Mid-Autumn Festival is an important custom in our tradition. Around that time, the hot summer gradually fades out giving way to cooler days and cloudless, clear sky. The moon, in particular, is brighter than ever. It's the ideal time for gatherings and moon watching.

According to historical records, long before the arrival of Mid-Autumn Festival, people would be busily preparing for the occasion. A festive mood prevailed all over the place. The shops and wine cellars would decorate their premises and stock up with new products and wines for their customers. The stalls would be filled with seasonal fruits such as pears, peaches, pomegranates, grapes and etc. In the evening, people would go merrily to the restaurants and indulge in wine and food as they watched the moon. There would be musicians performing on the side as part of the celebration. Even the commoners would prepare a big meal that included festive dishes of chicken, fish, prawns and crabs for the family gatherings to celebrate the occasion.

As for Mid-Autumn moon cakes, they can be broadly categorised according to their places of origin, namely Beijing style, Chaozhou style, Guangdong style, and Suzhou style:

Beijing moon cakes are mostly made with vegetable oil and vegetable stuffing and their wrappings are comparatively firmer.

Chaozhou moon cakes are usually stuffed with sugared winter melon.

Guangdong moon cakes are very sugary but less oily. Their wrappings are thin and have different kinds of stuffing and make ideal gifts.

Suzhou moon cakes usually have light, flaky pastry wrappings and are oily and very sweet.

The traditional Taiwan moon cakes are made of yam. They are sweet and not oily, light and soft.