In October, Finland's autumn is refreshing, with clear blue skies, cool breezes, and a picturesque landscape painted with colorful fallen leaves, creating an unreal beauty. Autumn is not only a season of harvest but also a season of nostalgia. In this beautiful and poetic season, on October 1st, 2023, the Chinese-Finnish Friendship Association hosted the Mid-Autumn Festival Hanfu Joyful Gathering as scheduled.
The Mid-Autumn Festival Hanfu Joyful Gathering, just the title alone, fills one with excitement. Indeed, upon entering the venue, one feels an instant sense of traveling through time: women float gracefully in their Hanfu, exuding elegance and charm, while men embody the refined demeanor of ancient scholars, adorned in traditional attire. Everywhere one looks, there is grace and sophistication.
Since it's a Mid-Autumn Festival Hanfu Joyful Gathering, besides donning Hanfu, the activities were also closely related to the Mid-Autumn Festival and Hanfu culture. This event featured six booths:
1. Information Booth: Visitors obtained garden cards, which recorded the locations of each booth and presented the event's content and schedule.
2. Cultural Blessing Booth: Introduced the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival and Hanfu culture. Additionally, visitors participated in a "Mid-Autumn Blessing Draw," where everyone had the chance to draw a blessing card, each carrying different well-wishes for good fortune.
3. Calligraphy, Painting, and Tea Culture Booth: Guests experienced Chinese calligraphy and painting while enjoying tea. Art knows no boundaries, especially the profound essence of Chinese culture, which transcends time, age, and borders.
The Chinese artist, Teng Yueteng, Thanks for your strong support for our event!
The Chinese artist, Yu Junyu, thanks for your strong support for our event!
Handicrafts Workshop Booth: A paradise for children and handicraft enthusiasts, where they can make mooncakes, lanterns, blessing cards, paper cuttings, makeup, and painting.
Hanfu Photography Area: Visitors could take photos against ancient-style backgrounds, experiencing a moment of time travel. For those without Hanfu, limited Hanfu was provided for a free trial, allowing visitors to experience the ancient charm and take memorable photos.
Mooncake Tasting/Specialty Goods/Membership Lucky Draw Booth.
Besides the enjoyable activities, captivating performances were also essential. The encounter with Hanfu is like a romantic encounter, initially stunning and then captivating. These age-old Chinese elements, when performed in a foreign land, still shine brightly, dazzling the audience. The beauty of Hanfu is like fine wine, intoxicating. At this moment, the encounter and collision of the Mid-Autumn Festival and Hanfu unfolded.
The event featured lovely children performing the "Bell Drum Dance," traditional Chinese instruments such as the Guzheng and Pipa serenading the audience, and classic characters from Chinese mythology like Chang'e, Hou Yi, Wu Gang, and the Jade Rabbit narrating the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Additionally, there were mesmerizing performances like the Dunhuang Dance Solo "Beautiful Maiden Pass," and an impromptu dance from Thai friends.
A group of people, exuding elegance and enthusiasm, showcased their love for life and pursuit of beauty on the improvised stage. They confidently presented Qipao fashion and elegant Hanfu.
The success of this event was greatly attributed to the efforts of the organizers, especially President Li Yanan of the Chinese-Finnish Friendship Association.
Special thanks to Vice President Rebekka, who actively communicated with Finnish counterparts and hosted the event in three languages (Chinese, Finnish, and English), contributing her valuable time and enthusiasm to build Sino-Finnish friendship.
We are grateful for the strong support from the Chinese Embassy in Finland:
We appreciate the financial and material support from the sponsors:
We thank various organizations for their assistance:
We express gratitude to all performers, groups, and individuals for their splendid performances:
Lastly, let me quote a few words from Mr. Luo Weiren, former President of the Chinese-Finnish Friendship Association and our lifelong honorary president, to express our thoughts on this event:
"Congratulations on the successful Mid-Autumn Festival Hanfu cultural exchange event organized by the Chinese-Finnish Friendship Association, which has received praise from all parties. It has also provided overseas Chinese and their families with a happy and harmonious platform for networking. What is most gratifying is seeing the young generation of children actively participating in promoting Chinese culture. Also, thanks to the cooperation of the board members, volunteers, and old and new members under the leadership of President Li Yanan, the results were achieved. I feel blessed as the former president! Keep up the good work!"
Thank you, President Luo, for your heartfelt words. The Chinese-Finnish Friendship Association will continue to live up to expectations and work harder for a better future for the Chinese community in Finland.
