According to legend, in ancient China, emperors had a ritual system of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and the moon in autumn. In the folk, every Mid-Autumn Festival in August, there are also customs about Yue Bai or offering sacrifices to the moon. The famous proverb "The moon is full on August 15th, and the moon cakes in Mid-Autumn Festival are sweet and fragrant" tells the custom of urban and rural people eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival night. At first, mooncakes were used as sacrifices to the moon god. Later, people gradually regarded the Mid-Autumn Festival as a symbol of family reunion, and gradually mooncakes became holiday gifts.
Moon cakes, originally originated from the Tang Dynasty army Zhujie food. During Tang Gaozu's reign, General Li Jing conquered the Huns and returned home in triumph on August 15th.
At that time, Turpan people who were doing business presented cakes to the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Gao Zu Li Yuan took the gorgeous cake box, took out the round cakes, smiled at the bright moon in the sky and said, "We should invite toads with Hu cakes." After that, share the cake with the ministers.
The word "moon cake" has been used in Wu Zimu's book Menglianglu in the Southern Song Dynasty, but the description of tasting the moon and eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival was recorded in the West Lake Touring Society in the Ming Dynasty: "August 15th is called the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the people take the meaning of reunion with moon cakes". By the Qing Dynasty, there were more records about moon cakes, and the production became more and more elaborate.
With the development of moon cakes today, there are more varieties and different flavors. Among them, Beijing-style, Soviet-style, Guangdong-style and Chaozhou-style moon cakes are widely enjoyed by people all over China.
Mooncakes symbolize reunion and are a must-eat item in Mid-Autumn Festival. On the night of the festival, people also like to eat some reunion fruits such as watermelons and fruits, and wish their families a happy, sweet and safe life.
At first, moon cakes were called Taishi cakes. Later, sesame seeds and walnuts were added to make stuffing, so they were called Hu cakes. Do you know why they are called Hu cakes? Because sesame seeds and walnuts are shipped from Hu people, they are called Hu cakes.
One year, Tang Minghuang and Yang Guifei spent the Mid-Autumn Festival in the palace, enjoying the moon while eating Hu Bing. Tang Minghuang said, "Hu Bing is a bad name. Let's have another name." Yang Guifei looked at the moon and said involuntarily, "That's called moon cake." Tang Minghuang said, "Ok, great."
Since then, the name "moon cake" has spread to the present.
Now there are honeydew melons, strawberries, apples and so on. After listening to my introduction, are you greedy?
Making Cantonese-style Mooncakes
1. Split skin
Divide the crust of each moon cake according to its weight.
Step 2 divide the stuffing
Weigh the fillings of the moon cake varieties according to the quantity, and be familiar with all kinds of stuffing formulas and practices, such as single lotus seed paste, adding an egg yolk in the middle; Double-yellow or triple-yellow or lotus seed paste, the lotus seed paste should be divided into two or three portions, and each portion of lotus seed paste should be wrapped with an egg yolk, and then wrapped into a cake blank by two-in-one or three-in-one method. Five-kernel fillings should be firm and smooth, but they should not be pinched for too long, otherwise, they will leak oil and peel off the shell. Each kind of filling should be marked with the variety during the conversion, and it is easy to cause confusion because the cake blank is wrapped with a cake crust.
3. stuffing
Wrap the cake crust into the weighed cake blanks, and the crust should be pressed flat and smooth.
Step 4: Forming
Put the wrapped cake blank into the wooden mold and gently compact it by hand. The pressure should be balanced to make the cake angular and clear. Then take the cake to the edge of the chopping board and pat it out. When demoulding, pay attention to the flatness of the cake shape and should not be skewed.
Step 5 heat up
Spray water into the furnace at the temperature of 200~220℃. If it is heated by cyclone, the furnace temperature is 298℃ (time 14 minutes or so). The cakes in the plate can only be taken out when the crust turns beige or slightly golden yellow. Brush egg paste on the cake surface and put it back into the furnace to be cooked.
English edition
●Place: Air’s villa.
Venue: Air Villa.
Time: on the Mid – Autumn Festival.
Time: Mid-Autumn Festival
People: Air and Rich
People: Air and Rich
Rich is from American. He is an exchange student. Now he is studying at Beijing University. He majored in culture of China. His best friend, Air, a designer, works for a photo workshop. Today is Mid – Autumn Festival. So Air invited him to dinner at home.
