Festival created to celebrate harvest, giving farmers their day in the sun

The nation will celebrate Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival on the autumn equinox on the Chinese lunar calendar starting this year, Han Changfu, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said on Thursday.

The festival, the first in China created specially for farmers, reflects the high priority the central government places on rural areas and agriculture, as well as its determination to see a thriving agricultural industry, beautiful countryside and well-off farmers, Han said at a news conference in Beijing.

Autumn equinox is one of the 24 solar terms in the lunar calendar and marks the midpoint of autumn.