The lotus seed paste that has been a classic favourite is just one of many types of mooncake fillings across China, which include seeds, dried fruit, assorted beans and even ham. Types of mooncakes Traditionally, the most well-known mooncakes hail from southern China.
Recognisable renditions known as Cantonese-style mooncakes — typically baked with an elaborate stamp on the top depicting elements iconic to the festival including peonies, butterflies and auspicious Chinese characters.
They are filled with lotus seed paste and a salted duck egg yolk centre to represent the moon. In Chinese culture, the round shape also symbolises wholeness and unity. A full moon represents prosperity and unity for the whole family.
And in a typical Chinese family where a reunion is held as one of the most important tradition even in modern times, Mid-Autumn Festival is highly revered as a day of obligation for family members to come together for a meal and eating mooncakes. These sweet and savoury treats must be shared, with the round cakes being sliced into eight pieces for obvious reasons — the number 8 is auspicious for the Chinese.
Different parts of China also have their own version with different shapes and filling. Some are larger and flatter while others are savoury filled with salted mung bean paste or yam depending on its origins.
For instance, Shanghai mooncakes are usually shaped like a ball, with no intricate stamps on the top — generally just egg wash and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. The Beijing-style mooncakes tend to be spherical, with a sweet and crispy outer crust. Yunnan-style mooncakes are unique with salted meat filling wrapped in a delicious chewy crust.
The aroma of pork lard emanates through the pastry , making this type a mouthwatering snack in Yunnan and the surrounding area. The Suzhou-style mooncakes, on the other hand, are generally filled with pork-mince filling for a savoury variety.
Other festivity highlights include public lantern displays, dance parties, traditional performances and worship of the moon goddess and other deities. Because of the central theme of family reunion, sometimes the festival evokes comparison to Thanksgiving in the U. The gifting and eating of mooncakes is arguably the most emblematic feature of the festival. The round shape of the mooncake is meant to evoke an image of the full moon. The roundness of the full moon, in turn, symbolizes wholeness; by extension, it conveys a sense of spiritual contentment, coming together and reunion.
Usually, mooncakes come with traditional fillings , such as red bean or white lotus seed paste. There are many regional variations , some of which contain a preserved egg yolk in the middle. The yellow egg yolk adds another layer of symbolism, as it resembles the round moon in the sky. Additionally, there are contemporary flavors such as chocolate, coffee or green tea. For Chinese people, the festival is of special ethical significance, and family reunion on this occasion lying deep in their consciousness has been a sentiment and mindset for hundreds of years.
The festival dates back over 1, years, when ancient Chinese people counted the days by the phases of the moon. They found out that the moon would be at its fullest in the middle of every lunar month and at its brightest in the middle of autumn. The date of the festival was thus decided. In this case, for Chinese, the round shape of the moon around the festival embodies family reunion and harmony, which, according to The Book of Rites, lays the ground for social harmony within a country.
Some common performances include Chinese dance, Chinese opera , cross-talk and puppetry. Thirteen types of offerings to the moon, signifying the number of months in a full lunar year, are prepared by the female members of the family. Each offering has its own significance. Cosmetics may also be placed on the altar in the belief that it would beautify the user. Osmanthus flowers usually bloom during the festival period.
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