Rich is an American. He is an international student. Now he is studying in Peking University. He majored in China culture. His best friend, Air, a designer, works in a photography studio. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. So Air invited him to his home.
(Air listens to the music when she hears the doorbell.)
Air was listening to music when she heard the doorbell ring.
A: That must be Rich. (She goes to open the door.)
That must be Rich. (She answers the door.)
B: Hi, Air.
Hello, Air.
A: Welcome. It’s so nice of you to come.
Welcome, it's so nice of you to come.
B: Air, thanks for inviting me to the dinner. Today is Mid – Autumn Festival. I bought a bunch of roses for you. Beautiful flowers for beautiful girl.
Air, thank you for inviting me. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I bought you a bunch of roses, beautiful flowers for beautiful girls.
A: It’s nothing. Thank you for your roses.(she hands him a present.) A little present for you.
You're welcome. Thank you for the roses. (She hands him a gift) A small gift for you.
B: (he unwraps the present to find four mooncakes in boxes.)
Oh, it’s wonderful. Thanks. You shouldn’t have bought this.
(He opens the present and finds four moon cakes in the box) Oh, great. Thank you! You shouldn't spend so much money.
A: oh, my pleasure. It’s just a little present for you.
Oh, you're welcome. It's just a small gift for you.
(They sit in the living room.)
They are sitting in the living room.
Can I get you some coffee or tea or a cold drink?
Would you like some coffee or tea or a cold drink?
B: Thanks. Coffee is ok.
Thanks, coffee will be fine.
A: Black coffee or white coffee?
Black coffee or black coffee?
B: white coffee, please. Thank you.
Coffee with milk, please.
A: Ok, ok.
(She goes to the kitchen to make coffee. A few minutes later, it’s done. She comes back.)
She went to the kitchen to make coffee. A few minutes later, the coffee was ready. She came back.
Rich, here you are.
Rich, here is your coffee.
B: Thank you, Air.
Thank you, Air.
A: You are welcome. Take your time. Maybe it is hot.
You are welcome. Take your time. Maybe the coffee is a little hot.
B: No problem. Air, you know, I’m interested in different culture. Chinese festival is very interesting, too. Would you mind telling me about the Mid – Autumn Festival?
It's okay. You know, I'm interested in different cultures. Festivals in China are also very interesting. Can you tell me something about the Mid-Autumn Festival?
A: Ok, speaking of eating mooncakes, we have to talk about the story between Chang-Er and Hou Yi.
Ok, when it comes to eating moon cakes, we will talk about the story of Chang 'e and Hou Yi.
B: Is that true?
Is that story true?
A: No. It’s not true. It’s only legend.
No, it's not true. It's just a legend.
B: Oh, I see. What is it?
Oh, I see. What is it?
A: Long, long ago, the Earth once had 10 suns circling it.
Long ago, the earth once had 10 suns around it.
B: What? 10 suns circling it?
What? 10 suns revolve around her?
A: Yes. But I told you it was only a legend. One day all 10 suns came out at once. The temperature of the earth went up quickly.
Yes. But I told you, it's just a legend. All the 10 suns appeared once a day. The temperature of the earth rose quickly.
B: Wow. I guess many people 、plants and animals died. The high temperature must kill them.
Oh! I think many people, plants and animals have died. This high temperature must have killed them.
A: Yes. It was a skillful archer who saved the earth.
Yes. It was a skilled archer who saved the earth.
B: Who is he?
Who is he?
A: Hou Yi.
Houyi.
B: How did he save the earth? Is he a sprint?
How did he save the earth? Is he a fairy?
A: No. He only shot down nine suns. Everything will be ok.
No, he just shot out nine suns. Everything will be safe.
B: He did a good job.
He did a good job.
A: Yes. As his reward, the Heavenly Queen Mother gave him a bottle of magic liquid.
Yes. In order to reward him, the Queen Mother gave him a magical potion.
B: What? What’s for?
What? What does it do?
A: If you had it, you would cure illnesses or make you live forever.
If you drink the magic medicine, you can cure the disease or make you live forever.
B: oh, my god. Are you kidding?
Oh, my God. Are you kidding?
A: I’m serious. In many Chinese stories, people want to live longer. So they want to get something magic.
I'm serious. In many stories of China, people want to live longer, so they all want to get such magical things.
B: I see. What did he do then?
I see. What did Hou Yi do next?
A: It’s pity that he paid no attention to her advice.
It's a pity that Hou Yi didn't listen to the advice of the Queen Mother.
