In traditional Chinese culture, mooncakes are not only a delicacy, but also a symbol with far-reaching meanings.
It carries people's beautiful vision of reunion, harmony and happiness, and is a must-have for the important festival of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
So, what exactly does it mean to eat mooncakes?Let's explore the cultural code together.
First of all, mooncakes symbolize reunion.
In ancient times, the full moon was regarded as a symbol of family reunion, and the shape of the mooncake happened to be round, so it became the best gift to express the longing for family during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, no matter where they are, wanderers will return home to spend the festival with their loved ones, share mooncakes, and pray for family harmony and happiness.
This desire and pursuit of reunion is one of the core meanings that mooncakes want to convey.
Secondly, mooncakes represent harmony.
In traditional Chinese culture, the moon has always been regarded as a symbol of the harmony of yin and yang, and the unity of heaven and earth.
In the process of making mooncakes, various ingredients also need to be blended together to form a unique delicacy.
This process of integration precisely reflects the spirit of "harmony" in Chinese culture.
Therefore, eating mooncakes also means praying for social harmony and the prosperity of the country.
Furthermore, mooncakes symbolize a good harvest.
In ancient agrarian societies, the Mid-Autumn Festival coincided with the autumn harvest season, and farmers celebrated the joy of harvest at this time.
The fillings such as five kernels and bean paste in the moon cakes were the symbols of the harvest at that time.
Therefore, eating mooncakes also represents gratitude for a good harvest and expectations for a better life in the future.
In addition, mooncakes also symbolize love.
In ancient legends, the story of Chang'e running to the moon is widely spread, and mooncakes were born to commemorate this poignant love story.
Therefore, on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, lovers will give each other mooncakes as a way to express their deep affection and eternal commitment to each other.
Of course, there are many meanings of mooncakes, such as praying for peace, health, etc.
But in any case, mooncakes are one of the indispensable symbols of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
On this special day, we not only want to taste the delicious mooncakes, but also inherit and carry forward the cultural connotation behind the mooncakes, so that this beautiful meaning can be passed on from generation to generation.
Nowadays, with the development of the times, the production process and taste of mooncakes are also constantly innovating.
From traditional bean paste and five-kernel fillings to modern chocolate, ice cream and other novel flavors, mooncakes have gradually become a delicacy that transcends time and space and blends East and West.
In this process, the meaning and cultural connotation carried by moon cakes have also been better inherited and carried forward.
In short, eating mooncakes is not only a taste bud enjoyment, but also a cultural inheritance.
In this Mid-Autumn Festival, let us taste the delicious mooncakes together, feel the profound cultural heritage contained in them, and let this beautiful meaning always circulate in our hearts.
On this full moon night, let us raise the moon cakes in our hands and make a good wish to the bright moonlight: may our lives be full of reunion, harmony, harvest and love, and may our country prosper and the people live and work in peace and contentment.