1. Folklore: According to legend, in order to prevent loyal officials from fleeing, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered soldiers to hide in moon cakes to pass military orders. Later, this kind of moon cake spread to the people, and with the passage of time, it gradually became a kind of food when worshipping the moon.
2. Cultural significance: Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the oldest traditional festivals in China, symbolizing reunion, harmony and happiness, while moon cakes are round and represent reunion. In addition, moon cakes have all kinds of fillings, both traditional and novel, representing harmony and tolerance.
3. Gift exchange: The Mid-Autumn Festival inherits the traditional ideology and culture of China, and pays attention to family, friendship and social relations, so sending moon cakes has become a way of gift exchange. People express their gratitude and best wishes to their relatives and friends by sending moon cakes.
4. Regional culture: In southern China, the custom of eating moon cakes is more popular. According to legend, Guangzhou, Chaozhou and other places in the south are the producing areas of moon cakes. At that time, their moon cakes were all natural and had no additives, so the quality and taste were good. Subsequently, the custom of eating moon cakes gradually developed and continued to enrich and carry forward.
In a word, eating moon cakes has become one of the traditional customs of Mid-Autumn Festival in China, with rich cultural and historical connotations behind it.