Which dynasty was the earliest moon cake? Which dynasty was the earliest moon cake?
Moon cakes are offerings to worship the moon god in the ancient Mid-Autumn Festival, and they have been handed down from time to time, forming the custom of eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival. Moon cakes have a long history in China. According to historical records, as early as the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, there was a kind of "Taishi cake" to commemorate Taishi Wenzhong, the "ancestor" of China moon cakes.
It is said that it originated in the Tang Dynasty. "Luo Zhong's Experience" once recorded: On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the new scholar gave a banquet in Qujiang, and Tang Xizong gave the scholar a moon cake.
In the Northern Song Dynasty, it was popular in the court, but it also spread among the people. At that time, it was commonly known as "small cake" and "moon group". Later, it evolved into a circle, symbolizing a happy reunion, reflecting people's good wishes for family reunion, and also deeply missing their relatives and friends. The royal family in the Northern Song Dynasty likes to eat a kind of "palace cake" in the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as "small cake" and "moon group". Su Dongpo has a poem: "Small cakes are like chewing the moon, crisp and pleasing."
The word "moon cake" has been used in Wu's book Liang Lumeng 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. The screenwriter of the Song Dynasty was thorough. The name "moon cake" was first mentioned in Old Wulin, which described what Lin 'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, saw.
According to legend, during the Yuan Dynasty, the broad masses of people in the Central Plains rebelled against the cruel rule of the Mongols. Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to unite the resistance forces, and the officers and men of the Yuan Dynasty searched closely, but the news could not be transmitted. So Liu Bowen came up with a plan, ordered Wang Zhaoguang to make a cake, and hid a note with the words "August 15th Uprising" in the cake. Then they were sent to the uprising troops in various places, informing them to respond to the uprising on the evening of August 15. Therefore, the Yuan Dynasty was overthrown in one fell swoop. To commemorate this achievement, the custom of eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival has been handed down. Especially in the northeast, there is a saying that "the eldest son was killed on August 15th".
In the Ming Dynasty, eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival gradually spread among the people. At that time, ingenious bakers printed the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon's fairy tales on moon cakes as food art drawings, making moon cakes a necessary food for Mid-Autumn Festival. In the court, moon cakes have also become a common food. For example, in Ming History and Gods, the emperor sent mooncakes to ministers ten times.
In the Qing Dynasty, eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival has become a common custom, and the production skills are getting higher and higher. A Qing Dynasty Yuan Mei introduced in "Suiyuan Food List": "Crispy moon cakes are filled with pine nuts, walnuts, melon seeds, rock sugar and lard, which are not sweet or fragrant, soft and greasy, which is unusual." Moon cakes in Beijing were first made by Qianmen Zhimeizhai. Across the country, five flavor series of Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Guangzhou and Chaozhou have been formed, and many local folk customs have also appeared around the Mid-Autumn Festival in Yue Bai and during the period of enjoying the moon. For example, the "number one scholar" in Jiangnan: the moon cake is cut into three pieces, the largest one is placed below, the middle one is placed above as the number one scholar, and the smallest one is placed above as the "flower detection". Then the whole family rolls dice, whoever has the most numbers is the champion, and eating big pieces is the second place, exploring flowers and playing games for fun.
The legendary story of moon cakes
The Prototype of Moon Cake-Penny Lake Cake
In the early Tang Dynasty, the East Turkistan was powerful. After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, the Turks supported the separatist forces such as Xue Ju and Liu Wuzhou to fight against the Tang Dynasty. On the other hand, relying on their own strength to expand Mazhuang, they constantly invaded the south and made the border people miserable. Therefore, Tang Gaozu ordered Tang Gaozu General Li Jing to explore the border where Turks settled. Excavate lived up to expectations and won a decisive victory.
Excavate returned home in triumph, and Tang Gaozu hosted a banquet for his ministers to share the joy of victory. August 15 is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the bright moon is in the sky. At the banquet, Ren Hu presented Hu Bing to congratulate Jie. Tang gaozu saw the round Hu Bing, looked up at the round moon in the sky and blurted out "Hu Bing wants to invite toad". This means that the god of the moon should be invited to the earth to taste delicious Hu cakes with everyone. Then Li Yuan distributed Hu cakes to ministers, and the monarch and ministers tasted Zhu Jiehu cakes and enjoyed the moon together. It is said that the custom of eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival comes from this.
In fact, this legend cannot be used as the basis for the origin of moon cakes. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there was a custom of "evening moon". The "moon at night" is Yue Bai. When he is in Yue Bai, people always give him a small round cake, which is the embryonic form of moon cakes.
