Chinese people have found new ways to celebrate and enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival, aside from the tradition of eating mooncakes with their families. A decidedly modern approach, people were given the option to celebrate the much-awaited occasion up in the sky.
Several domestic airlines took advantage of the fact that the festival fell on a Sunday by organizing flights to provide people a much better view of the full moon.
Among these local companies is Shandong Airlines, which allocated 40 of its 400 domestic flights to take passengers up in the sky for a majestic view of the full moon. The company tracked the movement of the moon and reserved the best seats in the house to provide passengers a unique and memorable experience.
The gimmick proved to be quite popular with the crowd.
"Over 300 passengers booked these special seats," said Mao Yi, a clerk working for Spring Airlines, another company that offered such flights.
Social media also buzzed with activity as greetings were sent back and forth between friends and family members.
Despite the development of such modern trends, some people still look forward to the traditional way of celebrating the festival, which occurs on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.
"In the past, we were more interested in food. Now, we value the opportunity to catch up with our families," said Wang Lamei, a housewife from Luo, Henan Province.
These days, mooncakes, which were once a rare and expensive commodity, are commonplace thanks to years of rapid economic development. The food's importance has diminished, from a special treat to just another festival gift.
Saleswoman Li Yan from Harbin shared that even the most luxurious ones don't sell anymore due to the government's frugality and anti-corruption campaign.