On September 28, 2025, Guangzhou – The “Liede Mid-Autumn Carnival” cultural event officially commenced today at the “Haoyi Tianhe” Comprehensive Service Center in the Liede International Neighborhood, Tianhe District. Guided by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality and hosted by the Tianhe District Government Office, the event was co-organized by the INFO Guangdong, Liede Sub-district Office, Guangzhou International Cooperation Center, and the Hong Kong and Macao Residents Service Center of Tianhe District, with Ifland serving as the executing partner.

The event successfully attracted 33 consular officials and their families from 18 foreign consulates general in Guangzhou, alongside numerous Chinese and international friends，total more than 70 guests. They immersed themselves in traditional Chinese culture, appreciated Lingnan's distinctive charm, and shared the spirit of Mid-Autumn reunion.

Immersive Experiences: From Hanfu Etiquette to Handmade Mooncakes, A Zero-Distance Encounter with Traditional Culture

Moving beyond conventional cultural displays, the event featured seven thematic zones, creating a vibrant, interactive cultural space where traditions felt tangible, engaging, and even takeaways.

At the Hanfu Experience, consular officials and international guests showed keen interest in the array of traditional attire. Assisted by volunteers, they carefully adjusted their garments and enthusiastically learned the traditional folding-hand salute. An international friend remarked, "The moment I put on the Hanfu, it felt like touching the elegance of a thousand years ago. This was more than just dressing up; it was a profound cultural role-playing, giving me an intuitive understanding of the meaning behind 'a land of ceremony and propriety.'"

The Mooncake Workshop buzzed with warm, homely energy. Here, international visitors, guided by the pastry chef personally made mooncakes with distinctive Cantonese characteristics, from kneading the dough and wrapping the filling to pressing the molds. Adjacent, the lantern painting area saw unique Mid-Autumn blessings take form under flowing brushes. David from UK, holding their self-made mooncake and lantern, shared delightedly, "The feeling of holding 'reunion' in your hands is truly magical. This will be the most special gift for my family back home."

Furthermore, the Mid-Autumn Cultural Exposition clearly narrated legends like Chang'e Flying to the Moon and unique local customs such as Cantonese moon worship celebrations. The Moonlit Riddles bilingual lantern riddle challenge provided witty fun. During the Chinese Traditional Music Show, the soulful strains of the erhu and the clear melodies of the guzheng intertwined, adding boundless elegance to the mooncake tasting. The Moonlit Wishes Wall was quickly filled with heartfelt messages in various languages, becoming a vivid symbol of harmonious integration.

The Neighborhood as a Stage: A "Guangzhou Window" for Dialogue Between Tradition and Modernity

The Liede International Neighborhood in Tianhe District presents a unique blend: a former village with deep cultural heritage, including preserved dragon boat traditions, now nestled among skyscrapers and home to a significant population of consular staff and expatriates. It stands as one of Guangzhou's most multicultural neighborhoods. The "Haoyi Tianhe" Comprehensive Service Center, serving as a daily hub for international residents, acts as a "cultural hub" fostering people-to-people bonds. Hosting the event here highlights Guangzhou's ability not only to preserve its profound cultural heritage but also to revitalize traditional essence within a modern context.

Guests experienced traditional festivities amidst elegant, classically inspired settings, with the shimmering city skyline visible just beyond. This unique atmosphere, where time seems to intertwine, elevated cultural exchange beyond mere symbolic recognition into a tangible feeling of Guangzhou's urban development philosophy.

Lasting Impressions: From Festive Feast to Sustainable Cultural Bonds

From September 29th until October 6th, the Mid-Autumn Cultural Exposition, Moonlit Riddles experience, and the Moonlit Wishes Wall will remain open to the public free of charge, allowing more residents and visitors to partake in this notable cultural journey.

More importantly, on October 5th, a salon for compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao will be held within the Liede International Neighborhood. Featuring traditional foods, floor curling, creative workshops, and other youth-oriented interactions, the event aims to further strengthen cultural identity and youth connections within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

As part of the 2025 "Understanding Guangzhou Through Diplomats' Eyes" series, the Liede Mid-Autumn Carnival successfully made the profound depths of Chinese culture accessible and relatable through meticulous scene-setting, deep interaction, and emotional connection, effectively bridging divides posed by cultural differences.

In recent years, municipal and district foreign affairs departments in Guangzhou have consistently organized the "Understanding Guangzhou Through Diplomats' Eyes" series of events. These activities allow consular officials to experience traditional Chinese culture, visit tech innovation enterprises, sample the new vitality of the old city, and witness achievements in rural revitalization, showcasing the Guangzhou practice of Chinese modernization.

Looking ahead, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, will continue to deepen the brand development of the Liede International Neighborhood. By introducing more diverse themes, adopting a more open attitude, and employing innovative formats, it aims to host more culturally significant events with international impact. This effort seeks to further promote mutual learning between Chinese and Western cultures, deepen consensus on cooperation, and contribute to building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into a first-class bay area and world-class city cluster full of vitality and international competitiveness.

Correspondents: Guangzhou Foreign Affairs, Tianhe District Government Office