Expatriates enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival in Xujing
Basking in the moonlight and amidst the clinking of cups, expat families in Xujing recently enjoyed a special celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival on Tuesday with locals, where homes nearly 15,000 expatriates from more than 120 countries and regions.
Reunion is an eternal theme of the Mid-Autumn Festival for Chinese people, and a reunion feast is a reconnection of emotions and memories.
Following the tradition that has lasted for thousands of years, Hammer Henning from Germany and his family enjoyed a "long-table feast" with about 10 cuisines of various flavors served at Panlong Tiandi in a lantern-lit environment.
On the menu were barbecued pork, smoked stewed pomfret, braised pork belly in brown sauce with eggs, cold rice noodles of Yunnan Province and Shawan chicken.
"It's very nice, good for foreigners, and I can learn more about the Chinese culture," said Henning. "I like almost all of the food, from beef to noodle."
Henning has been in Xujing since 2019.
"It's like my second home," he said. "It's a very pleasant place.
"It is quieter than Shanghai's center, while going there is also very convenient. But basically, you don't have to, because here you have everything what you need. It's a very convenient area.
"It's very nice as you can feel that the local authorities are taking care to keep it green and to make the whole place very pleasant and nicely maintained," he added. "Also, for us, it's a perfect location for the school near here, and I am very happy to be here."
Lee Tan, from New Zealand, is a "new comer" to the community, who has decided to stay long-term.
"I like the community and I feel happy here," he said. "It's really fast going to downtown, and we have a lot of good things like Panlong, Lidoway and shopping malls here. It's better than downtown because it has a lot of greenery and playgrounds suitable for children.
"At the community, people are good, and it has a good mix of families, both young and senior people."
He enjoyed the banquet with his family.
"I like eating outside, especially when the weather is nice like this, which is perfect," he said. "It's a unique experience, and I like to learn more about Chinese festivals.
"The dapanji (big-plate chicken) and cold noodle are my favorite."
Located in Hongqiao International Central Business District, Xujing Town is home to a number of international communities. Multi-culturalism is taking root and prospering in the town.