My artifacts are two moon cakes I brought all the way from China. One of them was made from red bean paste, my favorite flavor, while the other one was made of lotus seed paste and egg yolk.
As you can see from the picture, a moon cake, an indispensible delicacy for Mid-autumn Festival (or Moon Festival, one of the most important festivals for Chinese), looks just like the full moon. It’s round and full, with Chinese characters meaning family gathering, which is essential in Chinese culture, on it. (See other foods for different traditional Chinese festivals)
After packing all my stuff into the luggage, my mom gave me the moon cakes and said: “Don’t forget to take these. You won’t spend this year’s Mid-autumn Festival with us in China but you still should eat moon cakes. This is the Chinese tradition. Of course you can eat them if you get really hungry at night though.”
See how much Mid-autumn Festival and moon cakes mean to Chinese? My mom didn't forget the festival when it was only mid August. (According to Chinese lunar calendar, Mid-autumn Festival this year was on Sept. 19th, 2013.)
Though I didn’t spend Mid-autumn Festival and eat the moon cakes with my family and parents this year, I felt like we were just watching the moon together when I was eating the moon cakes at night. In other words, the moon cakes didn’t only remind me of my parents but also evoked my life and memories in China.
As you can see from the picture, a moon cake, an indispensible delicacy for Mid-autumn Festival (or Moon Festival, one of the most important festivals for Chinese), looks just like the full moon. It’s round and full, with Chinese characters meaning family gathering, which is essential in Chinese culture, on it. (See other foods for different traditional Chinese festivals)
After packing all my stuff into the luggage, my mom gave me the moon cakes and said: “Don’t forget to take these. You won’t spend this year’s Mid-autumn Festival with us in China but you still should eat moon cakes. This is the Chinese tradition. Of course you can eat them if you get really hungry at night though.”
See how much Mid-autumn Festival and moon cakes mean to Chinese? My mom didn't forget the festival when it was only mid August. (According to Chinese lunar calendar, Mid-autumn Festival this year was on Sept. 19th, 2013.)
Though I didn’t spend Mid-autumn Festival and eat the moon cakes with my family and parents this year, I felt like we were just watching the moon together when I was eating the moon cakes at night. In other words, the moon cakes didn’t only remind me of my parents but also evoked my life and memories in China.