The moon carries emotions shared across cultures.
On the afternoon of September 6, “A Moonment to Remember” Mid-Autumn Folk Music & Poetry Festival was held at China Cultural Center in Stockholm. The event was co-organized by China Cultural Center in Stockholm, Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, and “Chinese Bridge” Club Stockholm.
Chinese folk music performances, instrument appreciation, multilingual poetry recitations, and interactive experiences unfolded in succession at China Cultural Center in Stockholm. On an early-autumn afternoon, the moon, Mid-Autumn traditions, and the arts came together in a cultural gathering rich in Eastern charm.
Moonlight in Music
On the evening of September 5, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra had presented New Oriental Chinese Music Scene at Stockholm Concert Hall. The following afternoon, the musicians came to China Cultural Center in Stockholm, bringing their music into a closer setting through instrument introductions, demonstrations, and conversation with the audience.
Hu Chenyun, suona performing artist of Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, introduced the audience to a range of traditional Chinese instruments in a relaxed and humorous manner. He explained their forms, tonal characteristics, and playing techniques, while fellow musicians gave live demonstrations to showcase the distinctive sounds and features of each instrument. Audience also asked the musicians questions about instrument construction and performance techniques, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of Chinese folk music through the interactive exchange.
The session was followed by performances of classic pieces including The Flowers Blossoms in the Full Moon, Clouds Chasing the Moon, and Beautiful Night. Instruments such as the guzheng and pipa revealed their distinctive timbres at close range, while the details of plucking, bowing, and wind techniques became easier to observe. The familiar melodies echoed the serene and far-reaching imagery of the Mid-Autumn moon, leading naturally into the classical Chinese poetry programme that followed.
Moonlight in Poetry
Following the music programme, the event moved into poetry, with the moon as its central theme.
For centuries, the moon has been an important image in Chinese poetry, associated with homesickness, remembrance, and reunion. Poets have long used the moon to express their feelings, and works such as Moonrise from the Book of Songs, Li Bai’s Quiet Night Thought, Zhang Jiuling’s Looking at the Moon and Thinking of One Far Away, and Su Shi’s Mid-Autumn Moon each offer a different perspective on emotions under the moon.
“Chinese Bridge” competition champions Gwendoline Flückiger and Mattias Lind presented a bilingual Chinese-English reading of The Curved Moon. In Stories of the Moon, Chinese, Swedish, English, and German were heard in turn, bringing together poems by Shu Ting, Edith Södergran, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Mascha Kaléko under the shared theme of the moon.
“Chinese Bridge” award winner Emilia Strömberg also performed May We All Be Blessed with Longevity. Su Shi’s verses unfolded through the familiar melody, carrying the poetry from recitation into song. As the music faded, the image of the moon seemed to linger, reaching from this afternoon in Stockholm toward distant places held in memory.
Under the Same Moon
After the programme, the event moved into a tea break and informal exchange. Guests viewed the photography exhibition, spoke with musicians from Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, and experienced traditional Chinese instruments up close. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful, while remaining relaxed and convivial.
The meaning of Mid-Autumn can also be found in moments like this. Everyone carries a memory of home, and with it, a moon of their own. On this early-autumn afternoon in Stockholm, people from different cultural backgrounds gathered through music and poetry, sharing the same moon and the same moment.
