Participants make bookmarks during the mid-autumn festival celebration at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
BUDAPEST, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- As the Mid-Autumn Festival draws near on Tuesday, Sept. 17, the streets of Budapest have already come alive with celebrations that blend the warmth of tradition and a growing bond between cultures.
Over the weekend, Chinese residents and Hungarian locals gathered to share in the festivities, marking the annual festival with mooncakes, lanterns, and an evening of moon gazing.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, has traditionally been a cherished occasion for family reunions. Yet, in Hungary, it has grown beyond a cultural festival for the Chinese community, inviting curious locals eager to experience and understand the beauty of Chinese traditions.
This year's festivities featured a variety of events, but it was the mooncake-making workshop at the newly opened China Cultural Center that truly captivated the participants.
Among the enthusiastic crowd was 19-year-old Viktoria Murvai, a Budapest student attending the workshop for the first time. Her excitement was contagious as she shared her experience: "I was worried I wouldn't make it because we had to register in advance, but here I am, and I'm loving it."
With her hands still dusted in flour, she described the process of making mooncakes: "We rolled out dough, filled it with a plum-like filling, and painted them with edible colors. The table next to us was making traditional mooncakes, and now I really want one of those molds for myself!"
Murvai's growing fascination with Chinese culture began about a year ago, inspired by her friends and her boyfriend, who is studying Chinese at Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE). "He helps me learn Chinese at home, and we're both loving it," she added with a smile.
The mooncake-making workshop was followed by a lively Mid-Autumn Festival garden party, complete with six interactive stations for attendees to explore.
Activities ranged from bookmark lacquering and martial arts demonstrations to traditional Chinese weaving and game experiences featuring popular Chinese video games like "Genshin Impact" and "Black Myth: Wukong." The lacquer bookmark station, in particular, drew a crowd, as did the gaming areas, both offering unique glimpses into different aspects of Chinese culture.
Viktoria Szalai, another local resident, attended with her husband, eager to immerse herself further in the festival. Having just started learning Chinese a week earlier, Szalai explained her growing interest: "I've always been fascinated by different cultures. When I saw there were classes at the Confucius Institute in Budapest, I thought, why not? Let's learn Chinese."
A ballet dancer, Szalai shared how her journey into Chinese culture began during a difficult time: "When I was recovering from an injury and couldn't dance, I came across Chinese choreography on YouTube. I learned one of the routines and performed it at our ballet school, and that's when I knew I wanted to explore more."
Szalai and her husband had planned a trip to China this past summer, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it had to be postponed. Now, they hope to visit next spring.
Despite heavy rainfall and a sudden drop in temperature that weekend, the festivities drew over 400 attendees, a turnout that even surprised the event organizers.
Jin Hao, director of the China Cultural Center in Budapest, reflected on the day's success: "I didn't expect so many Hungarian friends to join us. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of China's four major traditional festivals, centered around family reunions, moon gazing, and sharing mooncakes. We hope to share this spirit of connection and good wishes with our Hungarian friends through this event."
With the growing popularity of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hungary, the event is becoming more than just a celebration -- it's a bridge, fostering deeper understanding and friendships between the Chinese and Hungarian communities, united in their love for cultural exchange. ■
Participants make bookmarks during the mid-autumn festival celebration at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
A girl tastes the moon cake during a workshop celebrating the mid-autumn festival at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Participants make moon cakes during a workshop celebrating the mid-autumn festival at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Participants make bookmarks during the mid-autumn festival celebration at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Participants make moon cakes during a workshop celebrating the mid-autumn festival at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
