Chinese culture is rich with myths and legends, and the story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival is among the most well-known. Desserts. Mooncakes are a type of snack or dessert pastry with a sweet or savory filling. Mooncakes (“月饼 (yuèbǐng)” in Chinese) are Chinese pastries or baked goods that are eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival. He and the other bakers then pound out each mooncake to be baked. The story goes thus - China was once ruled by Mongolians during the Yuan dynasty at AD. DEL BARCO: Liu says her family didn't have much money, but each Moon Festival, they would celebrate by eating elaborate feasts followed by mooncakes. Li Shimin was very happy to receive this gift and introduced the round cakes to his faithful subjects. As early as the Shang (17th century BC - 1046 BC) and Zhou (1046 - 256 BC) dynasties in what today are Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in east China, there was a kind of “Taishi cake” thick at the center and thin at the edge, which was the origin of the mooncake. Legends of the Mid-Autumn. But it was hard to deliver military massage secretly. This caused people to die, so Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns and was given an elixir by the Queen of Heaven to make him immortal. All the people on Earth were saved. Legend traces the story to a hero named Hou Yi, who lived during a time when there were 10 suns in the sky. MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: The upcoming Netflix animated musical "Over The Moon" retells the myth of the moon goddess Chang'e. ... traditionally it was a time when families would come together for a meal and enjoy some moon cakes. 1. Not all mooncakes are filled with egg yolk. Mooncakes are a type of snack or dessert pastry with a sweet or savory filling. The Legend Behind the Fest . I really like the topic of the moon-cakes and mid-autumn festival because we learned about those in class and with the Chinese professors who ate Chinese food with us. ... the story changes depending on the social reality. Rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhuang distributed mooncakes to all of the Chinese residents, each cake containing a piece of paper saying “Kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month.” The rebellion succeeded, and Zhu Yuanzhuang set up the Ming Dynasty. Good Food. People called it Hu cake at that time. Mooncakes have existed for a long time as a traditional food of the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節) which occurs on Month 8 Day 15 every year of the Chinese calendar. Even during the pandemic, there's always birthdays. A mooncake (simplified Chinese: 月饼; traditional Chinese: 月餅) is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節). The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, begins today. LIU: We are hoping the future missions from studying the water ice on the lunar South Pole - it can tell us some information where the water come from on Earth. It is said that they conveniently used the Mid-Autumn Festival timing to seek permission to distribute mooncakes, which (conveniently) the Mongols did not eat. Because of their rich fillings, mooncakes are hardly the healthiest … The suns burnt all the plants on Earth. Typical sweet fillings include sweet bean paste, lotus seed paste or red date (jujube) paste that envelops one or more mini salted, cured duck egg yolks. You can see many pictures about … (SOUNDBITE OF BENOIT AND SERGIO SONG, "LONG NEGLECTED WORDS"). Maybe this is because it fits more with people’s taste: The sweet ones are more like a dessert to people and the salty Zongzi is more like a staple food. Mooncake history is as long as 3,000 years in China. A moon cakeis a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節). In Han Dynasty, Zhangqian, who was sent on a diplomatic mission to the western of China, introduced sesame seeds and walnuts from the west. But birthday cakes are needed, and that's sort of kept us afloat so far. CHAN CEPPI: They started the bakery because they miss the sweets from China. One of the most important parts of Mid Autumn festival are the Moon Cakes 月饼 (yuè bǐng). Then the sesame seeds and walnuts were used as the fillings of mooncakes. After that, the round cakes became popular both in palace and among the folks. Halal Mooncake - Features, Fillings, Recipe, Jelly Mooncake - How to Make Colorful and Crystal Mooncakes. Phoenix Bakery in LA's Chinatown has been making these treats by hand for 82 years. For a long time in history, mooncakes were used as a sacrifice on the Mid-Autumn Festival. 2.57 metres is the diameter of the largest mooncake ever baked. The stories and legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival are quite interesting. Copyright © 1998-2021 All rights reserved. There is also a mythological story behind the mooncake, my grandmother used to tell me this story when I was young. The Mid-Autumn festival dates back more than a 1000 years ago, when the Chinese still based their calendars on the position of the moon. An archer named Hou Yi was able to shoot down nine of the ten suns, ending the drought. It was said that a Han Chinese rebel leader, Zhu Yuanzhang and his advisor, Liu Bo Wen, planned to arouse the Han Chinese to rise up against the ruling Mongolians and end the Yuan dynasty. However, before we delve deeper into the story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival, here are some basic facts to set the scene. Chan's … The moon is something she's contemplated since she was a child in the Henan province of central China near the Yellow River. 