Pingtan, a coastal county in Fujian Province celebrated for its rich maritime culture and one-of-a-kind folk customs, unfolded an array of lively celebrations for the 2025 Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays—treating locals and visitors alike to a taste of its age-old heritage.

Zheng Huaxiong serves crispy, aromatic "gift cakes" (Pingtan's Mid-Autumn specialty).

A star of Pingtan's Mid-Autumn fun is its "gift cakes," a local twist on traditional mooncakes. Zheng Huaxiong, a skilled baker with a snack shop, has been swamped with orders since two weeks before the festival. To keep up, he rises at 3 a.m. daily to churn out hundreds of cakes, his oven never cooling down. The tradition has deep roots: once, locals used sweet pastries instead of mooncakes; later, fishermen brought back a recipe for large, shareable meat cakes. These quickly fit the Mid-Autumn spirit of family gatherings, becoming a festival staple. "Eating a crispy, crunchy big meat cake makes me feel good all day," said regular customer Weng Biyun. Even a tourist from Zhejiang snapped up 10 boxes during the holiday, eager to share Pingtan's Mid-Autumn flavor with home.

Tile tower burning (File photo) 

Another iconic Pingtan tradition is "Tile Tower Burning"—a centuries-old practice officially named a district-level intangible cultural heritage item in May 2023. Per Rencuo Village Records, it traces back to the Yuan Dynasty: back then, people in the Central Plains, fed up with harsh rule, lit bonfires as an uprising signal on Mid-Autumn Night. Over time, it turned into a folk custom. Today, locals gather in an open space to light a red-tile tower; flames leap into the night, lighting up grinning faces. "The dancing flames are a symbol of reunion and hope for Pingtan people—our spiritual anchor," said Lin Hui, Canghai Village Party Branch Deputy Secretary. "Elders say the bigger the fire, the richer our lives. This isn't just prayer for good luck; it's proof we're all in this together, building a better future."

Kids get hands-on with hollyhock planting.

Adding a poetic touch to the celebrations is the "moon essence cutting" custom. Local lore says "moon essence"—the moon's core, shaped like silk, willow branches, or rice ears—drifts down to Earth when the "heaven's gate" opens on Mid-Autumn Night. Catching it, people believe, brings great prosperity. Folk culture promoter Chen Juanmei has been sharing this tradition with kids, leading activities: a "Returning Seeds to the Land" autumn sowing event and lacquer fan making. Known affectionately as "Aunt Goodness," she guided kids to plant hollyhocks, teaching them to identify various flowers and plants. "Loving nature starts with noticing every bloom, blade of grass, every tree," Chen said. She even linked the old moon essence custom to sowing: "Planting seeds with your own hands is a real, reliable way 'catch good fortune'—just like the ancient tradition of cutting moon essence." After planting, kids huddled in an old house courtyard to make lacquer fans, using plant-based natural pigments to paint favorite designs, crafting one-of-a-kind art.