Chongyang cake facts for kids
| Type | Cake |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | China |
| Main ingredients | Rice flour, pulse flour, jujube, chestnuts, almonds |
Chongyang cake (Chinese: 重陽糕; pinyin: Chóngyáng gāo) is a special cake eaten during the Chongyang Festival. This traditional treat is made from a mix of rice flour and sugar. It is baked and steamed, then decorated with tasty ingredients like jujubes, chestnuts, and almonds. In Chinese, the word for "cake" (糕) sounds like the word for "height" (高). Because of this, people think eating Chongyang cake brings good luck and helps them reach new "heights" in life!
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The Story of Chongyang Cake
Chongyang cake first became popular during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). By the time of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), these cakes were famous in big cities like Kaifeng (then called Bianjing) and Hangzhou. Even today, this sweet cake is loved all over China. Eating Chongyang cake helps people remember and honor family and friends who have passed away. It also reminds everyone how important family relationships are.
Legends About Chongyang Cake
There are two main stories about how Chongyang cake began.
The Emperor's Gift
One story says that before Liu Yu became an emperor, he was in a place called Pengcheng during the Chongyang Festival. When he became emperor, he made a rule. Every year on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, people could ride horses, practice shooting, and review their troops. Chongyang cakes were given to the soldiers as a special treat.
Kang Hai's Good Luck Cake
Another story is about a smart student named Kang Hai. He was a top scholar (called a Zhuangyuan) during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). Kang Hai was taking important exams in August. He got sick and had to stay in a city called Chang'an. A reporter went to his hometown to share the good news that he had passed his exams! But Kang Hai was not there.
When Kang Hai finally returned home, it was the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the day of the Chongyang Festival. To thank the reporter for waiting, Kang Hai gave him money and some cakes to celebrate his success. Because these cakes were used to celebrate good news, families with children taking school exams started giving out cakes. They shared them with their children and neighbors as a symbol of good luck. This is how the custom of eating Chongyang cakes spread far and wide.
