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Written by Administrator
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 People in different parts of China have different ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. But one traditional custom has definitely remained and is shared by all the Chinese. This is eating the festive specialty: cakes shaped like the moon.
Moon Cake is the ubiquitous fare at any celebration of this traditional festival, not only because of its delicious taste and charming looking, but also for the cultural and artistic connotation. Nowadays, moon cakes with their various flavors and delicate packaging actually have become a kind of artwork. People can also get artistic pleasure while enjoying the food.
Moon cakes are round pastries that are about an inch in height. Inside, they are filled with lotus seeds, red bean paste, orange peel, melon seeds, ham, dried flower petals, and salted duck's egg yolk. The surface of the food is patterned with clouds, the moon, and the rabbit.
It symbolizes the reunions of families and couples. The exchanging of gifts during the mid autumn festival is one of the hospitable custom and lovers would also give moon cakes as presents to show their passions.
The customs of eating moon cakes can be dated back to thousand of years ago, boasting a close relationship with Chinese culture and history. In Chinese ancient literary history, a considerable number of poets and intellectuals created many classic poems and articles about the Mid-Autumn Festival and Moon Cakes. In Chinese fairy tales, there lived on the moon the fairy Chang'er, a wood cutter named Wu Gang and a jade rabbit which is Chang'er's pet. In the old days, people paid respect to the fairy Chang'er on the Mid-Autumn Festival.
There is this story about the moon cake. It says that during the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368), China was ruled by the Mongolians. Officials from the preceding Song Dynasty (960-1280) were unhappy at submitting to foreign rule, and set to organize a rebellion. The leaders of the rebellion, as the Mid-Autumn Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Filled in each moon cake was a message with the outline of the uprising. On the night of the Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Since then, moon cakes became a festive specialty on the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Text and Images of this article are copied and revised (slightly) from www.chinaculture.org with permission. All materials are copyrighted by www.chinaculture.org. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 December 2004 )
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