The Moon Cakes and Mid－Autumn Festival

央視國際 2003年05月12日 16:11

　　One of the most important Chinese festivals is the Mid－Autumn Festival. Chinese ancestors believed that the seventh， eighth， and ninth lunar months belong to autumn. So the Mid－Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.

　　Mid－Autumn Festival celebrations date back more than 2，000 years. In feudal times， Chinese emperors prayed to Heaven for a prosperous year. They chose the morning of the 15th day of the second lunar month to worship the sun and the evening of the 15th day of the eighth lunar month to hold a ceremony in praise of the moon. In the western district of Beijing is Yuetan Park， which originally was the Temple of Moon. Every year， the emperor would go there to offer a sacrifice to the moon.

　　In mid－autumn， farmers have just finished gathering their crops and bringing in fruits from the orchards. They are overwhelmed with joy when they have a harvest and at the same time， they feel quite relaxed after a year of hard work. So the 15th Day of the eighth lunar month has gradually evolved as a widely celebrated festival for ordinary people. When the night falls， the land is bathed in silver moonlight. Families set up tables in their courtyards or sit together on their balconies， chatting and sharing offerings to the moon. Together， they enjoy the spell of night.

　　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.

　　There is this story about the moon－cake. It says that in the 14th century， Chinese peasants could no longer bear the cruel rule of the Mongolians. They secretly planned an uprising on the night of the Mid －Autumn Festival. The peasant leaders took advantage of the custom of sending moon－cakes as festive presents. They left messages on paper about the plan and placed the messages under the moon－cakes. So all the peasants were informed about the uprising and finally， they won the battle.

　　Originally， moon－cakes were a family tradition. But gradually they began to appear at markets and stores. The moon－cakes made in various parts of the country have very different flavors. For instance， Beijing moon－cakes have a thin crust and fillings of bean and jujube pastes. So they are very sweet. Suzhou moon－cakes have a special people's favorite. Guangdong moon－cakes are perhaps the most delicately made. The fillings are carefully selected and include sesame， almond and walnut kernels， shredded coconut， lotus seeds and egg yolk. So don't forget to taste all the delicious moon－cakes at the Mid－Autumn Festival.