Mid-Autumn Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival cake) is a traditional folk custom popular in Xiamen, Fujian, and one of the national intangible cultural heritages. The custom of wagging one's head and tail in Mid-Autumn Festival originated in Xiamen, Fujian, and prevailed in Longhai, Zhangzhou, Anhai, Jinmen and other places in Quanzhou. It was recorded in the annals of Taiwan Province Province during the reign of Kang Gan in Qing Dynasty. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Minnan and Taiwan Province Province will spontaneously hold Mid-Autumn Festival cake sharing activities in families or communities.
Participants rolled six dice in turn and won six grades: champion, runner-up, flower detective, scholar, juren and scholar, and got moon cakes of different sizes according to the grades. The game rules of bobbing are simple and fair, full of competitive suspense and interesting life, and have always been loved by the general public. On June 7, 2008, with the approval of China people and the State Council, the Mid-Autumn Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival Bo Cake) declared by Xiamen City, Fujian Province was included in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.
Historical origin
The custom of wagging one's head and tail in Mid-Autumn Festival originated in Xiamen, Fujian, and prevailed in Longhai, Zhangzhou, Anhai, Jinmen and other places in Quanzhou. It was recorded in the annals of Taiwan Province Province during the reign of Kang Gan in Qing Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival bobbing originated in Tongan County (now Xiamen City, Fujian Province) in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, and was invented by Zheng Chenggong. Shaking one's head is a popular entertainment activity during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the prizes of the participants are determined by the combination of six dice throwing results.
Traditional prizes are moon cakes of different sizes. After a while, 1 won the prize, 2 opponents, 4 winners, 8 winners, 16 winners and 32 winners. According to legend, this game can predict people's luck in the coming year. Xiamen has gradually become an important port city in the southeast coast of China, and the custom of rich cakes has become more popular, from family games to games between relatives and friends and even social groups.