B: You mean that he drank that all.
You mean he drank all the potions.
A: No. I mean, in front of the fame and fortune, he became a bad-tempered、selfish man.
No. I mean, in the face of honor and wealth, he has become a bad-tempered and selfish person.
B: Oh, I see. As the saying goes: Money is the root of all evil.
Oh, I see, there is a good proverb: money is the root of all evil.
A: I couldn’t agree more. So his wife, Chang-Er could not bear to live with her husband. Then she stole his liquid, drank them and fled to the moon. This is the beautiful woman in the moon, the Moon Fairy.
I couldn't agree more. So his wife, Chang 'e, couldn't stand living with him any longer. Then she stole the potion, drank it and fled to the moon. This is the legend of the beautiful woman on the moon.
B: Interesting!
Interesting!
A: Ok, this is the legend that I know. Maybe you will find another story like this. But I’m not for sure.
Yes, it's just a legend I know. Maybe you can find other stories like this, but I'm not sure.
B: Thanks. thank you
A: Oh, Rich. Would you like more coffee?
Oh, Rich. Would you like some more coffee?
B: No. Thanks. Air, why not tell me the mooncakes itself? (He points to the cakes in the box.)
No, thanks. Air, why don't you tell me something about the moon cake itself? He points to the moon cakes in the box.
A: It’s a neat idea. In China, it is important for us to have dinner together on Mid-Autumn Festival.
Good idea. In China, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is very important for us to have a reunion dinner together.
B: Really? I find that many Chinese are busy with their work. When their parents ask them to have dinner, they always have many excuses. I mean they don’t want to come back.
Really? I find that many people in China are busy with their work. When they ask them to have a reunion dinner, they always make excuses. I mean, they don't want to come back.
A: Yes. You are right. But many people think today is the time of reunion. It is said that the moon is at its brightest and fullest. It’s very interest ing. This year the festival falls on 18 th September.
Yes, you are right, but many people think today is a time for reunion. It is said that today's moon is the brightest and roundest. Isn't it very interesting? This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is on September 18.
B: Yes. Air. I hear that the seasonal round cakes have many different fillings. Is that true?
Yes. Air, I heard that this seasonal cake has many kinds of fillings. Is that true?
A: Yes. It is true. Lotus seed paste, red bean paste and so on. Are you hungry? In fact, I’m hungry.
Yes, it's true. Lotus seed stuffing or red bean stuffing and so on. Are you hungry? Actually, I'm hungry.
B: I’m hungry, too. I can’t wait to have them right now. Air, what is this? (He points to the cakes.) Ah,
I'm hungry, too. I can't wait to eat it at once. Air, what is this? (He points to the cake)
A: Ah! It’s a surprise. I asked the bakery to stamp them with your name so that I’ll give you a big surprise.
Ah! That was a surprise. I asked the pastry shop to put your name on the moon cake, just to give you a big surprise.
B: Thanks
Thank you.
A: But I have to make some tea.
But I need to make some tea first.
B: Why?
Why?
A: Some doctors tell us that the mooncakes are loaded with calories, so it’s not for the fat people who are on a diet.
Some doctors told us that mooncakes contain more calories, so they are not suitable for obese people who are losing weight.
B: Oh, what’s the best way to have them?
Oh, what's the best way to eat them?
A: Ok, the best way to wash down one of these cakes is with a cup of Chinese tea, especially Jasmine or Chrysanthemum tea. Tea aids the digestion.
Ok, the best way to eat this kind of cake is with a cup of China tea, especially jasmine tea or chrysanthemum tea. Tea can help digestion.
B: Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
A: Just for a few minutes. I make tea. Just a moment, I'm going to make tea.
B: Go ahead. go ahead
(Air goes to the kitchen.) (Air went to the kitchen.)
● Wonderful comments on the dialogue:
In the dialogue of a moon cake festival, I mentioned a saying-immortality, but many friends don't know how to express it. Perhaps I only have the concept of Journey to the West in my mind, such as something like an elixir, but I don't think about what the original intention is, so it is normal for the expression to pause in an instant.
A:The Heavenly Queen Mother gave him a bottle of magic liquid.
B: What? What’s for?
A: If you had it, you would cure
illnesses or make you live forever.
B: oh, my god. Are you kidding?
A: I’m serious. In many Chinese stories,people want to live longer.
So they want to get this magic something.
B: I see.
This dialogue compares elixir to a magical medicine, and solves the word that you must think about elixir.