Yang Guifei named it "moon cake"
In a very early time, the name of "moon cake" was not "moon cake", but there were many names, such as "Hu cake", as well as "Xiao cake", "Moon Festival", "Palace cake", "Golden cake" (Song Dynasty) and "Moon cake" (Yuan Dynasty). In the Tang Dynasty, because of the story of "Zhu Jie Hu Bing", the most popular name was of course "Hu Bing". So how did "Hu Bing" change its name to "moon cake"? Legend has it that this has something to do with Yang Guifei.
One Mid-Autumn Festival, Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei ate moon cakes and enjoyed the moon in the garden pavilion. Li Longji pretends to be elegant, thinking that the word "Hu Bing" is too tacky and not elegant enough, and wants to change its name. After thinking about it, I can't think of any name to change. At this time, Yang Guifei looked up at the bright moon in the sky, then at the same round Hu cake in her hand and said, "How about changing it to' moon cake'?" Hearing this, Li Longji repeatedly applauded and said, "Well, this name is good, both appropriate and elegant. Let's call it' moon cake' in the future!" A kind of "moon cake" comes from this.
In fact, this legend is just a legend, which is inconsistent with history. According to historical records, Li Xian of Tang Xizong once sent cakes to the new Jinshi in the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the word "moon cake" was not mentioned in the records. To be sure, in the Tang Dynasty, at least in the late Tang Dynasty, moon cakes were not called "moon cakes".
Mooncakes and Zhu Yuanzhang Uprising
According to legend, the custom of eating moon cakes in Mid-Autumn Festival began in the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the broad masses of people in the Central Plains could not bear the cruel rule of the ruling class in the Yuan Dynasty and rose up against the Yuan Dynasty. Among them, Zhu Yuanzhang organized the strongest resistance, and it spread all over the country. However, it is very difficult for the imperial court to send heavy troops to guard various fortresses, search passers-by closely and deliver news.
Seeing the date of the uprising approaching, Zhu Yuanzhang was very worried that there were still some insurgents who had not received the notice of the uprising. At this time, Liu Bowen, a military adviser, came up with a brilliant plan: he ordered his department to go down to the kitchen to make some cakes, hid a note with the words "August 15th Uprising" in it, and then sent people to rebel troops in various places to inform them to revolt on the Mid-Autumn Festival night. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the rebels responded together, like a single spark can start a prairie fire.
Soon, Zhu Yuanzhang's insurgents won a total victory. When the news came, Zhu Yuanzhang was so happy that he quickly ordered that every Mid-Autumn Festival, all soldiers should have fun with the people and give the "moon cakes" used to secretly convey information during the war as seasonal cakes to ministers.
Since then, the production of "moon cakes" has become more elaborate and diverse, and it has become a good holiday gift. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the custom of eating moon cakes spread among the people.
Which dynasty first ate moon cakes in autumn? Just like eating zongzi on the Dragon Boat Festival and glutinous rice balls on the Lantern Festival, it is a traditional folk custom in China. Throughout the ages, people regard moon cakes as a symbol of good luck and reunion. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, when the bright moon is in the sky, the whole family will get together, enjoy cakes and the moon, talk about everything and enjoy family happiness.
Zhou dynasty
According to historical records, as early as the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, there was a kind of Taishi cake to commemorate Taishi Wenzhong, the ancestor of China moon cakes.
There is a kind of Taishi cake in Beijing-style cakes. According to Fu Shuo, an old pastry chef, this kind of pastry was invented by Wen Zhong, a surname of Zhou Wang in Shang Dynasty. When Zhou was beheaded, Wen Zhong, a surname, was sent to resist, and Wen Zhong made sweet cakes as dry food for marching. Later, this kind of cake spread to the people and was called Taishi cake. Wenzhong is therefore regarded as the founder of the pastry industry.
There is also a flavor snack called Taishi Cake in Kunming, Yunnan, which is very Taishi Cake with a cup of hot tea. Taishi cake is crisp and delicious, salty and sweet, and it is a must-have for literati.
Han Dynasty
Zhang Qian introduced sesame seeds and walnuts to the Western Regions in Han Dynasty, which added auxiliary materials for making moon cakes. At this time, a round cake filled with walnuts appeared, called Hu cake.
the Tang Dynasty
Some historians point out that the origin of Mid-Autumn Festival should be August 15th, 13th year of Tang Jun's great cause in the late Sui Dynasty. Pei Ji and Tang Jun, with the idea of a full moon, successfully invented moon cakes and distributed them to the army as military salaries, which successfully solved the problem of military rations derived from absorbing a large number of anti-Sui rebels.
Tang Taizong's book records the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15. Legend has it that Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty sleepwalked in the Moon Palace and got colorful feather clothes, and the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival began to prevail among the people.
