YunTech Celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with “Harmony Under the Full Moon,” Bringing International Students and Faculty Together to Make Mooncakes

After leaving their home countries to study in Taiwan, international students may sometimes wonder who they can celebrate traditional holidays with. Could a handmade mooncake and a shared hands-on experience be the beginning of a new friendship? For international students becoming familiar with life in Taiwan, festivals offer opportunities to come together. YunTech’s “Harmony Under the Full Moon” Mid-Autumn Festival exchange event brought faculty and students together through hands-on activities, a shared meal, and evening socializing, offering participants an opportunity to experience Taiwanese festival culture while creating a welcoming space for students far from home to find friends with whom they can share everyday experiences and feelings.

The Office of International Affairs at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology (YunTech) held the “Harmony Under the Full Moon—International Faculty and Students’ Mid-Autumn Festival Exchange Event” on September 30, 2026. Registration opened at 4:00 p.m., with activities continuing until 9:00 p.m. The program featured four hands-on cultural activities: Chinese calligraphy and fan painting, mochi mooncake making, paper lantern folding, and traditional paper cutting. A barbecue dinner, evening social activities, and a group photo were also included.

The Mid-Autumn Festival carries a strong sense of togetherness and often brings memories of family and friends to those studying far from home. Although festival traditions vary from country to country, the simple experience of sharing a meal with family or food with friends can often create a sense of connection. The event sought to build on these familiar experiences, giving international faculty and students opportunities to learn about Taiwanese culture while sharing stories about how festivals are celebrated in their home countries.

The four hands-on activities offered different ways to experience Taiwanese culture. Through Chinese calligraphy and fan painting, participants explored the movement of brushwork and ink on a traditional fan. Traditional paper cutting introduced participants to the creative patterns that can be formed through folding and cutting paper, while paper lantern making transformed flat sheets of paper into festive decorations. From observing techniques to trying them firsthand, each step created opportunities for participants to ask one another questions, exchange ideas, and interact naturally.

The mochi mooncake workshop allowed participants to make their own festive treats and enjoy them later with a barbecue dinner. From preparation to tasting, food also provided an opportunity to start conversations about culture: What foods do people eat during festivals in their home countries? Which traditional treats remind them most of home? By sharing the memories and everyday experiences behind different flavors, participants had opportunities to learn more about one another around the dinner table.

Professor Hui-Ching Yeh, Vice President for International Affairs, noted that festivals can be particularly meaningful for international students who are far from their families. Through the event, she hoped students could experience Taiwanese culture while also feeling comfortable sharing their own stories. Making mooncakes together, helping one another complete a project, or simply sitting down to share a meal may seem like ordinary interactions, but they can become the starting point for friendships. She hoped that students would gradually find people at YunTech with whom they could talk, share their experiences, and feel a sense of belonging as part of the campus community.

The evening activities continued the spirit of interaction established during the day, inviting faculty and students to take a walk together and socialize freely before gathering for a group photo to commemorate the occasion. From working together to spending time together, the event created more opportunities for natural interaction and helped turn a shared experience into a warm and lasting memory of campus life.

“Harmony Under the Full Moon” sought to transform the spirit of togetherness associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival into a meaningful experience of companionship on campus. Even when family members are thousands of miles away in another country, students can find friends with whom they can celebrate, share a meal, and enjoy a conversation. YunTech hopes that the conversations sparked by the event will continue into students’ everyday campus lives, allowing each encounter and greeting to gradually build a greater sense of familiarity, connection, and belonging at YunTech.

The event drew enthusiastic participation from international faculty and students, who came together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and capture a warm group photo to commemorate the occasion.

Professor Hui-Ching Yeh, Vice President for International Affairs, welcomes international faculty and students to the Mid-Autumn Festival exchange event, inviting them to experience the warmth of celebration, togetherness, and inclusion on campus.

Participants took part in Mid-Autumn Festival crafts, including traditional paper cutting and mochi mooncake making, learning about Taiwanese festival culture through hands-on creative activities.

Faculty and students explored traditional paper cutting and Chinese calligraphy and fan painting, exchanging cultural perspectives and personal experiences through the creative process.

International students presented a variety of performances, including singing and dancing, sharing the energy and unique cultural traditions of their home countries with faculty and students.

Organizer: Office of International Affairs
Director: Hsiu-Ching Hsieh
Contact Person: Ming-Chun Chang
Telephone: +886-5-534-2601 ext. 2393

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