The nighttime luminary holds great significance in the Chinese calendar system. Nowadays, Luna’s passage through the sky is pretty much used to determine cultural and religious Festivals. Tonight’s Frost Moon on 27 November in Gemini (2023) is especially significant to Taoist devotees, with this Full Moon called the Xia Yuan Festival. There are five Full Moon centric festivals of note in the Chinese calendar, two more familiar than the others. The Lunar Lantern festival which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the year which signals the end of Chinese New Year festivities (Spring Festival). And the second is the on the 15th day of the eight lunar month, known also as ‘Zhong Yuan’ but more commonly called Mid Autumn or Mooncake Festival. All five Moon festivals occur on the 15th day of a Chinese lunar month.
Read more2023 Autumn Equinox (Qiu Fen) 16th Solar Term
The Equinoxes work in pairs; marking the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – from North to South and vice versa at the time of the opposition. If you’re unfamiliar with Asian Solar Terms, then the word ‘Equinox’, may only hold a singular astrological date and meaning that’s done and dusted on one day. However, to devotees of Solar Terms, Qiu Fen 秋分 (Autumn Equinox), represents a two week long occurrence beginning on 23 Sept 14:52 Beijing and ends 7 Oct. The same period in the Pagan Calendar, represents ‘Mabon’ on the Celtic Wheel of the Year. While we remain in Rooster Month; in Western astrology the Sun enters the astrological sign of balance and checks, kicking off Libra season.
Read moreAugust Blue Moon + Ghost Festival
This month’s Full moon lunation goes by many names*, depending on your domicile and cultural preference. Named the Sturgeon Moon by Indigenous Americans due to sturgeon (a type of fish, famous for Beluga caviar) which is more readily caught in August and early September. Most moon ‘names’ have seasonal references. Chinese and English folk refer to this lunation as Harvest Moon, as it’s the beginning of harvest season in Northern Hemisphere. This year you’ll also hear of a Super Blue moon; the adage ‘once in a blue moon’ offers a clue, simply put it’s two full moons in a Georgian calendar month and the Super bit, occurs when Moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth and it’s slightly brighter and larger than a typical full moon. This lunation is in Pisces (times below).
Read more