What is the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival? Why eat moon cakes?

According to legend, in ancient China, the emperor had a system of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and the moon in autumn. In the folk, every Mid-Autumn Festival in August, there is also a custom about Yue Bai or offering sacrifices to the moon. The famous proverb "The moon is full on August 15th, and the Mid-Autumn moon cake is sweet and fragrant" tells the custom of urban and rural people to eat moon cakes on Mid-Autumn night. At first, moon cakes were used to worship the moon god. Later, people gradually regarded Mid-Autumn Festival as a symbol of family reunion, and mooncakes gradually became holiday gifts.

Moon cakes originally originated from Zhu Jie food in the Tang Dynasty. During the reign of Tang Gaozu, General Li Jing conquered the Huns and returned home in triumph on August 15.

Turpan people who were doing business at that time presented cakes to the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Gaozu Li Yuan took the gorgeous cake box, took out the round cake, smiled at the bright moon in the sky and said, "We're going to invite toads with Hu cakes." . After that, share the cake with the ministers.

The word "moon cake" has been used in Wu's Dream of the Liang Lu in the Southern Song Dynasty, but the description of enjoying the moon and eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival is recorded in the West Lake Travel Agency in the Ming Dynasty: "August 15th is called the Mid-Autumn Festival, and people use moon cakes to get together". In the Qing Dynasty, there were more records about moon cakes, and the production became more and more elaborate.

With the development of moon cakes today, there are more varieties and different tastes. Among them, Beijing-style, Soviet-style, Cantonese-style and Chaozhou-style moon cakes are deeply loved by people all over the country.

Moon cakes symbolize reunion and are a must-eat food for the Mid-Autumn Festival. On holiday nights, people also like to eat some reunion fruits, such as watermelons and fruits, and wish their families a happy, sweet and safe life.

At first, moon cakes were called Taishi cakes. Later, sesame seeds and walnuts were added to make stuffing, so it was called Hu cake. Do you know why they are called Hu cakes? Because sesame seeds and walnuts are all transported by Hu people, they are called Hu cakes.

One year, Tang and Yang Guifei spent the Mid-Autumn Festival in the palace, enjoying the moon and eating Hu Bing. Don said to him, "Hu Bing is a bad name. Let's change the name. " Yang Guifei looked at the moon and said involuntarily, "That's called moon cake." Don Huang Ming said, "Good, great."

Since then, the name "moon cake" has spread to the present.

Now there are honeydew melons, strawberries, apples and so on. Are you greedy after listening to my introduction?

Making cantonese moon cakes

1. cracked skin

Divide the skin of each moon cake by weight.

Split stuffing

Weigh the fillings of moon cake varieties according to the quantity, and be familiar with various filling formulas and practices, such as a single lotus paste with an egg yolk in the middle; Double yellow or triple yellow or lotus seed paste, lotus seed paste should be divided into two or three parts, each part of lotus seed paste should be wrapped with an egg yolk, and then wrapped into cake blanks by two-in-one or three-in-one method. Five-kernel stuffing should be firm and smooth, but it should not be pinched for too long, otherwise it will leak oil and peel off the shell. Each filling should be marked with the variety when changing, and it is easy to be confused because the cake blank is wrapped with a layer of cake skin.

Step 3: filler

Wrap the crust in a weighed biscuit, and flatten the crust.

Step 4: Forming

Put the wrapped cake blank into a wooden mold and gently compact it by hand. The pressure should be balanced to make the cake angular and clear. Then take the cake to the edge of the chopping board and shoot it. Pay attention to the flatness of the cake shape when demoulding, and don't skew it.

heat

Spray water into the furnace at a temperature of 200~220℃. If heated by a hot cyclone furnace, the furnace temperature is 298℃ (about 14 minutes). Only when the crust turns beige or slightly golden, can the cakes in the plate be taken out. Brush the cake with egg paste and put it back in the oven to cook.

English edition

● location: Air's villa.

Venue: Sky Villa.

Time: Mid-Autumn Festival.

Time: Mid-Autumn Festival

People: air and wealth

People: air and wealth

Ricky is from America. He is an exchange student. Now he is studying in Peking University. He majored in China culture. His best friend Air is a designer and works in a photography studio. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. So Air invited him to have dinner at home.