3,000 Years’ History of Chinese Moon Cake. Although many variations of the tale exist, one of its most popular versions centers around the goddess of the moon—and how she came to be. It is said it is Yang who named the round cake “mooncake”. Ateneo Celadon presents...The Mid-Autumn Gratia FestivalThe Legend of the Mooncake Festival: The Story of Chang-E It symbolizes family and harmony. When Chinese people talk about the “lady in the moon”, they are talking about Cháng é, the Moon Fairy. A single mooncake is enough for four people. Snowskin mooncake, or ‘Bing Pi’ (Ice Skin) in Mandarin, got its name from its distinctive crystal texture and snow-coloured pastry. STORY BEHIND THE RECIPE. And my mother's thinking actually was, people always celebrate with sweets. But the cultural history behind mooncakes goes back way further than that. They lit incense and made wishes. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month which is usually somewhere between September and October. At this point the mooncake is removed from the oven and brushed with egg yolk beaten with a pinch of salt, before being returned to the oven to bake for a further 8-11 minutes. It was very early in ancient China when the Chinese observed and associated the moon’s cycle with the passing of the seasons and agriculture, thus the moon’s importance and worth in terms of venerating, worshiping and sacrifice. After Spring Festival, 中秋节 (zhōng qiū jié) Mid Autumn Festival is the 2nd biggest Traditional Chinese festival. On the day of the uprising, the uprising troops from different places got together and fight against the Yuan troop. STORY BEHIND THE RECIPE. It is the second-most important holiday after Chinese New Year with a history dating back 3,000 years, when China's emperors worshipped the moon for bountiful harvests. Mooncakes were both sacrificed to the moon as offerings and eaten during worship of the celestial body. Fillings, in turn, consist of a dense paste made from lotus beans, … Long, long ago, there were 10 suns in the sky. These days, although families still get together, it’s more popular to sit outside and enjoy a barbecue. The time was the Yuan dynasty (AD 1280-1368), established by the invading Mongolians from the north. It was customary for emperors to worship the moon in the middle of autumn because they believed it would be essential for a full harvest the next year. Story of Moon-Cakes. The story behind Häagen-Dazs mooncakes Long, long ago and far, far away, there was a moon goddess named Chang Er who lived a life of loneliness on the pale round face of the moon. They are primarily round, to reflect the shape of the moon, but can also be square-shaped. DEL BARCO: They both grew up in the bakery, watching their parents work. According to a Chinese legend, mooncakes were used by the Ming revolutionaries. Over the centuries, these special cakes have become the most popular food of the Mid-Autumn Festival.They are named after the moon goddess (), who is said to make this kind of cake.Chinese: 月饼 yuèbǐng /ywair-bing/ 'moon-cake(s)' Mooncakes are Round or Square Stuffed Pastries Theearth once had ten suns circling over it, each took its turn to illuminate to the earth.But one day all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. Learn the story behind the celebration of one of Taiwan's most popular festivals; Moon Festival. So far, some mooncake brands have already been over 100 years old. YOULEN CHAN: These are the molds that we use to decorate with. Chinese Moon Cake. The written record of the characters “moon cake” were first seen in a book of Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279 AD), which is an important textual evidence in mooncake history. #mooncake; #chinese; #legend; #history; #China ; #midautumnfestival; Cover image via Sou Yan & @HKGoldenforum (Twitter) Unlike other celebrations in Chinese culture, the stories and origin behind the Mid-Autumn Festival can be a little bit more confusing because there are multiple versions of the folklore. The trays rotate like a carousel, sounding eerie and celestial. After many attempts to invade China, the Mongols succeeded in the 13 th Century, with Kublai Khan establishing the Yuan dynasty. NPR discusses the symbolism behind the mooncake. The blog is extremely informative and definitely like the pictures. