Luscious, smooth fillings. Lotus seed and red bean paste. And the sweet, delicate crunch of chocolate Oreos. Dense with flavorful filling and wrapped in decorative designs, mooncakes are the signature dessert of China’s Moon Festival.

September 24th was the date of the second biggest festival celebrated in China, called the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival.  It’s celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the traditional lunar calendar. Chinese families celebrate by gathering for a dinner, with bright lanterns everywhere, staring at the bright, full moon while eating mooncakes. Mooncakes are the main traditional desserts eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are various kinds of mooncakes, from pork and nut fillings to glutinous rice flour pastry covers. They are typically eaten with tea and it takes several bites to finish them.

The high school students of the Chinese Honors Society took a step to celebrate this meaningful festival in the AA buttery. They presented various kinds of mooncakes, including ones with Oreo fillings for a familiar taste, and students came to give it a taste and acknowledge the special holiday. Morgan Ford, a 9th grader who attended this event, said, “It was a meaningful and great experience, because I got to taste the traditional mooncake for the first time and got to know about the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in China.”

The Mid-Autumn festival, originated from the Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BC) with the tradition of moon worship, and continues to be celebrated in China every year even to this day.