At the time of the Northern Song Dynasty, this kind of cake was called "palace cake", which was popular in the court, but also spread to the people. At that time, it was commonly known as "small cake" and "moon group". Later, it evolved into a circle, meaning reunion and beauty.
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The Mid-Autumn Festival originated in ancient times, popularized in the Han Dynasty, shaped in the early years of the Tang Dynasty and prevailed after the Song Dynasty. Mid-Autumn Festival is a synthesis of seasonal customs in autumn, and most of the festival customs contained in it have ancient origins. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a colorful and precious cultural heritage, with the full moon as a sign of people's reunion, as the sustenance of missing their hometown and their loved ones, and hoping for a bumper harvest and happiness.
Mid-Autumn Festival, Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day and Dragon Boat Festival are also called the four traditional festivals in China. Influenced by Chinese culture, Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival for overseas Chinese in some countries in East and Southeast Asia, especially local Chinese. On May 20th, 2006, the State Council listed it in the first national intangible cultural heritage list. Mid-Autumn Festival has been listed as a national legal holiday since 2008.