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar calendar. KATHY CHAN CEPPI: The symbolism of the mooncake, of course, is it's round like the moon. Some families have a reunion dinner because the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is a national holiday. Mooncakes are more than a tasty treat, with an interesting story behind the Chinese mid autumn festival tradition of their consumption. For 2010, that falls on Wednesday, September 22. The story behind Häagen-Dazs mooncakes | A Taste of General… Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Moon Cakes! This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. There was a trader from Tibet offered some round cakes to Li Shimin to congratulate victory. Mooncakes are out in the market weeks before the Mid-Autumn Festival… Haagen Dazs Ice Cream. Chang'e and Hou Yi — Love Story of a Beautiful Lady and a Hero Pictures of a Beautiful Lady and the Moon — Who is She? Since 1900’s, Daoxiangcun, Lianxianglou, Guanshengyuan and other mooncake brands have shown up. Like many Chinese customs, the origins of the mooncake lie in ancient times, in this case a time of social and political triumph – the overthrowing of the Mongol dynasty. Chan, who's 64, was born and raised in LA and remembers his family eating mooncakes in front of altars where they prayed to the moon goddess during the festival. Mooncake is as quintessential to Mid-Autumn Festival as turkeys are to Thanksgiving. The answer is in the legendary Story below. People were dying. The most commonly sold Chinese mooncake, sometimes referred to as the Cantonese style, is round, about four inches in diameter, and about one-and-a-half inches thick. It's celebrated around Asia and also in the U.S. NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports on some celebrations of the harvest moon. Characters in the Story. Bernice Chan of the South China … On the 15th day the 8th lunar month, Li Jing returned triumphantly. They managed to hide secret messages inside the cakes which organised the rebellion and overthrow of the … Mooncakes is the lyrical story of a young girl who shares the special celebration of the Chinese Moon Festival with her parents. Chang'e. People celebrate the harvest moon by eating mooncakes and lighting lanterns. That’s how my mother always started the story every fall on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival as we sat in a circle in the yard, craned our neck upward and admired the moon. Her concept of the moon is more scientific these days. People ate the round cakes on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Mooncakes now come in … She says her mom and dad moved to LA in 1938. Mooncake Recipe . Once, according to Chinese legend, mooncakes helped bring about a revolution. The bakers brush the hand-stamped mooncakes with duck egg yolk, then place them on racks inside a huge 15-foot-wide oven to bake. DEL BARCO: Youlen Chan says his father brought the wooden molds from China to the family's bakery decades ago. For a long time in history, mooncakes were used as a sacrifice on the Mid-Autumn Festival. One day, Hou Yi used his bow and arrows to shoot down nine of them. They fold up each cake and press it into a well-worn paddle with designs carved into it. Mooncakes (yue bing) were first made by the people of the Tang Dynasty to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals. The festival is about lunar appreciation and Moon watching, and mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy. Here we've listed three popular stories about the Chinese Moon Festival. When his apprentice tried to steal it, Chang'e swallowed it instead. LIU: One of my dream for the future is to drink wine on the moon (laughter). Chinese mid-autumn festival (中秋节, Zhōngqiū jié) is the second biggest festival a the Chinese New Year. The Amazing Origin Story of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Zhu Yuanzhang, a rebel leader, wanted to launch an uprising on the night of the Mid Autumn Festival. Accuracy and availability may vary. Lasting 3 to 7 days, depending on the year and where it falls in the calendar. October 12, 2013 Mooncakes are smaller than what I expected, but for good reason -- Mooncakes are a dense food and very high in calories! The story goes that Liu Bowen, the confidant of the rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang, suggested that the rebellion be timed to coincide with the Mid-Autumn festival. As they eat mooncakes, drink tea and watch the night sky together, Mama and Baba tell ancient tales of a magical tree that can never be cut down, the Jade Rabbit who came to live on the moon and one brave woman's journey to eternal life Why do Chinese eat moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival? In Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Li Shimin ordered a general called Lijing to lead the troops to conquer Turk, a nationality in the north. Mooncakes, the seasonal treat shared by families and friends during the Mid-Autumn Festival, have become a focus of competition among pastry … Mooncakes are known as an Asian pastry, but the cakes have a revolutionary history, and a current role in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Growing up, she was told another myth about goddess Chang'e, her pet and a 500-foot-tall tree. DEL BARCO: That's her wish for this year's Moon Festival, too. burcinc October 11, 2013 . Cake Festival. What the Chinese discovered is that the moon was at its fullest and brightest during mid Autumn, hence the most suitable time to worship the moon. The truth is, I did