Ricky is an American. He is an international student. Now studying in Peking University. He majored in China culture. His best friend Air is a designer and works in a photography studio. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. So Air invited him to his house.

(Air listens to music when he hears the doorbell. )

Air was listening to music when she heard the doorbell ring.

A: That must be very rich. (She answers the door. )

That must be rich. (She answers the door. )

B: Hello, Air.

Hello, air.

Welcome to visit. It's so nice of you to come.

Welcome, it's so nice of you to come.

Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Air. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I bought you a bunch of roses. Beautiful flowers are dedicated to beautiful girls.

Air, thank you for inviting me. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I bought you a bunch of roses, beautiful flowers for beautiful girls.

A: Nothing. Thank you for the roses. She handed him a present. ) A little gift for you.

You're welcome. Thank you for the roses. (She hands him a present) A small present for you.

He opened the present and found four moon cakes in the box. )

Oh, that's great. Thank you. You shouldn't buy this.

(He opens the present and finds four moon cakes in the box) Oh, great. Thank you! You shouldn't spend so much money.

Oh, my pleasure. This is just a small gift for you.

Oh, you're welcome This is just a small gift for you.

They are sitting in the living room. )

They are sitting in the living room.

Can I get you some coffee or tea or a cold drink?

Would you like some coffee or tea or a cold drink?

B: Thank you. Coffee is fine.

Thanks, coffee will be fine.

A: Black coffee or black coffee?

Black coffee or black coffee?

B: Coffee with milk, please. Thank you.

Milk coffee, please.

A: OK, OK.

She goes to the kitchen to make coffee. After a few minutes, it was finished. She's back. )

She went to the kitchen to make coffee. A few minutes later, the coffee is ready. She's back.

Ricky, here you are.

Ricky, this is your coffee.

Thank you, air.

Thank you, air.

You're welcome. Take your time. Maybe it's hot.

You're welcome. Take your time. Maybe the coffee is a little hot.

B: No problem. You know, I'm interested in different cultures. Festivals in China are also very interesting. Would you mind telling me something about Mid-Autumn Festival?

It's okay. You know, I'm interested in different cultures. Festivals in China are also very interesting. Can you tell me something about Mid-Autumn Festival?

A: OK, speaking of eating moon cakes, we have to talk about the story between Chang 'e and Hou Yi.

Well, speaking of eating moon cakes, let's talk about the story of Chang 'e and Hou Yi.

Is it true?/You don't say.

Is that story true?

No, it's not true. This is just a legend.

No, it's not true. This is just a legend.

Oh, I see. What is this?

Oh, I see. What is this?

Long, long ago, the earth once had 10 suns around it.

Long ago, the earth once had 10 suns revolving around it.

B: What? 10 suns revolve around it?

What? 10 The sun revolves around her?

A: Yes. But I told you it was just a legend. One day all 10 suns came out at the same time. The temperature of the earth is rising rapidly.

Yes But I told you, it's just a legend. One day, all 10 suns appeared at the same time. The temperature of the earth is rising rapidly.

Wow. I guess many people, plants and animals have died. The high temperature will kill them.

Oh! I think many people, plants and animals have died. This high temperature must have killed them.

A: Yes. It is a skilled archer who saves the earth.

Yes It is a skilled archer who saves the earth.

Who is he?

Who is he?

A: Hou Yi.

Houyi

How did he save the earth? Is he a sprinter?

How did he save the earth? Is he a fairy?

No. He only shot nine suns. Everything will be fine.

No, he just shot nine suns. Everything will be safe.

B: he did a good job.

He did a good job.

A: Yes. As a reward, the heavenly queen gave him a bottle of magic potion.

Yes In order to reward him, the queen mother gave him a magical potion.

B: What? What is it for?

What? What does it do?

If you have it, you can cure diseases or live forever.

If you drink this magical medicine, you can cure the disease or live forever.

Oh, my God. Are you kidding?

Oh, my God. Are you kidding?

A: I'm serious. In many China stories, people hope to live longer. So they want something magical.

I am serious. In many stories of China, people want to live a long life, so they all want to get such magical things.

I see. Then what did he do?

I see. What did Hou Yi do next?

It is a pity that he ignored her suggestion.

