Mooncakes were initially offered as a sacrifice to the moon.

Mooncakes were initially offered to the moon. Mooncakes first originated from the foreign vassal states of China in ancient times, and were a kind of exotic food imported from abroad. At that time, mooncakes were not called mooncakes, but were known as huoren cakes. Later on, people gradually combined the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival with the tasting of mooncakes, gifting mooncakes, eating mooncakes, symbolizing the reunion of the two. Legend has it that the Tang Emperor Li Yuan celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with the civil and military officials, and he looked at the round "Hu cake" sent by the Turfan with great interest, and pointed to the bright moon in the sky, saying that he wanted to invite the bright moon with a round cake.

The custom of eating mooncakes on Mid-Autumn Day was later spread. Mooncakes were the ancient mid-autumn offerings to worship the moon god, and also the seasonal food for the Mid-Autumn Festival. In ancient times, every mid-autumn night was held to sacrifice the moon. A large incense table was set up with moon cakes, fruits and other offerings. Under the moon, the statue of the moon god is placed in the direction of the moon, red candles are lit high, the whole family worships the moon in turn, and then the housewife cuts the mooncakes for reunion.