The moon cake festival, or in Mandarin is the Zhong Qiu Jie Festival, is a day of joy symbolized by the presence of a full moon. Based on the calculation of the Chinese lunar calendar (Chinese New Year), the festival falls on the 15th of the 8th month. According to the Chinese people, on this date is a time when the moon is closest to the earth, side by side with the sky and shining reddish, which symbolizes the union of men (sun) with women (moon), such as Yin and Yang in Chinese tradition.
This tradition first appeared during the Xia Dynasty and the Shang Dynasty. This tradition is a Chinese tradition that is ritual, but this ritual was only popular during the Tang Dynasty. This ritual comes from the Chinese agricultural community, where they asked the Earth God to be given a good season and harvest.
At the end of the harvest period, which is around the middle of the 8th month, the farmers will worship the gods who have given an abundant harvest. The worship in the form of gratitude and thanks to the Gods. Many believe that the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival originates from here.
Apart from that, there are still other legends regarding this month's cake festival. That said, in ancient times, the earth had 10 suns and made the people suffer drought and suffer. Then an archer named Hou Yi, went to shoot 9 suns so that there was only one sun left. Hou Yi was considered to be a hero and was appointed King in China.
One day, Hou Yi went to the Kun Lun mountains to meet with Xi Xi Mu's queen. The queen also gave him a panacea that could make people fly to the sky and become a god. Hou Yi also entrusts the drug to his wife named Chang’E. A palace employee named Peng Meng, was aware of the function and presence of the drug so he intended to steal the drug.
One day while Hou Yi was out of the palace, Peng Meng infiltrated Hou Yi's room and forced Chang'e to hand over the medicine. Chang'E, who realized that he was not a match for Peng Meng, immediately took the medicine and ran away.
Chang'e suddenly felt his body become very light and then fly into the sky. While worrying about her husband, Chang'E had landed on the moon, the celestial body closest to earth. When Hou Yi came home, he was very sad after knowing what had happened. Hou Yi then made an altar to commemorate his wife, Chang'E who had become the Moon Goddess. There he placed Chang'e's favorite food and fresh fruit as a form of offering to his wife on the moon. That said, Chang'E beauty will be very visible from the earth at the time of the moon in the most full and brightest conditions.
This is the origin of ancient Chinese society who began offering food and fruit to the Moon Goddess, one of which is the famous Moon Cake.
