August Moon Party

I went to the little Panda August Moon party with Noah today. Jonah slept late for his nap in and I happened to have people to watch him besides. He always gets to go to little panda. Noah never does. I met up with the Woo Ching White Crane lion dance team on the way. The children were all sitting down in the courtyard where we usually do our class, singing etc. It was quite nice and felt very festive with the lanterns hanging from the trees, and us in our full uniforms and lion heads. We started. Of course some kids cried and were terrified of the lion. Most were not though. After the lion dance I did a shortened version of my class. It was not as mobile because the courtyard was packed. Actually, it felt really good to have that many kids following along doing Kung Fu. (and managing not hit each other.) Indeed it shows that my wheels on the bus system is pretty good for crowds. I saw some parents recording their children. I really hope they post it on youtube or something.
Anyway, after all that, they served mooncakes, tea, and other snacks. Noah stayed a little longer than the lion dance team, and then we played in the playground too. I kind of wanted to go straight home, but I knew the only way to get him to leave the playground would be to go somewhere else he wanted to go first. i.e. to go see Jing. So we did that. It turns out they were doing the August Moon ritual feast at the school. Not so much of a feast in terms of food. Just some simple meat and moon cakes, offered to the gods/spirits/ancestors first. (all of which I guess are included in the word "sun") and then burned paper offerings of money gold and other currency. Spirit money, of course. not actual currency.
I wanted to stay for that so that Noah would see it. He seen it before of course, but I want it to be part of his childhood memory. There were many questions about why paper burns and all that. Also questions about why we were bowing, and why were going outside and why we were lighting incense, and why fire is fire, and why fire burns out. I did not have very good answers I will admit
Anyway, after that we headed home, and after many questions about why it's so dark, why the dogs are barking, and why we can see even though it's night time. And now they are in bed.