The Moon Festival, also called the Mid-Autumn Festival, is a beloved tradition at Silicon Valley International School (INTL). On a beautiful evening in early fall, INTL families gather for a night of captivating stories, ethereal instruments, moving songs and a lantern-lit procession.
Coming together on INTL’s serene Willows Campus, families from all three of INTL’s bilingual language-immersion programs (Chinese, French, and German) joined as one to celebrate the beloved PTA Moon Festival. Families mixed and mingled as the moon began to rise, eating delectable bento meals they’d pre-ordered through the PTA or picnic dinners that they’d brought themselves.
“Traditionally, the Moon Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Families and loved ones will gather together to enjoy dinner and mooncakes, and appreciate the bright full moon in the night sky,” Ya-Ching Chang, Chinese Program Academic Dean explained.
The evening’s program began with students Alex H. (6th Grade) and Caia S. (10th Grade) introducing the first performers from the Chiffon Guzheng Ensemble. They captivated the crowd with the enchanting sounds of the guzheng, performed three classic pieces: "Water Melody" (但願人長久), "Spring River, Moonlit Night" (春江花月夜) and "The Moon Represents My Heart" (月亮代表我的心). The guzheng is an ancient Chinese plucked string instrument with a history spanning over two thousand years, dating back to the Chunqiu and Zhanguo periods. Shaped like a long rectangle, the guzheng consists of three main parts: the head, body, and tail. Players produce beautiful sounds by plucking the strings with their fingers. The guzheng is widely used in traditional Chinese music, opera, folk songs, and other genres.
The night continued with Caia S. and Lianna B. (6th Grade) introducing a performance of the song “Brighten the Future” (把未來點亮) by 5th Grade students Victor S., JJ C., Olive P., Lucas H., Aiden H., Cora M., Javid N., Claudia L., and Dazne O. The song conveys a spirit of initiative and the courage to pursue one's dreams, encouraging people to bravely face challenges and strive for their future. The presenters noted that as INTL celebrates its 45th anniversary, they hoped this song will serve as a beacon of light guiding the community forward, and fill them with confidence in the limitless possibilities of tomorrow.
The next part of the program was a piece of bilingual storytelling, with students sharing the tale of “Chang’E Soars to the Moon”( 嫦娥奔月). The Chinese sections were spoken by Zia F. (6th Grade), Ivy Y. (8th Grade), and Joy L. (8th Grade); with the English translations provided by 8th Graders Paxton C. and Ethan J. The story describes the love of the Hou Yi and Chang'e. One day, Hou Yi received an immortality elixir but left it with Chang'e for safekeeping. When a greedy man tried to steal it while Hou Yi was away, Chang'e was forced to drink the elixir. She floated to the moon and became a goddess. After the people heard the news that Chang'e flew to the moon and became an immortal, they set up incense tables under the moon and prayed to her for good luck and peace. From then on, the custom of celebrating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival spread.This is a wonderful opportunity for our younger students to see how the upper school Chinese program students presented the story with confidence to our community.
The final piece of entertainment for the evening was a delightful dance sequence led by Angela Wu, INTL Chinese music teacher, with all students. The children shared an adorable rendition of the song and dance “The Moon is Round and Round” (圓圓).
To finish the celebration, the attending children went on a parade, led by Erich Sonnberger, PTA President, around the nearby Willow Oaks Park lighting up the night with their lanterns. This mix of moon glow and lantern light filled the crowd with the hope for prosperity and good fortune throughout the year. The PTA Moon Festival is a treasured example of INTL’s international education and cross-cultural celebration, as students from all of INTL’s language programs benefit from exposure to Chinese, French, and German cultural events. A special thank you to event chairs Jennifer Lu Gilbert and Xinyi McKinny, as well as Ya-Ching Chang, Chinese Program Academic Dean, for putting together this wonderful evening.
