Because of its Chinese cultural heritage, Taiwan celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday (中秋節 zhōngqiūjié). This holiday falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is either September or October every year. Chinese people believe that on this day, the moon is the roundest and brightest it gets in the whole year. Traditionally, Chinese people gather to celebrate the bounty of the fall harvest and being close to family. They make and light Chinese paper lanterns and eat mooncakes. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an official holiday in Taiwan. Besides following the traditions of gathering and sharing mooncakes, Taiwanese people also enjoy holding outdoor barbecues on the holiday. It’s lots of fun to watch the moon and stars while sharing grilled meat with friends.
This past September, to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, I participated in an activity at my Taiwanese university to make mooncakes myself.
Mooncakes (月餅 yuèbǐng) are a type of sweet dessert that Chinese people around the world enjoy during the Mid-Autumn Festival. They are small, puck-shaped cakes made of a pastry crust wrapped around a dense filling.
