Reflection and celebrations

Student says Chinese Dream inspires Africans

Disabled prodigy who's music to ears

Feng's driving ambition

"I miss my family and friends, especially my siblings and my children who are not living here with me. My best memories of the festival are childhood memories of carrying lanterns. My mother would buy me a special paper lantern each year and we would stay up all night stringing lanterns in the garden, drinking tea and eating moon cakes, pomelo, baby yams and my favourite lingjiao, a water caltrop shaped like bull's horns.

"When my children were younger I continued the tradition doing the same with them. I wish my family peace, joy and love, and will still light my lanterns and have some tea and moon cakes."

Bee Tan, 60, artist, in Australia, with a daughter away in Shanghai.

"I feel homesick. I miss mom's cooking. But family always gives me energy when I feel upset. In my childhood, we would have hearty dishes for dinner and endless delicious moon cakes. All the family would be together. If I could tell them something, I'd tell them, "Wait for me! I'm coming back home soon!" This year, I will celebrate mid-autumn festival with friends.

Jing Yi, 26, designer from Guangxi working in Shanghai

Family is your base, so being away from them is like losing something that you can't find or buy. Seeing other families share laughter and happiness during the Mid-Autumn Festival definitely throws me back. But thanks to Facetime, it really helps. I'd say to my family, "Be happy and always appreciate what we have, I am sorry this time we can't spend time together. Hope you guys will like the special gift that I sent and at least that will represent me OK? Love you guys." This year I will take all my staff for a good barbecue and night out! And will be accepting invitations for a barbecue party each week!

Allen Stevano, 34, Executive Chef, from Bali but living in Xiamen.

— Judith Huang