Over the moon

ROUND pastries, they are—having a rich thick filling made from red bean or lotus seed paste, with yolks from salted duck eggs and surrounded by a thin crust. They’re mooncakes, all right, and in Chinese culture, are eaten traditionally in small wedges and washed down with tea. But more than just a delicacy, a mooncake has come to symbolize one of the most important festivities in the Chinese culture for hundreds of years—the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival.

According to the travel website chinahighlights.com, the festival dates back to 3,000 years in ancient China, where it was believed that the movement of the moon affected the change of season and agricultural harvest. The Chinese then gave thanks by offering sacrifices and sacrificial ceremonies to the moon on autumn days. Ancient emperors worshipped the moon during this season, while ordinary people celebrated it as a sign of their hard work, and with everybody anticipating a bountiful harvest the following year. Later on, mooncake became the most famous offering and the festival’s traditional delicacy.