Mid-Autumn Festival: Hundreds spend traditional festival in ancient observatory

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China's Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated differently by its many different people. In Beijing, a 500-plus-year-old observatory opens to the public at night. It's a rare opportunity to see the full moon up close, via the observatory's modern telescope. But how did ancient Chinese astronomers observe the moon when there were no telescopes? Zheng Yibing shows us.

ZHENG YIBING BEIJING "For ancient Chinese, observing the moon or the starry sky would be very special. Let's go back in time and take a look."

In one of the world's oldest observatories, in Beijing, the curator says ancient Chinese valued the moon and everything it brings.

XIAO JUN DEPUTY CURATOR OF BEIJING ANCIENT OBSERVATORY "The moon goes from waning to waxing and back again in almost 30 days. That's why we make our calendar based not only on the solar but also the lunar system."

Instead of using a telescope, ancient Chinese paid more attention to the moon's motion, and of course any other visible stars.

XIAO JUN DEPUTY CURATOR OF BEIJING ANCIENT OBSERVATORY "For celestial bodies like the moon, people in ancient times used devices like armillary spheres to find out its motion laws and effects on human life."

Such observation evolved into a tradition, or even a sacrifice to the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when people see the most beautiful full moon of the year. Experts say it stands for longevity. Today, people still keep the rituals, like eating mooncakes with family and friends, and appreciating the full moon together. And some want to get a closer look at it.

VISITOR "During this festival, we come here, hoping to let our children discover more about Chinese traditions, the calendar and astronomical observations since ancient times."

As a tradition lasting over centuries, the festival is even more popular among today's Chinese. And the full moon and philosophy behind it bring people peace and happiness. Zheng Yibing CGTN Beijing.