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1. Ancient moon cakes were eaten as sacrifices in the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is said that the custom of eating moon cakes in Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty. 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". In the Ming dynasty, it became a common dietary custom of the whole people. Nowadays, there are more varieties and different local flavors. Among them, Cantonese-style, Peking-style, Yunnan-style, Suzhou-style and Chaozhou-style moon cakes are deeply loved by people all over China.
2. Moon cakes are offerings to worship the moon god in ancient Mid-Autumn Festival. Since they were handed down, the custom of eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival has been formed. 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. 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, which was called "Hu cake".
It is said that it originated in the Tang Dynasty. According to "Luo Zhong's Experience", Tang Xizong gave a moon cake to the new Jinshi during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Qujiang. One Mid-Autumn Festival night, Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei enjoyed the moon and ate Hu Bing. Tang Xuanzong thought Hu Bing was a bad name. Yang Guifei looked up at the bright moon and blurted out "moon cake". The name of "moon cake" gradually spread among the people.