Chinese and Nigerian workers at a project site in Nigeria have celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with storytelling, poetry, traditional food and discussions aimed at promoting cultural understanding between the two countries.
The celebration, organised by the project team, brought Chinese and Nigerian colleagues together under the theme of cultural exchange, with participants sharing traditions and beliefs associated with the moon in their respective societies.
The event featured lantern displays, mooncakes, poetry recitals and presentations on the history and customs of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
Chinese staff introduced their Nigerian colleagues to traditional stories associated with the festival, including the legend of Chang’e flying to the moon and the story of Wu Gang and the cassia tree.
They also explained customs such as moon-gazing, eating mooncakes, displaying lanterns and solving riddles.
A major focus of the presentation was the Chinese cultural understanding of the festival as a time for family reunion.
The Chinese team explained that, even when family members are separated by distance, the full moon provides a symbolic connection as people look at the same moon and share thoughts and blessings with their loved ones.
The Nigerian participants said the emphasis on family togetherness resonated with values deeply rooted in Nigerian communities.
Sharing Nigerian Moon Traditions
The cultural exchange continued with a session in which Nigerian colleagues shared stories and traditions surrounding the moon in different Nigerian communities.
Participants spoke about local beliefs linking the moon with harvest, love, time and seasonal changes, while others explained how the moon has traditionally featured in communal gatherings and storytelling.
One of the Nigerian participants observed that full-moon nights in some communities are occasions for gathering, singing, dancing and storytelling, drawing parallels with the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
The observation attracted laughter and applause from the participants, who noted the similarities between the two cultures despite their geographical distance.
Chinese staff also discussed the place of the moon in Chinese poetry and folk traditions, with participants agreeing that the shared appreciation of the moon provided a common cultural connection.
Poetry Brings Colleagues Together
The celebration also featured a Chinese poetry session during which Nigerian colleagues were introduced to poems by renowned Chinese poets Su Shi and Li Bai.
The participants recited lines from Shui Diao Ge Tou and Jing Ye Si, with Chinese colleagues explaining the meanings of the verses and helping their Nigerian counterparts with pronunciation.
Particular attention was given to the famous sentiment wishing that loved ones would live long enough to share the beauty of the same moon despite being separated by distance.
The participants described the message as a universal expression of love, friendship and longing that transcends cultural boundaries.
Mooncakes Symbolise Friendship
The celebration ended with the presentation and sharing of mooncakes, a major traditional food associated with the festival.
Chinese staff explained that the round shape of the mooncake symbolises reunion and completeness before inviting their Nigerian colleagues to taste different varieties, including lotus seed, red bean and mixed-nut fillings.
For some of the Nigerian participants, it was their first experience of eating mooncakes.
One participant described the experience as more than tasting a new food, saying the gesture reflected the care and thoughtfulness of the project team.
The organisers said the celebration provided an opportunity for Nigerian colleagues to experience Chinese culture while enabling Chinese staff to learn more about Nigerian traditions.
They said such activities could strengthen mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between Chinese and Nigerian workers.
The project team said it would continue to use traditional festivals and other cultural activities as platforms for people-to-people exchanges, with the aim of deepening China-Nigeria relations at the community and workplace levels.
The celebration, they added, demonstrated how cultural traditions can provide a bridge between people from different backgrounds and promote greater understanding and cooperation.