A little belated but happy Full Moon Festival! Night before last the residents had a beautiful ceremony in reverence to the swollen, white moon. Apparently it only happens once a year, not sure why not with every full moon, so I was very lucky to catch it. It started with some nice words as everyone clasped fragrant incense between their hands in prayer. The girls planted their smoky sticks in a bowl of rice and padded off to watch a horror film on tv, waiting for the incense to burned to nubs. After a sitting a spell there was lots of cakes and fruit for all. The whole thing was underscored by continuous giggling, heckling and camera-photo taking, which was one of the most fun parts. Apparently a Chinese ceremony, the residents were dedicated to conducting it with poise but confessed that they only did it because they wanted to eat cake. Above is my favorite picture from the evening. A laughing students next to the full moon alter. The moon is high overhead but the scene is brightened by the candles and her smile.
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