Mooncakes originated in the Tang Dynasty and are said to have been created by Yang Guifei. Initially, mooncakes were a kind of food similar to "cake bait" and were mainly used as offerings to the moon god. Over time, the mooncake evolved into the main festive food of the Mid-Autumn Festival and developed a variety of different flavors and appearances. Today, the mooncake has become one of the most iconic symbols of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The cultural connotation of mooncakes:

1. Reunion and Family Emotions

The round shape of the mooncake and the traditional custom of enjoying it with the family*** make it a symbol of reunion and family emotions. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, families sit around and ****enjoy mooncakes to express their love and longing for each other. This traditional custom strengthens the family bond and conveys the cultural value of reunion and family emotion.

2. Fear of Nature and Gods

In ancient times, people believed that the moon had the power to dominate the night and the dream world, and therefore would hold a moon ceremony on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival to pray for blessings from the moon god. Mooncakes, as offerings to the moon god, signified respect and gratitude to the gods of nature. This sentiment of reverence for nature and the gods also reflects, to a certain extent, people's reverence for nature and their respect for the laws of nature.

3, the promotion of traditional Chinese culture

Mooncakes, as a traditional Chinese holiday food, carries a rich cultural connotation. Different flavors of mooncakes and their distinctive production processes demonstrate the diversity and innovation of Chinese culture. While eating mooncakes, we are also savoring the charm of traditional Chinese culture and feeling the inheritance of national spirit.

4, symbolizing good luck, reunion and harvest

Mooncakes, as a kind of food, not only have a unique taste, but also have rich symbolism. Traditionally, mooncakes have been recognized as having good symbols of good luck, reunion, and good harvest. These symbols are closely linked to the cultural connotations of the Mid-Autumn Festival, reflecting people's desire for a better life and the pursuit of family reunion and happiness.

Mooncake Classification:

Mooncakes come in a wide variety of varieties, and are divided into two main categories: traditional and non-traditional, based on the combination of local Chinese mooncakes and new mooncakes produced by the combination of Chinese and Western food cultures.

Traditional mooncakes are traditional Chinese mooncakes in the sense that there are four main schools of thought according to origin, sales and characteristics: Cantonese mooncakes, Beijing-style mooncakes, Soviet-style mooncakes and Chao-style mooncakes. Another reporter once the tide of moon cakes and Hong Kong-style moon cakes into the Cantonese moon cakes, and then came to the moon cakes of the four schools of thought: that is, the Cantonese style, the Soviet style, Beijing-style and Dian-style.

This simple to the region to merge, and then divided into east and west, north and south of the classification is not scientific, Hong Kong-style moon cakes and Cantonese-style moon cakes are similar can be justified, but the tide of moon cakes regardless of the material, practices, styles and tastes are very different from the Cantonese-style moon cakes.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia - Mooncakes