It's a pity that Hou Yi didn't listen to the Queen Mother's advice.

B: You mean he drank it all.

You mean he drank all the potions.

No. I mean, in the face of fame and fortune, he became a bad-tempered and selfish person.

No. I mean, in the face of honor and wealth, he became a bad-tempered and selfish person.

Oh, I see. As the saying goes, money is the root of all evil.

Oh, I see, there is a proverb that says well: money is the root of all evil.

I totally agree. Therefore, his wife Chang 'e can't stand living with her husband. Then she stole his liquids, drank them and fled to the moon. This is the beauty in the moon, the moon fairy.

I totally agree. So his wife Chang 'e can't stand living with him any longer. Then she stole the potion, drank it and fled to the moon. This is the legend of the beautiful woman on the moon.

B: Interesting!

Interesting!

Ok, this is the legend I know. Maybe you will find another such story. But I'm not sure.

Yes, it's just a legend I know Maybe you can find other similar stories, but I'm not sure.

B: Thank you. thank you

A: Oh, rich. Do you want more coffee?

Oh, Ricky. Would you like some more coffee?

No, thank you. Why don't you tell me about the moon cake itself? (He points to the cake in the box. )

No, thanks. Air, can you tell me something about the moon cake itself? He pointed to the moon cakes in the box.

That's a good idea. In China, it is very important for us to have dinner together during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

That's a good idea. In China, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is very important for us to have a reunion dinner together.

Really? I find many people in China are busy with their work. When their parents invite them to dinner, they always have many excuses. I mean, they don't want to come back.

Really? I find that many people in China are busy with their work. Invite them to have a reunion dinner, they always make excuses. I mean, they don't want to come back.

A: Yes. You are right. But many people think today is a day of reunion. It is said that the moon is the brightest and roundest time. This is very interesting. This year's festival is on September 8.

Yes, you are right, but many people think today is the day of reunion. It is said that the moon today is the brightest and roundest. Very interesting. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is in September 18.

B: Yes. Air. I heard that seasonal round cakes have many different fillings. Is it true?/You don't say.

Yes Air, I heard that this kind of seasonal cake has many kinds of fillings. Is it true?/You don't say.

A: Yes. It's true. Lotus seed paste, bean paste and so on. Are you hungry? Actually, I'm hungry.

Yes, it's true. Lotus seed stuffing or red bean stuffing and so on. Are you hungry? Actually, I'm hungry.

I am hungry, too. I can't wait to have them now. Air, what is this? (He points to the cake. ) ah,

I am hungry, too. I can't wait to eat it at once. Air, what is this? (He points to the cake)

A: Ah! This is a surprise. I'll ask the bakery to print your name on it, so I'll give you a big surprise.

Ah! This is a surprise. I asked the pastry shop to print your name on the moon cake just to give you a big surprise.

B: Thank you.

Thank you.

A: But I must make some tea.

But I need to make some tea first.

B: Why?

Why?

Some doctors told us that moon cakes are rich in calories, so they are not suitable for fat people who are dieting.

Some doctors told us that mooncakes contain more calories, so they are not suitable for obese people who are losing weight.

Oh, what's the best way to eat them?

Oh, what's the best way to eat them?

A: Ok, the best way to eat cake is to drink a cup of China tea, especially jasmine tea or chrysanthemum tea. Tea helps digestion.

Ok, the best way to eat this cake is with a cup of China tea, especially jasmine tea or chrysanthemum tea. Tea can help digestion.

B: Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

A: Just a few minutes. I make tea. Just a moment, please. I'll make tea.

B: Go ahead. advance

(Air goes to the kitchen. Aileen went to the kitchen. )

● Wonderful comments on the dialogue:

In a dialogue at the Moon Cake Festival, I mentioned a sentence-live forever, but many friends don't know how to express it. Maybe I only have the concept of Journey to the West in my mind, such as an elixir, but I won't think about what the original intention is, so it is normal for my expression to pause instantly.

A: The Queen Mother gave him a bottle of magic potion.

B: What? What is it for?

A: If you get this disease, you will recover.

Illness may make you immortal.

Oh, my God. Are you kidding?

A: I'm serious. In many China stories, people hope to live longer.

So they want this magical thing.

I see.

