The American Club Magazine - Fall 2021

FEATURE

Origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival Legend has it that the Mid-Autumn Festival or iginated over 2,000 year s ago when Chang-E stole and drank her tyrannical husband’s el ixir of l ife in a bid to save her people from an eternal reign of terror and as a result ascended to the moon where she became known as the Moon Goddess. Left al l alone on Ear th, her husband would prepare a feast each year when the moon was at its br ightest, just to catch a gl impse of his wife, Chang-E. This soon turned into a tradition of offer ing wor ship to the Moon Goddess. Today, the moon-wor shipping r itual has faded and the celebration is a time for fami l ies to get together to enjoy a hear ty meal , indulge in mooncakes and sip on tea whi le the kids often play with lanterns. Mooncake Mania Without a doubt, mooncakes are the hal lmark of the Mid-Autumn Festival . Legend has it that mooncakes were created to carr y secret messages from the Han Chinese in a bid to organize a rebel l ion to help free Yuan China from their Mongol ian ruler s. The successful rebel l ion took place dur ing the Mid-Autumn Festival hence the significance of consuming mooncakes dur ing the festival . These round pastr ies are traditional ly fi l led with lotus-seed or bean paste and salted egg yolk. Today, you can find many innovative renditions of mooncakes ranging from snowskin mooncakes to those with unor thodox flavor s such as black truffle, mi lk tea and dur ian. You must be thinking, “Where can I get mooncakes?” The Club’s got you covered. Those who have a penchant for classic mooncakes but are embarking on a healthier diet wi l l enjoy The Club’s traditional White Lotus Paste with Melon Seed/Single Yolk/Double Yolk mooncakes that are baked with reduced sugar. Despite being low in sugar, these mooncakes do not compr ise on taste, meaning that you can indulge in them gui lt-free. For the adventurous folks, why not tr y our unique Green Tea Paste with Melon Seed or Yuzu Paste with Melon Seed mooncakes.

Lit with Lanterns Lanterns are ver y much a big par t of the Mid-Autumn Festival . Dur ing the weeks leading up to the festival , you’ l l see the streets along Chinatown being l it up with hundreds of lanterns and sculptures with a centerpiece featured at the inter section of Eu Tong Sen Street and Upper Cross Street that typical ly depicts fami ly reunion. Though we are sti l l in the face of a global pandemic , you can sti l l look forward to going on lantern walks with your l ittle ones whi le soaking in the festive atmosphere at these gardens/parks (remember to practice safe social distancing!): Bukit Batok Town Park Better known as Little Gui l in, Bukit Batok Town Park is reminiscent to that of Gui l in in China – a granite rock sitting within a lake. The tower ing rock cl iffs acts as a majestic backdrop to the large lake and is landscaped in a way that al lows you to walk along the banks of the lake. Jurong Lake Gardens Jurong Lake Gardens is a picturesque garden compr ising of four smal ler gardens – Lakeside Garden, Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden and Garden Promenade. Be transpor ted to ancient China when you step into the Chinese Garden. The space is model led after Chinese architectural styles that dates back to the 5th Centur y, complete with a ser ies of stone br idges, pagodas and a tea house. Gardens by the Bay It is no doubt that Gardens by the Bay wi l l be beautiful ly l it up dur ing the Mid-Autumn Festival . The theme of its annual Mid-Autumn Festival lantern l ight-up is typical ly inspired by ancient Chinese fables, kingdoms and poems. As the moon on Mid-Autumn Day shines bigger and br ighter than usual , symbol izing fami ly reunion, why not take this time to get together with your loved ones for a simple home-cooked meal and revel in the beauty of the moon. Here’s wishing you and your fami ly a Happy Mid- Autumn Festival .

22 THE AMERICAN CLUB SINGAPORE