Duck, pork, bok choy, lap cheong, chicken feet, stir-fried chives, and bitter melon pickles. Each of these delicious dishes was prepared by Estelle Sellers, a Chinese woman in the local community. Sellers has hosted Mid- Autumn Festival dinners for Covenant’s Asian American and international students for eight years.
Over 20 students and alumni gathered in the first lobby of Mills on Saturday, September 26 amid Homecoming festivities to share the meal. China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand were among the countries represented by attendees.
Sellers opened the meal with a prayer in Mandarin, followed by a prayer in English, giving thanks for God’s harvest and celestial bodies.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, originated in ancient China during the Zhou Dynasty and was based around the legend of the moon goddess Chang’e. Today, the festival is celebrated across East and Southeast Asia and celebrates family reunion, the autumn harvest, and the moon.
“It’s not like celebrating your ancestors or death or love or anything. It’s just so pure. It’s like when the moon is the brightest time of the year,” said Priscilla Jiang ’27, who is from China. Jiang worked closely with Estelle Sellers to coordinate the event.
“For international students, whenever you reach this festival, you’ll get the most homesick,” said Jiang, “It’s like Thanksgiving. You’re supposed to be with your family.”
The festival is deeply communal, and Sellers recalls feeling “so homesick” when celebrating in the United States. Sellers wanted to create a space for students who were unable to celebrate with their families back home.
Glad Wong ’24 said, “Meals are at round tables because it feels more personal, like family. Rectangle tables feel corporate, and it’s harder to talk to everyone.”
While certain customs and names vary, most celebrations feature depictions of the jade rabbit, paper lanterns, and, of course, mooncakes: small, round pastries with fillings like salted egg yolk and red bean paste. Saturday’s meal finished off with boxed lemon and red bean mooncakes.
Student leaders like Priscilla Jiang and Peter Wong ’28 help plan robust events like the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner throughout the year. The Intercultural Program hosts weekly DiCafs, or “Diversity Cafés,” which include potlucks, study breaks, holiday observances, and times of community learning in fellowship.
DiCaf events are open to all students and offer chances to learn and make new friends. If you attend an event like the Moon Festival dinner, you will be welcomed with warmth and a plate of authentic food.