Moon Cake Festival September 12, 2011

The Moon Cake Festival, also known as the Mid Autnm Festiva, is a very important Chinese festival that celebrates the yearly harvest and also one of few important Chinese festivals celebrated in Thailand every year due to Thailand’s high Thai-Chinese population. This year the Moon Cake Festival will be celebrated on September 12th.

The traditional center piece of the Mid Autumn Festival is the Moon Cakes in all their many delicious varieties. Most westerners aren’t familiar with moon cakes; commonly found in Chinese bakeries these sweet cakes are made in the shape of the moon and filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds and duck eggs is served as a traditional Chung Chiu delicacy. Nobody actually knows when the custom of eating moon cake of celebrate the Moon Festival began, but one relief 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 plan and developes a secret moon cake strategy to take a certain walled city held by the Mongol enemy. Liu dressed up as a Taoist priest and entered the besieged city bearing moon cake. 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 his throne. Moon cakes of course, became even more famous.

True or not Moon Cakes have become a staple to the Mid Autumn Festival which is commonly referred to as the Moon Cake Festival. Some of the more popular moon cakes are the ones made with Durian, Lotus Seed paste, Black Sesame or my favorite Green Tea. No matter what your favorite Moon Cake might be or even if you have yet to sample one of these sweet treats it’s a sure bet that the best place to experience the Moon Cake Festival will be in Bangkok’s very own Chinatown.

Yaowarat is one of the oldest areas of Bangkok, originally settled long ago by Chinese traders it has become the center of Chinese tradition amid the bustling Thai city and one of Bangkok’s top attractions. During the important Chinese Festivals of the year, such as the Mid Autumn Festival, Chinatown comes alive with the sound of music, the sweet aroma of freshly cooked moon cakes and the vibrant and colorful dragon dancers winding through the small shop laden streets and alleyways.

If you are in Thailand then the best place to witness this delicious festival will be in Bangkok’s Chinatown but no matter where you are in the world there is a good chance that a Chinese bakery is close at hand, so, if you get a chance stop in and pick up a Moon Cake or two and experience the delicious tradition of the Moon Cake Festival for yourself.

For more information on upcoming Events and Festivals in Thailand please visit the Thailand Events Calender.