Ancient Mid-Autumn Festival Confusion!
So what is this Mooncake and it’s importance to a 3500 year tradition? Some say its a harvest offering, others say it was a successful attempt to overthrow the Mongols by using the cakes as a medium. Today the Chinese use the holiday to recognize marriages during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Confusion set in when a God was mentioned
Moon worship took the form of sacrifices to the lunar goddess in the succeeding Western Zhou Dynasty (1045 to 770 BC) and the practice has continued to the modern day. Offerings are also made to a deity called Chang’e, known as the Moon Goddess of Immortality.
Then after China colonized the Vietnamese they started their own celebration using lanterns to celebrate this time of year. Children participate in parades with lanterns of various forms and colours, and one tradition is to write riddles on the lanterns and have others guess the answers.
Today marks the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated by Chinese communities all over the world. Taking place on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, it is the second most important festival to the Chinese after the New Year.
We refer to it here in America as the lava cake. And we celebrate it everyday. Thanks to China.