[InKunming--Kunming] On August 31, a group of foreign friends participated in A Bite of Yunnan Moon Cake event under the framework of Unveiling Yunnan, making moon cakes to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival. They are Richard from Canada, Charles from Nepal, Zaw Win Aung, Ting Zung, and Ar Mi from Myanmar.

Traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn festival falls on September 13 this year according to Chinese lunar calendar. To let more foreign friends who came to China and wish to experience Chinese culture learn more about China, InKunming organized a series of events under the framework of Unveiling Yunnan.

In the afternoon of August 31, Richard, Charles, Zaw Win Aung, Ting Zung, and Ar Mi together learned  the way of making Yunnanese moon-cakes with Chinese workers at Fancy Flowers factory. 

Make moon-cakes by hand together

Under the Chinese workers’ instructions, the five foreigners made Yunnan ham moon cakes, ham and yolk moon cakes and flower cakes by hand in succession. After the manual work was done, they put all of the raw moon cakes into ovens, and also learned ways to package the moon cakes.

“Before I thought it was easy to make moon cakes. After I tried with the Chinese workers today, I finally understand that the making process of the moon-cakes is not very easy. ” Ting Zung, the guy from Myanmar expressed. 

The other 4 foreign friends also agreed with the idea Ting Zung had pointed out. They said that processes for Chinese people to make moon cakes are very complicated and requirements for food hygiene and environment is increasingly high.

When all the moon-cakes were well baked in the oven, they were served to all of the foreign friends. “I like the taste of the freshly baked moon cakes”, Ar Mi said. “The taste of the rose flower cakes is the best I have ever tried in Kunming,” Richard also added.

All of the foreign friends thought that the freshly baked moon cakes had better tastes than those put on shelves and sold in cake shops. “The moon-cakes freshly tasted pretty better,” said Charles. 

Learn Chinese poem that refers to Mid-Autumn festival

Besides making moon-cakes together, foreign friends also learned a piece of Chinese poem that refers to Mid-Autumn festival. The poem described that the moon in the sky changed every day. Sometimes, it appears like a hook that lacks the power of completeness, and in other times, it appears like a cake showing its full state, and representing perfectness.

After appreciating the poem, which was written by Chinese famous poet Su Shi born in Song Dynasty, foreign friends shared their thoughts on the poem’s context. TING ZUNG pointed out that people’s lives are similar to the moon’s changes. In some period they may feel regretful about something happened in their lives, and feel satisfied in other periods. Every person’s life varied in their whole life like the moon changed all the time.

To the foreign friends’ surprise is that they also got the opportunity to try foods or products that were all made of or by rose flowers. Rose juice, rose jam, rose mist spray were served to them for a try on the day. They wish to bring deep impression of the city to the foreign friends and let them to know more about Kunming, the city renown for its flowers in the world. 

Share thoughts on Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival

Richard said that it made him feel that it seems like he stayed at home with family members, warm and happy. “Thanks for InKunming’s organization,” Richard remarked. 

Charles also expressed his feelings about the event. He said: “Due to the event, I could experience Chinese culture deeply and know more about Chinese people, Chinese company, and Chinese festival.” 

The other foreign friends from Myanmar told InKunming reporter that they finally found a platform that could give them the opportunity to understand the essence of traditional Chinese festival. In Myanmar, although there are some overseas Chinese to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival, the ways changed a little because of inter-generational transition and Myanmarese culture shock. “Thank you all”, said Zaw Win Aung, Ting Zung, and Ar Mi. 

A Bite of Yunnan Moon Cake event finished in the cheers and laughter. All foreign friends brought moon-cakes made by themselves and rose products back to their homes separately for the Fancy flowers’ bosses’ support to the event. 

Click here to view Chinese report.

(Editors: Cathy Chen, Rachel)