Ready for a cultural deep dive? 🌕🥮 Earlier this month, a group of over 30 young people from more than 20 countries gathered at a museum in Beijing’s Chaoyang District in the Chinese mainland to unlock the secrets of mooncake-making and Mid-Autumn Festival lore. With museum staff as their guides, they traveled back in time—no DeLorean needed!—to the Han Dynasty, some 2,000 years ago, and the Tang Dynasty, over 1,000 years ago, tracing the evolution of traditional pastry molds.
Walking through halls filled with intricately carved molds, the crew was awed by ancient artisans’ skill and the lucky patterns stamped on each cake. From floral motifs to mythical beasts, every design told a story of hope, family reunions and good fortune. It was like binge-watching a historical drama, but you could actually touch the artifacts! 😍
The event, hosted by the district’s publicity and culture center, brought together international students living in the Chinese mainland and young culture enthusiasts eager to connect with Asian traditions. After exploring the artifact collection, participants joined a hands-on session on Mid-Autumn folk customs, learning about lantern riddles, moon worship and sharing stories under the full moon.
By the end of the day, everyone left with fuller minds—and bellies—with the sweet taste of mooncakes lingering on their lips. This cross-cultural celebration proved that, no matter where you’re from, nothing brings people together like good food and shared traditions! 🎉
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Youth group dives into mooncake-making and Mid-Autumn Festival culture
cgtn.com