eat mooncakes back in China, but I only like the traditional kind with egg yolk in the filling. See also. Traditional Mooncakes in China - 12 Types of Regional Variations. Chan's 75-year-old cousin Kathy Chan Ceppi runs the bakery. On Earth, she married an archer named Houyi, who shot down nine of the ten suns around Earth so they wouldn't burn up the planet. People also love these ideas. UNCUTBLOCK. DEL BARCO: Part of the celebration involves lighting up paper lanterns and eating handmade pastries with sweet or savory fillings - mooncakes. On this special occasion, mooncakes were definitely the star on the dinner table for people across China. Legend has it that during the Yuan Dynasty mooncakes were used by the Chinese to plan a rebellion against the Mongol government. This round pastry can contain various ingredients in a thin crust. Snowskin mooncake is a chic and modern version of its more traditional baked counterpart (check out our Traditional Baked Mooncake recipe here!). People will eat moon cakes during the month of the Chinese Moon Festival. 927 followers. The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a traditional festival celebrated by many East and Southeast Asian people. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. They are primarily round, to reflect the shape of the moon, but can also be square-shaped. One popular version of the tale goes like this: In ancient China, there were ten suns in the sky instead of just one, and the scorching heat caused crops to shrivel and die. It is said that the custom of eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD); in Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127 AD), it became popular in the royal palace; in late Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368 AD), it has been spread widely to the folks; in Ming (1368 - 1644 AD) and Qing Dynasties (1644 - 1911 AD), it has become a common dietary habit of Chinese people. The pastries … This is an essential event in mooncake history. 1280-1368. Bakers roll out dough and fill each square with red bean paste, lotus or a mixture of ham and dried fruit. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This caused people to die, so Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns and was given an elixir by the Queen of Heaven to make him immortal. Later, people gave it meaning of reunion, reflecting the good wishes for family reunion, and also deep miss of friends. In mooncake history, we cannot avoid mentioning Concubine Yang Yuhuan of a later Tang emperor Li Longji. People celebrate the harvest moon by eating mooncakes and lighting lanterns. Mid-Autumn Festival is a “harvest festival,” sort of similar to Thanksgiving, where people celebrate and worship the moon. Coinciding with the autumn equinox, this major holiday is celebrated not only in China but all across Asia. So all this being said, here in the US we typically will only see Cantonese style mooncakes in the Chinese supermarkets. Emperor Taizong looked at the moon while eating the mooncake and said, “I’d like to invite the toad to enjoy the cake.” It is the predecessor of mooncake in China. In ancient times, mooncakes were a kind of offering to the moon. 1280-1368. Ancient Chinese emperors worshiped the harvest moon in autumn, as they believed that the practice would bring them a plentiful harvest the following year. There are many stories about the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival, and the one most associated with the festival is the story of … Cake Festival. The famous archer – Hòu yì – 后羿 The moon fairy – Cháng é – 嫦娥 The jade rabbit – Yù tù – 玉兔. Traditional Chinese Food. I will now go over the taste and composition of some popular flavors. Mooncake history is as long as 3,000 years in China. At that time, Taishi cakes were made to commemorate Wenzhong, who invented the cake, which was thin in edge and thick in the middle. The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Mooncake Festival, is an important festival in China. The top crust of Cantonese mooncakes usually features auspicious Chinese characters (e.g., "longevity" or "harmony") or the name of the manufacturer too. Growing up in Singapore, I’ve always been fascinated by the many colourful festivals celebrated in that tiny, yet culturally rich South-East Asian island all year round – one of the loveliest being the Mid-Autumn Festival. And as you can see, it's stamped in Chinese, which I can't read, so I translated it. In the late Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368 CE), the harsh rule of the Mongolian overlords prompted a nationwide rebellion. The story behind this colourful East-Asian celebration. As a reward, the gods gave him a pill to make him immortal. Photo credit: Jason Goh via Pixabay. We eat mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival because of a folk tale about undying love and betrayal. DEL BARCO: Liu and other scientists are still analyzing geological samples taken by NASA's Apollo mission decades ago. LIU: On the moon, rather than liquid water, we may have water ice like glaciers on Earth. It … History of Mooncakes. The Queen Mother of the W… The first phase, lasting from 8 to 10 minutes at 180 °C, makes the pastry firm. The legend of Chang'e © Provided by South China Morning PostA woman in a … It's given as a gift. There are many magical legends explaining the origin of the festival. The Mongolians subjugated the Han Chinese. