On Mid-Autumn Day, some boarded the bus home, while others remained separated by thousands of kilometers of longing. But we who stayed on campus moved the moon into the activity room — not the one we look up to, but a moon we made by hand that can glow. Stepping into the scene, a rich Mid-Autumn atmosphere rushed to meet us. Bright balloon columns stood on both sides, long tables were covered with festive red cloth, moon-lamps in the prize-exchange area were stacked into a 'little moon mountain,' and lantern-riddle tags hung in rows on wooden racks, waiting for students to come and pick them.
On the lantern-riddle wall, whose thoughts are hidden
Before the activity officially started, crowds had already gathered in front of the two rows of lantern-riddle racks. Riddle tags swayed gently on the frames; some frowned in thought at the riddles, while others had already pulled out a tag and hurried toward the prize-exchange area. Guess one correctly and exchange it for a prize ticket; save enough and you can trade them at the prize area for a moon-lamp or a piece of intangible-cultural-heritage paper-cutting. The prizes are nothing precious, but the small pride of 'I got it' is enough to show off in front of friends. Students who guessed correctly posed for photos holding their tags; those who didn't weren't upset either, turning to peel off another one — the fun of lantern riddles lies precisely in that 'try again' spirit.
Make a 'moon' by hand
The redeemed moon-lamp is then 'raised' by hand. Paints and brushes covered the long tables, and the white lamp globes slowly changed shape in many pairs of hands — some painted a starry sky, some painted the Jade Rabbit, and others wrote, stroke by stroke, the words they wanted to say onto the 'moon.' Paint the moon by day, and it truly glows at night.
On the other side, the sound of scissors rose and fell. Red paper folded at the fingertips, red confetti fell in showers, and the Jade Rabbit, lanterns, and the character 'Fu' (fortune) gradually 'walked' out of the paper. The moment they were unfolded, the onlookers' eyes lit up — so an ordinary sheet of red paper can also bloom like a flower.
After finishing, students 'inspected' each other's moons, chatting noisily about whose color scheme was cleverer and whose creativity was better, laughter never stopping. Some carefully put the lamp globe back in its box, saying they would place it by the bedside in the dorm — by day it is their own painting, by night a glowing moon.
Cutting the moon to find sweetness, even the fruit carries intention
At the other end of the long table, mooncake gift boxes printed with 'Joy and Well-being' were already set out. Whole mooncakes were cut and divided — a piece for you, a piece for me — the ritual of 'cutting the moon' has always been about sharing: sharing the mooncake doubles the sweetness. The fruit on the table was not placed at random either; each kind had its own name — Nanguo Pear · thinking of home, may you be safe and smooth, and never forget the direction of home; Red-heart Fruit · a red heart chasing dreams, may you carry a burning red heart and never stop pursuing your dreams; Grapes · fruitful reunion, may your branches bend with fruit and you be reunited with the moon; Mini Kiwi · growing in hidden light, may you quietly accumulate and gently glow. One bite of fruit, one blessing. On this Mid-Autumn away from home by a thousand miles, both sweetness and longing are on this table.
A paper wish, sent afar to the bright moon
In front of the wish wall was the quietest yet most lively corner of the venue. Quiet, because the students writing wishes were especially serious; lively, because the blessings on the wall kept multiplying. 'World peace,' 'Happy Mid-Autumn,' 'successfully upgrade to a bachelor's program,' 'may everyone's wishes come true' … postcards lined up one after another, and every note warmed the heart. Those expectations one is usually too shy to voice were left in this corner kept company by the moon. May all that the moonlight touches be beautiful; may all your wishes come true.
Actually this activity was very simple: riddles, making lamps, sharing mooncakes, posting wishes. But it was precisely these 'simples' that gathered a group of people who couldn't go home into a small 'home.' Reunion has never had only one shape — it can be a long table full of fresh fruit, a hand-painted moon-lamp, or a wish wall covered with blessings.
The moon is still that moon, but tonight's moon is a little different. It was guessed into lantern riddles, painted in brilliant colors, cut into pieces and shared, and filled with the youths' expectations. It is no longer the unreachable disk hanging at the edge of the sky, but a full moon personally gathered by us who stayed on campus. The moonlight flows slowly, and warmth remains on campus. May this Mid-Autumn warmth accompany everyone on every journey to come.
