Though apart, loved ones share moon

It's quite normal for merchant seamen to be unable to spend the holidays with their families because most of their time is spent on the water. For Zhang Jian, a second officer at China COSCO Shipping Corp, this Mid-Autumn Festival was yet another where he was unable to see his beloved family because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I was very much looking forward to the festival and our family reunion this year," said the 32-year-old from Shangqiu, Henan province. He had been attending training sessions in Hebei province when he was informed that if he returned home to Shangqiu he would have to quarantine for at least a week due to a COVID-19 outbreak. His plans were scuppered.

When he was a boy, Mid-Autumn Festival was all about farming. "I grew up in a rural village, so our family was very busy with the harvest during the festival," he said.