Mid-Autumn Festival
Special Food in Mid-Autumn Festival – Chinese Folklore
One traditional custom has definitely been shared by all the Chinese. This is eating the festive specialty: cakes shaped line the moon.
The 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.
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 egg folk. 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.
Things Chinese Do in Mid-Autumn Festival – Chinese Folklore
The Mid-Autumn Festival is an evening celebration when families get together to light lanterns, eat moon cakes and appreciate the round moon. On that night, the moon appears to be at its roundest and brightest. The full moon is generally regarded as a symbol for family reunion, which is why that day is also known as the Festival of Reunion.
In the countryside, food offerings-including moon cakes, apples, pears, peaches, grapes, pomegranates, watermelons, oranges, and so on-are placed on an altar set up in the countryside.
Origin of Mid-Autumn Festival – Chinese Folklore
Many historians come up with different versions as to origin of this festival. Some believe that Mid-Autumn Festival is a festival to celebrate the harvest for the year. China has been an agricultural country for thousands of years.
After a full year of hard labor, the farmers have to find a way to celebrate after the harvest is done. There is no better moth to hold the occasion than the 8th lunar month. And what better day than the 15th of that month when the moon is full.
Another origin of this festival is associated with the legend of Chang’e and Houyi. There are many versions of the legend. The following is one of them.
In remote antiquity, there were 10 suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove people into dire poverty. A hero named Houyi was much worried about this, shot down the nine superfluous suns one after another. For this reason, the was respected and loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him to learn martial arts from him. A person named Pengmeng lurked him.
One day, Houyi got a parcel of elixir, by taking which, it was said, one would ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial. However, Houyi hated to part with his wife, Chang’e, so he gave the elixir to Chang’e to treasure for the time being.
One day when Houyi led his descoples to go hunting, Peng Meng rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang’e to hand over the elixir. At that critical moment, Chang’e turned round to open her treasure box, took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp and flew towards heaven.
Thinking of his wife day and night, Houyi then had an incense table arranged in the back garden that Chang’e loved. Putting onteh table sweet meats and fresh fruits Chang’e enjoyed most, Houyi held at a distance a memorial ceremony for Chang’e.
Other people arranged the incense table in the moonlight one after another and prayed kindhearted Chang’e for good fortune and peace.
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