), grandfather (GE) and two of my best girlfriends (Candy & Larry) were born. It's also the month I met Steph, my longest friend, begining in the 5th grade.
Moon is a middle name I chose years and years ago. Mike and I are both Cancer or Moon Children. I have always loved the moon and the not so subtle but underestimated power it has on the earth. If you stand on the moon, it looks like nothing but dust, a dead star. Yet it pulls our ocean and lights our darkest nights by reflecting the sun. People live by it's movement. Mysterious.
Lastly, when we put those two names together we found out that August Moon has great significance in Asia, therefore inspiring a few restaurant owners to use the name for thier businesses. Maybe she'll eat free Chinese takeout for the rest of her life!
The August Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most celebrated Chinese holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Chinese families celebrate the end of the harvest season with a big feast. Unlike the American Thanksgiving dinner, the Chinese have mooncakes instead of grandma' apple pie. Friends and relatives also send mooncakes to each other as a way of giving thanks.
Chinese legends say that the moon is at its brightest and roundest on this day. Under this bright autumn moon, friendships are made and renewed. It is perfect for a romantic rendezvous. For many years, Chinese poets write about long lost lovers finding their way to each other on this special night.
The August Moon Festival is often called the Women's Festival. The moon symbolizes beauty and elegance. While Westerners worship the sun (yang or male) for its power, people in the Far East admire the moon. The moon is the 'yin' or female principle and it is a trusted friend.
In fact, many ancient August Moon folktales are about a moon maiden. On the 15th night of the 8th lunar moon, little children on earth can see a lady on the moon. On this magical occasion, children who make wishes to the Lady on the Moon will find their dreams come true.
Posted by Penny Rene at March 20, 2006 03:45 PM