It also increases the mystery of the conversation. Then, it compares immortality to the fact that if you eat this magical medicine, you will cure the disease and make yourself live in the world forever. Isn't this a good expression?
Moreover, the subjunctive mood is used in the whole sentence, which increases the difficulty of expression and gives people a feeling of good grammar, right?
● Attachment: Legend of Mid-Autumn Festival:
Mooncakes are to Mid-Autumn Festival what mince pies are to Christmas. The seasonal round cakes traditionally have a sweet filling of lotus seed paste or red bean paste and often have one or more salted duck eggs in the center to represent the moon. And the moon is what this celebration is all about. Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month, it is the time when the moon is said to be at its brightest and fullest. This year the festival falls on October 1.
There are two legends which claim to explain the tradition of eating mooncakes. One Tang Dynasty myth holds that the Earth once had 1 0 suns circling it. One day all 10 suns appeared at once, scorching the planet with their heat. It was thanks to a skillful archer named Hou Yi that the Earth was saved. He shot down all but one of the suns. As his reward, the Heavenly Queen Mother gave Hou Yi the Elixir of Immortality, but she warned him that he must use it wisely. Hou Yi ignored her advice and, corrupted by fame and fortune, became a tyrannical leader. Chang-Er, his beautiful wife, could no longer stand by and watch him abuse his power so she stole his Elixir and fled to the moon to escape his angry wrath. And thus began the lege nd of the beautiful woman in the moon, the Moon Fairy.
The second legend has it that during the Yuan Dynasty, an underground group led by Zhu Yuan Zang was determined to rid the country of Mongolian dominance. The moon cake was created to carry a secret messag e. When the cake was opened and the message read, an uprising was unleashed which successfully routed the Mongolians. It happened at the time of the full moon, which, some say, explains why mooncakes are eaten at this time.
Mooncakes are usually stamped with Chinese characters indicating the name of the bakery and the type of filling used. Some bakeries will even stamp the m with your family name so that you can give personalised ones to friends and family. They are usually presented in boxes of four which indicate the fo ur phases of the moon. Traditional mooncakes are made with melted lard, but today vegetable oil is more often used in the interests of health.
Mooncakes are not for the diet-conscious as they are loaded with calories. The best way to wash down one of these sticky cakes is with a cup of Chinese tea, especially Jasmine or Chrysanthemum tea, which aids the digestion.
Eating moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival is as essential as eating a hundred-fruit pie in Christmas in the West. Round moon cakes are usually filled with sweet lotus seed stuffing or red bean stuffing, and a golden salted duck egg yolk is added in the center of the stuffing to represent the moon. And the moon is the theme of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. People celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15 of the lunar calendar every year. It is said that the moon on this day is the brightest and roundest in a year. This year's Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 10/day in the solar calendar (China's National Day).
There are two legends about the origin of the tradition of eating moon cakes. One is a fairy tale of the Tang Dynasty, which tells that the earth was surrounded by 10 suns. One day 10 suns appeared in the sky at the same time, and the huge heat almost scorched the earth. Thanks to an archer named Hou Yi who shot down nine suns, the earth was saved. In order to reward Houyi, the Queen Mother gave Houyi an elixir of life, but the Queen Mother warned him that it must be used properly. However, Hou Yi ignored the warning of the Queen Mother. He was carried away by fame and fortune and became a tyrant. Chang 'e, Hou Yi's beautiful wife, could no longer stand by and watch his atrocities, so she stole Hou Yi's elixir of life and flew to the moon to escape his fury. Since then, there has been a legend about the moon fairy Chang 'e, a beautiful woman on the moon.
The second legend tells that in the Yuan Dynasty, the rebels led by Zhu Yuanzhang planned an uprising to get rid of Mongolian rule. They use moon cakes to deliver secret messages. You can find the secret message by opening the moon cake. In this way, the rebels successfully launched an uprising and drove away the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty. The uprising took place on August 15th, so the custom of eating moon cakes on Mid-Autumn Festival spread among the people.
------------------
In Chinese dichotomy, the sun is yang (positive, active, or male) and the moon is yin (negative, passive, or female). According to the book Chou Li, the Chou emperors ( 1 122-249 B.C.) had the custom of praying to the moon on the 1 5th night of the eighth lunar month. In the Ching dynasty, there were a sun altar in eastern Peking and a moon altar in western Peking; at the time of every autumnal equinox, the emperor offered sacrifices and prayed to the moon at the moon altar.
