A Warm and Joyful Mid-Autumn Gathering at MCU

By Nabi Bui

On October 2, 2025, the festive spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival filled Room E202 at MCU’s Taipei campus, where the OISS Office hosted a cozy gathering for both international and local students. Each attendee received a mooncake and a drink, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere for cultural exchange and celebration.

The event began with a heartfelt greeting from Ms. Nancy, representing the OISS Office. With a bright smile, she extended her best wishes to all the students, setting the tone for a joyful Mid-Autumn celebration. Both local and international students enjoyed mooncakes together, engaged in cheerful conversations, and took memorable group photos in the warm, lively space of Room E202.

Shortly after, Professor Kuang-hua Liu, Executive Director of the International Education and Exchange Division at MCU, took the stage to deliver a brief speech. In a friendly and welcoming tone, he interacted with students and shared a warm holiday message: “Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!”

The highlight of the event was the Mid-Autumn storytelling session. According to Ms. Nancy: “Taiwanese students are already familiar with the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival. But since many international students are joining us today, we’ve invited a Mandarin teacher to share this story with everyone.”

Ms. Judy, a Mandarin teacher, together with Ms. Cindy from the OISS Office as translator, brought the legend to life through an engaging bilingual storytelling session. Ms. Judy began in Chinese: “很久很久以前，天空有十個太陽。” Ms. Cindy quickly translated into English: “A long time ago, there were ten suns in the sky.”

The story unfolded through alternating Chinese narration and English translation, making the legendary tale both accessible and captivating. From the “ten suns scorching the land” to the heroic deeds of Hou Yi, the story drew the audience in. Laughter and curiosity filled the room as students immersed themselves in the cultural tale.

Following the storytelling, Ms. Judy and Ms. Cindy hosted a short Q&A session to help everyone recall the story in a fun and interactive way. Students who answered correctly received small gifts, adding excitement and energy to the room.

Although the gathering lasted only about 30 minutes, it left a lasting impression of warmth and joy. The sweet flavor of mooncakes, the richness of Taiwanese cultural stories, and the laughter of students from around the world blended together to create a truly memorable Mid-Autumn evening.

In particular, international students not only learned about Taiwan’s Mid-Autumn traditions but also picked up new Chinese vocabulary through this interactive activity — a light and enjoyable way to learn.