Mid Autumn or Moon Cake Festival

[Nesacat]

Happy Moon Cake Festival.

Today October 6 is the day we celebrate the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival (Chung Chiu), the third major festival of the Chinese calendar, is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month.

This festival is also known as the Moon Cake Festival because a special kind of sweet cake (yueh ping) prepared in the shape of the moon and filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds and salted duck egg yolks is served as a traditional Chung Chiu delicacy.

Nobody actually knows when the custom of eating moon cake to celebrate the Moon Festival began, but one belief traces its origin to the 14th Century. At the time, China was in revolt against the Mongols. Chu Yuen-chang, and his senior deputy, Liu Po-wen, discussed battle plans and developed a secret moon cake strategy to take a certain walled city held by the Mongols. Liu dressed up as a Taoist priest and entered the besieged city bearing moon cakes. He distributed these to the city's populace. When the time for the year's Chung Chiu festival arrived, people opened their cakes and found hidden messages advising them to coordinate their uprising with the troops outside. Thus, the emperor-to-be ingeniously took the city and the throne.

Hou Yì, the Archer; Chang'e, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality: Hou Yì was an immortal, while Chang'e was a beautiful young girl, working in the Jade Emperor's (Emperor of Heaven) Palace as the attendant to the Queen Mother of The West (wife of the Jade Emperor), before her marriage.

One day, Yì aroused the jealousy of the other immortals, who then slandered him before the Jade Emperor. Yì and his wife, Chang'e, were subsequently banished from heaven, and forced to live by hunting on earth. He became a famous archer.

Now at this time, there were 10 suns that took turns to circle the earth — one every 10 days. One day, all 10 of the suns circled together, causing the earth to scorch. Emperor Yao, the Emperor of China, commanded Yì to kill all but one of the suns. Upon the completion of his task, the Emperor rewarded Yì with a pill, the elixir of life, and advised him: "Make no haste to swallow this pill, but first prepare yourself with prayer and fasting for a year".



Yì took the pill home and hid it under a rafter, while he began healing his spirit. In the midst of this, Yì was summoned again by the emperor. While he was gone, Chang'e noticed a white beam of light beckoning from the rafter and discovered the pill, which she swallowed. Immediately, she found that she could fly. Just at that moment, Yì returned home, and realising what had happened, began to reprimand her. Chang'e flew out the window into the sky.


With bow in hand, Yì sped after her, and the pursuit continued halfway across the heavens. Finally, Yì had to return to the Earth because of the force of the wind. Chang'e reached the moon, and breathless, she coughed. Part of the pill fell out from her mouth. Now, the hare was already on the moon, and Chang'e commanded the animal to make a pill from it, so that she could return to earth to her husband.


As of today, the hare is still pounding. As for Yì, he built himself a palace in the sun as "Yang" (the male principle), while Chang'e is "Yin" (the female principle). Once a year, on the 15th day of the full moon, Yì visits his wife. That is why the moon is full and beautiful on that night.



This description appears in written form in two Western Han dynasty (206 BCE - 24CE) collections; Shanhaijing (Classic of the Mountains and Seas, a book of travels and tales), and Huainanzi (scientific, historical and philosophical articles, named for the Prince of Huai).

The old man on the moon: There is a saying in Chinese that marriages are made in heaven and prepared on the moon. The man who does the preparing is the old man of the moon (Yueh Lao Yeh). This old man, it is said, keeps a record with all the names of newborn babies. He is the one heavenly person who knows everyone's future partners, and nobody can fight the decisions written down in his book. He is one reason why the moon is so important in Chinese mythology.

To celebrate the full moon, plastic lanterns wrought in traditional styles and embellished with traditional motifs are prepared for the occasion.

The lantern are made in such traditional shapes are rabbits, goldfish, carps, butterflies, lobsters and star-shaped fruits. In Chinese mythology, the butterfly is the symbol of longevity and the lobster the symbol of mirth. Star-shaped fruit is the seasonal fruit in the autumn, and the crab is an old symbol of the Emperor, personifying strength, courage, wisdom and power.

I've got several boxes of moon cakes and if anyone would like one I could send it along in the post. I have been assured that they travel very well indeed.