This dialogue compares the elixir to a magical medicine, which solves the problem that you must think about the word elixir.

It also adds to the mystery of the conversation. Then, it compares immortality to taking this magical medicine, and you can cure the disease and let yourself live in the world forever. Isn't that a good expression?

Moreover, the subjunctive mood is used in the whole sentence, which increases the difficulty of expression and gives people a feeling of good grammar, right?

● Attachment: Legend of Mid-Autumn Festival:

Eating moon cakes in Mid-Autumn Festival is like eating meat pies at Christmas. Traditionally, this seasonal round cake has a sweet lotus paste or bean paste filling, usually with one or more salted duck eggs in the middle to represent the moon. The moon is the whole of this celebration. The Mid-Autumn Festival is the15th day of the eighth month, which is said to be the brightest and roundest time of the moon. This year's festival is on 10 1 day.

There are two legends that can explain the tradition of eating moon cakes. A Tang Dynasty myth holds that the earth once had 10 suns around it. One day, all 10 suns appeared at the same time, baking the earth with their heat. Thanks to an archer named Hou Yi, the earth was saved. He shot down all the suns except one. As a reward, the Queen Mother gave Hou Yi the elixir of life, but she warned him that he must use it wisely. Hou Yi refused to listen to her advice, was corrupted by fame and fortune, and became a tyrannical leader. Chang 'e, his beautiful wife, could no longer stand by and watch him abuse his power, so she stole his elixir and fled to the moon to escape his anger. In this way, the legend of the beautiful woman on the moon-the moon fairy began.

The second legend is that in the Yuan Dynasty, an underground organization led by Zhu Yuan Zang was determined to get rid of Mongolian rule in this country. Mooncakes are used to send secret messages. When the moon cake was opened and the message was read, the uprising broke out and the Mongols were successfully defeated. It happened at the time of the full moon. Some people say that this explains why we eat moon cakes at this time.

Mooncakes are usually printed with Chinese characters, indicating the name of the bakery and the type of stuffing used. Some bakeries even print your last name on the M, so that you can give personalized bread to friends and family. They usually appear in a box of four, representing the four stages of the moon. Traditional moon cakes are made of melted lard, but now more vegetable oil is used for health.

Moon cakes are not suitable for people who pay attention to diet because they are rich in calories. The best way is to drink a cup of China tea, especially jasmine tea or chrysanthemum tea, which helps digestion.

Eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival is as essential as eating a hundred fruit pies at Christmas in the West. Round moon cakes are usually filled with sweet lotus seeds or red beans, and a golden salted duck egg yolk is added in the center of the stuffing to represent the moon. The moon is the theme of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. Every year, people celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15 of the lunar calendar. It is said that the moon on this day is the brightest and roundest in a year. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the Gregorian calendar 1 (National Day of China).

There are two legends about the origin of the tradition of eating moon cakes. One is a fairy tale of the Tang Dynasty, which tells that the earth is surrounded by 10 suns. One day, 10 suns appeared in the sky at the same time, and the huge heat almost scorched the earth. Thanks to an archer named Hou Yi who shot down nine suns, the earth was saved. In order to reward Houyi, the Queen Mother gave Houyi the elixir of life, but the Queen Mother warned him to use it well. However, Hou Yi ignored the Queen Mother's warning. He was carried away by fame and fortune and became a tyrant. Chang 'e, Houyi's beautiful wife, could no longer stand by and watch his atrocities, so she stole Houyi's elixir and flew to the moon to escape his anger. Since then, there has been a legend about the moon fairy Chang 'e, who is a beautiful woman on the moon.

The second legend tells that in the Yuan Dynasty, the rebels led by Zhu Yuanzhang planned an uprising to get rid of the Mongolian rule. They use moon cakes to send secret messages. You can open the moon cakes to find the secret information. In this way, the rebels successfully launched an uprising and drove away the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty. The uprising took place on August 15th, so the custom of eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival spread among the people.

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In China's dichotomy, the sun is Yang (positive, active or male) and the moon is Yin (negative, passive or female). According to the book Chou Li, the emperors of the Zhou Dynasty (1 122-249 BC) had the custom of praying to the moon on the sixth night of the eighth lunar month. In the Qing Dynasty, there were altars in the east of Peiping and moon altars in the west of Peiping. At the autumnal equinox every year, the emperor offered sacrifices and prayers to the moon on the moon altar.

