The Mid-Autumn Festival originated from the worship of celestial phenomena and is one of the four traditional festivals in China. What is "dipping yam" during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Jiangnan? What do people eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival in the south? Want to learn more about the Mid-Autumn Festival, come to Huayi Network and take a look.

Jiangnan Mid-Autumn Festival Dipping Yam

In the Jiangnan region, people eat dipping yam during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
In the countryside of the Jiangnan region, people use osmanthus sugar to dip yam. During the Mid-Autumn Festival period, it's the time when osmanthus flowers are in full bloom, so osmanthus sugar is made by boiling osmanthus flowers and white sugar.
To make dipped yam, usually the yam is cooked until soft, then placed into a pot with osmanthus sugar sauce. However, the yam is only coated with a thin layer of syrup, and the syrup layer should not be too thick, otherwise it would be too greasy to eat. The finished dipped yam has a fragrant aroma, is soft and sweet, and is a very common dessert on the Mid-Autumn festival table in Jiangnan.
In addition, osmanthus sugar can also be used to dip lotus seeds or roasted chestnuts, not only sweet in taste but also with a strong fragrance. People in Jiangnan often enjoy these desserts while admiring the moon, enjoying family reunions and a happy atmosphere.

What Do People Eat During the Mid-Autumn Festival in the South?

1. Snail
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, snails are at their most delicious and flavorful, and their shape is also relatively round, so stir-fried snails are often seen on the southern dinner tables during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
2. Rice Cake (Cizhi)
Eating rice cake during the Mid-Autumn Festival is a tradition that dates back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It symbolizes good fortune and happiness, and its shape is also round, making it a popular dessert on the Mid-Autumn Festival table.
3. Mooncake
Whether in the south or north, people have the custom of eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. However, the flavors of mooncakes vary by region. Southern mooncakes are typically sweeter and smaller in size, so it's not advisable to eat too much at once, as they may become腻 (greasy). They are delicate pastries suitable for pairing with tea.
4. Osmanthus Wine
Osmanthus wine is also a specialty of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Since the Mid-Autumn Festival falls in the middle of the eighth lunar month, and the eighth lunar month is the time when osmanthus flowers bloom, the eighth lunar month is also known as "Osmanthus Month." Therefore, both in the south and north, there is a custom of drinking osmanthus wine during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
5. Lotus Root Pockets
In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, many families fry lotus root pockets during the Mid-Autumn Festival. During the eighth lunar month, which is the season for harvesting lotus roots, they are fresh and sweet. When filled with meat and fried, they become even more delicious. Moreover, lotus root pockets are round in shape, making them very suitable for eating during the Mid-Autumn Festival.