[j. d. worthington]

Well, as you know, I'd like one, if you can...

And thanks for the background on that, Nesa. Such myths add a lovely layer to life, and I always appreciate adding to my store of them ... very neat!

[Nesacat]

Shall sent the moon cake to you tomorrow j.d.

[j. d. worthington]

Oooohhhh, many thanks, hon! I am very curious, and this will definitely be a treat!

[Dave]

In the west we know it as the Harvest Moon.

Space Weather
News for Oct. 6, 2006
http://spaceweather.com

HARVEST MOON: Tonight's full moon has a special name--the "Harvest Moon." It is the full moon closest to the northern autumnal equinox. Long ago, before electric lights, farmers relied on the Harvest Moon to light up their fields at night, allowing them to harvest autumn crops even after sunset.

The Harvest Moon of 2006 is a big one--almost 12% wider than some full Moons we've seen earlier this year. Why? Because the Moon is near perigee, the side of the Moon's lopsided orbit that comes closest to Earth.

When the Harvest Moon rises tonight, go outside and look around. You might see some strange things: full story at http://spaceweather.com

It has other names too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_moon

And it is popularised in song, including "Shine On Harvest Moon," written in 1903 by Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth.

[nixie]

I could sit and read or listen to fables all day.Thanks Nesa.

Never tasted moon cake

[carrie221]

That is such a cool tradition.

Are the cakes tasty?

[Nesacat]

The cakes are sweet. That's pretty much the bottomline and they are hand made in individually carved wooden moulds and can only be got this time of the year.

Here's a recipe for the traditional Lotus Paste one. The other traditional variations are red bean paste; fruit, nuts and ham bits. All can include from one to four full-boiled salted duck egg yolks.

I love them but I really can't eat much at any one time since it's so sticky sweet. The normal practise is to cut one into about eight pieces and most people can manage about two or three at one go. Admittedly I know several people who can eat several cakes in a go and that has never ceased to amaze.

Makes 2 dozen
1 can (17-1/2 ounces) lotus seed paste (we make the paste fresh here but I'm told it can be bought in a can too)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2-cup non-fat dried milk powder
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar 1/2 cup solid shortening, melted and cooled
1 egg yolk , lightly beaten


1. Mix lotus seed paste and walnuts together in a bowl; set aside.

2. Sift flour, milk powder, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs on medium speed until light and lemon colored. Add sugar; beat for 10 minutes or until mixture falls in a thick ribbon. Add melted shortening; mix lightly. With a spatula, fold in flour mixture. Turn dough out on a lightly floured board; knead for 1 minute or until smooth and satiny. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a log. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces.

3. To shape each moon cake, roll a piece of dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured board to make a 4-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Place 1 tablespoon of lotus seed paste mixture in center of dough circle. Fold in sides of dough to completely enclose filling; press edges to seal. Lightly flour inside of moon cake press with 2-1/2 inch diameter cups. Place moon cake, seam side up, in mold; flatten dough to conform to shape of mold. Bang one end of mold lightly on work surface to dislodge moon cake. Place cake on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat to shape remaining cakes. Brush tops with egg yolk.

4. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Dave ... yes it does coincide with the harvest moon festivals in the West.

[j. d. worthington]

Sounds not onlly delicious, but like a lot of fun to make, as well.... *sigh* oh, for a working oven again!

[the smiling weirwood]

Let me find my recipe for chocolate monkey balls...I know it's around here somewhere...

[Nesacat]

Chocolate monket balls ... oh yes ... now that does sound like fun.

Morpheus and j.d. ... the parcels got posted today and should be there within 10 working days. I', keeping my tail crossed because we have a slew of festive holidays this week and next.

[j. d. worthington]

Thank you, Nesa... I look forward to trying this.

[j. d. worthington]

Just received the Moon Cakes a few minutes ago.... my word, it's rich! I can see why it's difficult to finish off one at a single go! Thank you very, very much, Nesa.... it's quite wonderful stuff!

[nixie]

I struggled to finish a quarter of one.Although they are delicious

[Nesacat]

It's impossible to eat a whole one at a go or even half, though my Editor can eat several at a go. I usually cut mine up into eight pieces and share. Am glad you both liked them.