Why do Chinese people eat moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival?
Sean Pond -- Thu 6, 2013, 10:41 am
I am an oversea student in Nanjing, I want to tell something about the festival for my grandpa's email and I need to know why.
1 Replies
# 1 Re: Why do Chinese people eat moon cakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival?
Bertha Leong -- Thu 6, 2013, 2:23 pm
In China, eating moon cakes is one of the important activities during the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are three interpretations about its origin. Firstly, as the story goes, it was evolved from the custom of presenting the elderly glutinous rice cakes to show their respect. Another interpretation traces its origin to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The leaders of rebels against the rule of the Mongols inserted into moon cakes the notes calling for uprising. When people ate cakes, they saw the notes and answered to the call for rebellion. Since then, it has become a custom to eat moon cakes. Still another interpretation is that eating round moon cakes on a full-moon night symbolizes family reunion.