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character, singing) Then she floated, leaving her true love. Also, since it doesn’t contains much oil or fat, it is a quite healthy snack choice! The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. Chang'e (/chung-er/) was his wife. Traditional Chinese mooncakes, specifically Cantonese-style mooncakes, are baked, golden-brown and molded or stamped on top with the name of the filling. According to mooncake history, eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival has become a wide spread custom in the Qing Dynasty, and there are more historical records about mooncakes. They're Not Exactly a Health Food. NPR discusses the symbolism behind the mooncake. ?Watch this video for more details :) Young couples might have a date during the full moon night. Some popular savory fillings include ham, Chinese sausage, roast pork and … Most of the time, you only find one or two in a box of 12 mooncakes… In Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127 AD), mooncake was called “Court Cake” and was not only popular in the palace but also the folklore. According to historical records, in Shang and Zhou Dynasties (17th century BC - 256 BC) in China, there were Taishi cakes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. As gifts, some moon cakes are luxuriously packaged, and a box of moon cakes reaches several thousand or even tens of thousands RMB. And she waits for him on the moon above. Grab yourself a cup of tea as you read another story, as it’s just as interesting. Nowadays, Chinese people eat mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and present mooncakes to each other.In recent years, the mooncakes have become more and more elaborate, and there are extremely high-priced mooncakes. Mooncakes are the hallmark food of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a cultural and religious holiday that is celebrated during the fall harvest. Unlike another famous Chinese food, the Mooncake, which is popular, Zongzi has a more consistent reputation among people in China. All rights reserved. It was an oppressive regime that saw the Chinese people ruled closely with Mongolian guards outside all their … For Cantonese mooncakes, the filling may contain sesame seeds, nuts, lotus seeds, melon pulp, red bean paste, or even ham. 10 Most Popular Mooncake Flavors - Which one do you like? Without moon-cakes, the festival is considered incomplete. He Most of the flavors are sweet, with lotus seed paste or sweet bean paste in the center. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of Ming, united various resistance forces to prepare for the uprising. Tasty Ice Cream. Once, according to a Chinese legend, moon cakes helped the start of a revolution. The story diverges here, but one of the more popular versions says Houyi went to Kunlun Mountain, where the gods lived, and obtained an immortality pill from Xi … … Copyright © 2020 NPR. The story did not end there though. This Mid Autumn Festival story is said to be why we eat mooncakes during the festival today. Mooncake. The Mid-Autumn Festival (also the Mooncake Festival or Lantern Festival) is considered to be one of the most significant festivals for Chinese people. This tradition passed on through dynasties, and became extremely popular during the Song Dynasty. Mooncakes have played a central role in Moon Festival traditions. Dessert Drinks. Li Shimin celebrated the triumph of Li Jing and the troops. The moon has always held a special place in Chinese culture, even the Chinese calendar is based on the moon’s phases. Gelato Ice Cream. The Legend Behind the Fest . Mandalit del Barco, NPR News. The Story Behind Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 A time of celebration, mooncakes, and family reunions, Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 30th this year. You know, all our wedding cake orders got canceled, the quinceaneras, the graduations. The round cakes eventually became known as the mooncakes, and the rest is history. August 3, 2020. The Mid-Autumn Festival began Thursday in China and around the world. Chan, who's 64, was born and raised in LA and remembers his family eating mooncakes in front of altars where they prayed to the moon goddess during the festival. October 1, 2017This article … It is said that since then the custom of eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival was formed. According to a different tale, the traditional mooncakes played a very significant role in helping the Chinese rebellion gain freedom from the Mongol rule at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. DEL BARCO: The 47-year-old says she always wanted to go to the lunar South Pole as an astronaut. While the mooncake varies drastically by region, … She says the chemistry of the moon's frozen water may reveal the age of our planet Earth.
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