It is said that the moon cakes popular in Mid-Autumn Festival come from Hu cakes. After General Li Jing conquered Xiongnu, he returned home in triumph on August 15th. Tang Gaozu (Emperor Taizong and his ministers shared the cakes presented by Hu people. Since then, eating Hu cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival has become a custom. He smiled and said to the bright moon in the sky, "We should invite toads with Hu cakes." . Since then, there has been the custom of eating Hu cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival.
One Mid-Autumn Festival night, Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei were enjoying the moon and eating Hu Bing. Tang Xuanzong thought Hu Bing was a bad name. Yang Guifei looked up at the bright moon and her heart surged. Since then, the name of moon cakes has gradually spread among the people. Although this statement has no source, there is indeed a record of the custom of eating cakes on August 15 in the Tang Dynasty.
Song dynasty
Hu cake was very popular among the royal family in Song Dynasty, and it was called court cake. After it was introduced to the people, it was commonly known as the cookie moon group.
Online said that Su Dongpo had a poem "Moon Cake":
Cookies are like chewing the moon. They are crispy and waxy inside. Quietly savor its taste, acacia tears touch the towel.
It should be a rumor.
In fact, Su Dongpo's poem "Zhangzuozang in Liulian State" says:
Made of beans and pigs, painted in gold. A cupcake is like chewing the moon. It's crispy and fleshy. Hangzhi Hepu people recite Dongpo poems. Fortunately, it is really wine, drunk for me. When Su Dongpo lived in Hepu (July and August in the third year of Fuyuan, that is, 1 100), he recited Hepu Piglet Cake. Irrigation in the poem is a pigsty woven with shrub strips. The cage is filled with pig cakes with black beans as eyes, and the pig cakes are painted in various colors. There is a kind of cake with stuffing, which is also famous by the emperor of Song Dynasty. At that time, Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, a general of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, led an army to attack the Southern Tang Dynasty and launched a fierce battle in Shouxian County, Anhui Province. Due to unfavorable war and overwork, Zhao Kuangyin did not consider tea and rice. It was a local pastry with stuffing that saved him. After Zhao Kuangyin became emperor, this kind of cake was called the savior. But these don't seem to be the same as the moon cakes now.
The word moon cake was first seen in Wu's Dream in the Southern Song Dynasty and Volume 20, Eat Well and See Begonia and Hosta in August Palace. Moon cakes have been sold since the beginning of the Lunar New Year. Add watermelon and lotus root to feed each other. Xiyuan deer lotus root. /kloc-on 0/5, every family presented moon cakes and fruits, burned incense on the moon and drank a lot, most of which didn't end until evening. If there are leftover moon cakes, they will still be kept in a dry and cool place and will be used by family members at the end of the year. This is the so-called "reunion cake".
Writers in the Southern Song Dynasty were thorough. They first mentioned the name of moon cakes in Old Wulin and described what they saw in Lin 'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty.
At that time, moon cakes were just cake-shaped foods like Ling Hua cakes. Later, they evolved into circles, which meant reunion and beauty.
the Yuan Dynasty
At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the broad masses of people in the Central Plains could not bear the cruel rule of the ruling class in the Yuan Dynasty and rose up against the Yuan Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang joined forces with various resistance forces to prepare for the uprising. However, the officers and men of the imperial court searched very closely and it was very difficult to pass on the news. Later, strategist Liu Bowen came up with a plan to meet the rebels on Mid-Autumn Night! With so many people rebelling against the rulers, the custom of eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival may have stayed like this.
Ming dynasty
In the Ming Dynasty, the custom of eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival became more common.
"A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital" says: On August 15th, the moon was sacrificed and the fruit cakes were round. "Shen Mingbang's Miscellaneous Notes" contains: The furniture of ordinary people's homes is a kind of moon cake with different sizes, which is called moon cake.
"Proceedings" says: In August, moon cakes, begonia and Hosta flowers are enjoyed in the palace. Mooncakes have been sold since the first day of the first lunar month. From … to 15, every household sells mooncakes and melons. ..... If there are any leftover moon cakes, they should be collected in a dry and cool place.
Ching Dynasty
Yuan Mei of A Qing Dynasty introduced in Suiyuan Food List: Crispy moon cakes filled with pine nuts, walnuts, melon seeds, rock sugar and lard are not sweet, fragrant, soft and greasy, which is quite unusual.
Cixi always likes to eat moon cakes. However, because moon cakes are similar to moon disease, Cixi, a woman, thought it was indecent, so she changed her name to Cai Yue Cake. Mid-Autumn Festival, during the reign of Cixi, was a big day with three days. August 14 is to welcome the moon, and August 16 is to send the moon. These three days are the Mid-Autumn Festival.
According to the three days set by Cixi, it was decided by Cixi after Xianfeng's death. As for Cixi herself, she is naturally taller than anyone else, so Cixi set herself the Mid-Autumn Festival for five days, from August 13th to August 17th.