Shine on, harvest moon

From royal wishes for fertile crops to family reunions, Mid-Autumn activities have evolved over the centuries to mean different things to different people

Despite the difficulty booking train tickets and the inevitable huge crowds, Lin Xuejuan travels about 200 kilometers from Shenzhen, where she works, to her hometown Shanwei, Guangdong province to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival every year.

"It's a ritual to go back home for such a traditional festival," says Lin, 28.