Before switching to the Gregorian calendar officially in 19 1 1, the Chinese had used a lunar calendar since time immemorial; and even today, the Chinese still celebrate their traditional festivals by the lunar calendar. In each lunar month, the first day (the new moon) and the 15th day (the full moon) are major events; and the 15th day of the first month (the Lantern Festival) and the 15th day of the eighth month (Mid-Autumn Festival, September 9th this year on the Gregorian calendar) are the largest celebrations besides the Lunar New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival.
The Chinese Cupid is called "the old man under the moon" ( る? ρ? ) and uses a red thread to tie a man's and woman's feet together to make them man and wife--be they from hostile families or widely separated places.
The most lunatic mortal in Chinese history could have been the great poet Li Po (A.D. 70 1-762), who once invited the moon to have a drink with him and his shadow to form a band of three. Li finally drowned in a lake in an effort to catch the moon when he was drunk one night. Other Chinese legends about the moon abound.
Legends of the Moon
Moon cakes go best with oolong or jasmine tea.
Hou Yi ( ? ) was a great archer and architect, who shot down nine extra suns that had suddenly appeared in the sky and thus kept the earth from being scorched. He also built a palace of jade for th e Goddess of the Western Heaven. For this, he was rewarded with a pill containing the elixir of immortality, But with strings attached-he must fast and pray for a year before taking it. His wife, Chang O, whose beauty was surpassed only by her curiosity, discovered and swallowed the pill and in no time soared to the moon and became a permanent resident there. Upon reaching the moon, Chang O, in dismay, coughed up the pill, which turned into a jade rabbit that, day and night, pounds out a celestial elixir for the immortals.
Another permanent lunar resident of Chinese origin is Wu Kang ( ? ), a shiftless fellow who changed apprenticeships all the time before disappointing his last master, who was an immortal. From him Wu learned to be immortal himself, but he was punished by being required to chop down a cassia tree in the moon, an impossible mission. The cut in the tree heals completely the same day, so Wu Kang is still chopping away for eternity. Some Chinese crave to drink his cassia blossom wine.
The Chinese believe that the moon is at its largest and brightest, and Chang O at her most beautiful, on the 15th night of the eighth lunar month. They are at least half-right, for at that time most of China is in the dry season and the moon looms brightest. It's also cool then, a perfect time to celebrate the harvest which has just concluded; Hence, the mid-autumn festival is also called the harvest festival. The festival is a time for family reunion to appreciate the moon (Jie, shangyue) and eat moon cakes together. Bathed in bright moonshine and with the company of chrysanthemum and cassia blossoms, poets eat crab meat and moon cake, drink tea and wine, and versify the night away.
Moon Cakes
Moon gazing
The Chinese custom of eating moon cake was first recorded in the reign of the emperor Hsi Tzung (A.D. 874-889) of the Tang dynasty and became popular in the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960- 1279) The moon cake is traditionally made in the shape of a full moon, symbolizing union and perfection, is usually about the size of a doughnut, and is stuffed with a variety of fillings such as bean paste, egg yolk, lotus seeds, dates, pineapple, walnuts, almonds, and sesame. The crafty Chu Yuan-chang, founder of the Ming dynasty, instigated a rebellion against the Mongol rulers by concealing a call to revolt in moon cakes, leading to the downfall of the Yuan dynasty.
There are many styles of moon cake in China; the most popular in Taiwan are the Cantonese, Soochow, and Taiwanese styles. The Cantonese moon cake is thicker and heavier, while the Soochow and Taiwanese ones have a crispy skin. In the last couple of years a new breed of refrigerated, unbaked moon cake has been gaining popularity, especially among youngster; and durian, coconut meat, vanilla, tea, and coffer have added as ingredients.
Most Chinese consume moon cakes given to them by relatives, friend, employers, or public relations people.Hence, brands matter. Among the most famous are Kee Wah, Maria's and shin Tung Yang. Moon cakes go best with oolong or jasmine tea.
It takes the moon about 29 1/2 days to revolve around the earth, and the Chinese lunar month is either 29 or 30 days. An extra month(called a leap month) is necessary about every three years. There will be a second eight lunar month in 1995. The 1 5th of the first eight lunar month is celebrated as the Mid-Autumn Festival, which has been designed a public holiday by the Republic of China government. Have a nice holiday, and remember moon calkes taste best when shared by family members or lovers, or both.