Jiaxiu Tower under a full moon, Guiyang, Guizhou province, China (© Wang Yukun/Getty Images)
As summer's warmth gently yields to autumn's cool embrace, the Mid-Autumn Festival lights up the sky on the full moon of the year's eighth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Celebrated since China's Shang dynasty, the festival honours the harvest season, during which families reunite to enjoy delectable mooncakes, admire the beauty of the moon, express gratitude, and tell tales of the Moon Goddess Chang'e, the Chinese goddess of the moon, and her husband Hou Yi, a legendary archer. Jiaxiu Tower was built in 1598, so it has witnessed many Mid-Autumn Festivals over the centuries. Under the moonlit sky, lanterns adorn the tower, illuminating the streets and symbolizing hope, good fortune, and unity.