Before 19 1 1 officially changed to the Gregorian calendar, China people used the lunar calendar since ancient times; Even today, people in China still celebrate their traditional festivals according to the lunar calendar. In each lunar month, the first day (new moon) and 15 (full moon) are important events; The first month15th (Lantern Festival) and August15th (Mid-Autumn Festival, September 9th in Gregorian calendar) are the biggest celebrations besides the Lunar New Year and Dragon Boat Festival.

Cupid in China is called "the old man under the moon" (る? ρ? ) and tie the feet of men and women together with a red line to make them husband and wife-whether they come from hostile families or far away.

The most insane mortal in the history of China could have been the great poet Li Bai (AD 70 1-762), who once invited the moon and his shadow to drink together and formed a three-person band. One night, Li was as drunk as a fiddler. In order to catch the moon, he finally threw himself into the river. Other China legends about the moon abound.

Legend of the moon

Moon cakes are best served with oolong tea or jasmine tea.

Hou yi (? ) is a great archer and architect. He shot down nine redundant suns that suddenly appeared in the sky, thus saving the earth from being burnt. He also built a jade temple for the goddess of the West. To this end, he got a pill containing an elixir of life as a reward, but there was an additional condition-he had to fast and pray for a year before taking it. His wife Chang 'e, whose beauty is second only to her curiosity, found and swallowed the pill, and soon flew to the moon and became a permanent resident there. When Chang 'e arrived on the moon, she coughed up a pill in frustration and turned into a jade rabbit, pounding out the elixir for the immortal day and night.

Another Chinese permanent resident of the moon is Wu Kang (? ), a guy with no promise, kept changing apprentices until he disappointed his last master, who was a fairy. Wu learned the art of immortality from him, but he was punished for cutting down a laurel tree on the moon, which was an impossible task. The wound on the tree healed completely that day, so Wu Kang kept chopping. Some people in China are eager to drink his osmanthus wine.

People in China believe that the moon is the biggest and brightest, and Chang 'e is the most beautiful on the night of 15 in the eighth month of the lunar calendar. They were at least half right, because most of China was in the dry season and the moon was the brightest. At that time, the weather was also very cool, which was an excellent opportunity to celebrate the just-concluded harvest; Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival is also called Harvest Festival. This festival is a time for families to get together and enjoy the full moon (Shang Yue Festival) and eat moon cakes together. Bathed in the bright moonlight, accompanied by chrysanthemums and osmanthus flowers, the poet ate crab meat and moon cakes, drank tea and wine and sang the night.

mooncake

enjoy a bright full moon

The custom of China people eating moon cakes was first recorded during the reign of Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty (874-889 AD) and became popular in the Song Dynasty (960- 1279 AD). Mooncakes are traditionally made in the shape of a full moon, symbolizing unity and perfection. They are usually about the size of doughnuts and filled with various fillings, such as bean paste, egg yolk, lotus seeds, dates, pineapples, walnuts, almonds and sesame seeds. The cunning Chu Yuan, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, incited the rebellion against the Mongolian rulers by hiding the call of uprising in moon cakes, which led to the demise of the Yuan Dynasty.

There are many styles of moon cakes in China. The most popular dishes in Taiwan Province are Cantonese, Soochow and Taiwanese. Cantonese-style mooncakes are thicker and heavier, while mooncake skins in Soochow and Taiwan Province are more brittle. In the past few years, a new kind of frozen and unbaked moon cake has become more and more popular, especially among young people. Durian, coconut meat, herbs, tea and coffee are all ingredients.

Most people in China eat moon cakes given by relatives, friends, employers or public relations personnel. Therefore, brand is very important. The most famous ones are Qihua, Maria and Xindongyang. Moon cakes are best served with oolong tea or jasmine tea.

It takes about 29 1/2 days for the moon to orbit the earth once, and the lunar month in China is either 29 days or 30 days. About every three years, an extra month (called leap month) is needed. 1995 There will be a second lunar August. 15 on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a public holiday designed by the government of the Republic of China. I wish you a happy holiday. Remember that mooncakes taste best when family members or lovers share them together.