Mid-Autumn Festival: Holiday Gifts for Every Employee and Wishes for a Joyful Family Reunion

1. From moon rites to family reunion: where the festival comes from

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, at the midpoint of autumn, which is how it got its name. It grew out of moon-worship rites held on autumn evenings in ancient times, spread during the Han dynasty, took its familiar shape in the early Tang, and became widely celebrated in the Song. By the Ming and Qing it had become one of the year's major festivals, ranking alongside the Spring Festival. In 2006 it was inscribed in China's first batch of national intangible cultural heritage.

2. The meaning held in a single word: "round"

The meaning of the festival is held in a single word: round. The autumn harvest is in, and people give thanks to the moon and celebrate the bounty. The full moon above mirrors the longing of people below: that the moon be full and the family be whole. In it rests the longing for home and loved ones, and the wish for harmony and happiness. Mooncakes are cut into small pieces and shared, so that everyone receives a share of that completeness.

3. A festival gift: goodwill, and recognition

For this festival, the company gave every employee holiday gifts of rice, peanut oil, mooncakes, festive drinks and more, and arranged a holiday break, hoping each colleague would go home and spend undisturbed time with parents, spouse and children.

Reunion is the best way to recharge. When the holiday ended, colleagues came back to their posts having received more love from their families and felt the beauty of being together, and they carried that warm strength of spirit into their work, throwing themselves into it with full energy and renewed drive. The strength drawn from that reunion is now what gives us the confidence to push through the final quarter.

A festival gift is the company's goodwill toward its employees and recognition of what they have contributed. We have always believed that employee happiness is what drives the company forward. Festival gifts and greetings that never skip a year, annual health check-ups, skills training and constant improvement of the workplace are how we put "people first" into practice, one concrete thing at a time.

The moon is full and the family is whole. We sincerely wish every employee and their family reunion, happiness and wellbeing under the same bright moon.