大家中秋節快樂! 好久沒吃到月餅了, 幸好今年剛跟爸爸媽媽見面, 他們從加州給我帶了好吃的, 我愛吃的酥皮月餅！
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! But what exactly is Mid-Autumn Festival, why do we celebrate it, and why do we eat moon cake?
Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Its history dates back to moon worship during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC); however, the moon worship custom did not become a festival and celebration until later in the more prosperous Sui (581 - 618 AD) and Tang (618 - 907 AD) dynasties. A full moon is a symbol of prosperity, happiness, and reunion, hence this festival is celebrated when the moon is believed to be biggest and fullest.
The most popular legend of Mid-Autumn Festival is of Chang E, the lady on the moon. Her husband, Hou Yi, was an excellent archer. A long time ago, there were 10 suns, and they were scorching the Earth. Hou Yi shot down 9 of the suns, saving the Earth and people, so the Queen Mother awarded him an elixir that could make him immortal. However, Hou Yi wanted to stay with his wife and did not drink the elixir. One day, one of his students tried to steal the elixir while Hou Yi was away, so Chang E drank the elixir so that it could not be stolen. The elixir made Chang E fly higher and higher, and she did not stop until she reached the moon. Hou Yi was saddened by the news, and prepared a table of food hoping that Chang E would return. Since then, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, many people offered food to worship the moon.
Another more probable story is that of the Mooncake Uprising at the end of the Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368 AD). The Yuan dynasty was ruled by Mongols, and the ethnic Han Chinese wanted to overthrow the empire. They hid slips of paper messages inside mooncakes and sold them to other Han Chinese as a way to communicate. A large, successful uprising was organized on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and from then on, people adopted the tradition of eating mooncakes at Mid-Autumn Festival.
Today, moon worship doesn't really take place anymore, but modern day traditions still include moon gazing, mooncake eating, and intricate lanterns/light display viewings.
As for mooncakes, we most commonly see Cantonese/Guangdong style mooncakes in stores these days, but there are other types as well. Traditional fillings include red bean paste, lotus seed paste, jujube (date) paste, five kernels, and egg yolk. Here are a few of the more common types:
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! But what exactly is Mid-Autumn Festival, why do we celebrate it, and why do we eat moon cake?
Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Its history dates back to moon worship during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC); however, the moon worship custom did not become a festival and celebration until later in the more prosperous Sui (581 - 618 AD) and Tang (618 - 907 AD) dynasties. A full moon is a symbol of prosperity, happiness, and reunion, hence this festival is celebrated when the moon is believed to be biggest and fullest.
The most popular legend of Mid-Autumn Festival is of Chang E, the lady on the moon. Her husband, Hou Yi, was an excellent archer. A long time ago, there were 10 suns, and they were scorching the Earth. Hou Yi shot down 9 of the suns, saving the Earth and people, so the Queen Mother awarded him an elixir that could make him immortal. However, Hou Yi wanted to stay with his wife and did not drink the elixir. One day, one of his students tried to steal the elixir while Hou Yi was away, so Chang E drank the elixir so that it could not be stolen. The elixir made Chang E fly higher and higher, and she did not stop until she reached the moon. Hou Yi was saddened by the news, and prepared a table of food hoping that Chang E would return. Since then, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, many people offered food to worship the moon.
Another more probable story is that of the Mooncake Uprising at the end of the Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368 AD). The Yuan dynasty was ruled by Mongols, and the ethnic Han Chinese wanted to overthrow the empire. They hid slips of paper messages inside mooncakes and sold them to other Han Chinese as a way to communicate. A large, successful uprising was organized on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and from then on, people adopted the tradition of eating mooncakes at Mid-Autumn Festival.
Today, moon worship doesn't really take place anymore, but modern day traditions still include moon gazing, mooncake eating, and intricate lanterns/light display viewings.
As for mooncakes, we most commonly see Cantonese/Guangdong style mooncakes in stores these days, but there are other types as well. Traditional fillings include red bean paste, lotus seed paste, jujube (date) paste, five kernels, and egg yolk. Here are a few of the more common types:
- Beijing style: two variations, one with a flaky, white dough and the other with a light, foamy dough; Beijing mooncakes are often more intricately decorated
- Guangdong style: thin, cakey crust with rich, dense fillings; most popular ones you see
- Suzhou style: known for its layers of flaky dough
Personally, I'm not a fan of the Cantonese/Guangdong style and much prefer the flaky crusts (Suzhou and Taiwan style). My favorite fillings include red bean, dates, green bean, and taro. Thanks to Mother Dear for bringing me my favorites all the way from California!
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