The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four traditional Chinese festivals, and many places have their own unique customs. What is the origin of the "Bo Bing" (rolling cakes) tradition in the Minnan region during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and what are the rules for playing it? To learn more about the Mid-Autumn Festival, come to Huayi Network and take a look together.

The Origin of "Bo Bing" in the Minnan Region During the Mid-Autumn Festival

"Bo Bing" originated in Tong'an County, Fujian Province (now part of Xiamen, Fujian), and was invented by the national hero Zheng Chenggong during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.
In the 1660s, Zheng Chenggong occupied Gulangyu Island in Xiamen to resist the Qing dynasty. His soldiers mainly came from Fujian and Guangdong, and they became increasingly homesick around the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival. In order to ease the soldiers' sadness, boost morale, and drive out the Dutch East India Company colonists and capture Taiwan, Zheng Chenggong and his subordinates at the Ministry of War designed a special Mid-Autumn cake competition. This allowed all the soldiers to enjoy themselves on the cool night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Each set of mooncakes was divided into different ranks based on the imperial examination system, with one "Zhuangyuan" (top scholar), two "Dui Tang" (second place, also known as the "Bangyan"), four "San Hong" (third place, also known as the "Tanjia"), eight "Si Jin" (jinshi, or degree holders), sixteen "Er Ju" (ju ren, or candidates), and thirty-two "Yi Xiu" (xiucai, or scholars). There were a total of 63 pieces of cakes, which corresponded to the number 63, a lucky number. Since 99 is considered the number of the emperor, and 72 is the number of a prince, Zheng Chenggong was once granted the title of "Yanping Marquis," so he used the number 63, which represents the marquis.

What Are the Rules of "Bo Bing" in the Minnan Region During the Mid-Autumn Festival?

First, one person (usually the oldest or most senior person at the table) takes two dice and rolls them. The number rolled determines the starting point. Starting from the person who rolled the dice, count clockwise to the nth person, who will be the first player to start "Bo Bing."
Then, moving clockwise, each person throws all six dice into a bowl (emphasizing again, it must be a porcelain bowl to allow the dice to bounce more, increasing the fun and atmosphere). Everyone takes turns throwing the dice, and the number of points determines the cakes they get. If the dice fall out of the bowl, this round is invalid, and the next round continues (traditionally, the next round cannot participate, and a round is skipped).
Scoring Rules for "Bo Bing" (from lowest to highest):
One Xiu: One four, totaling 32.
Two Ju: Two fours, totaling 16.
Four Jin: Four same numbers (excluding fours), totaling 8.
Three Hong: Three fours, totaling 4.
Dui Tang: Six different numbers arranged in order from one to six, totaling 2.
Zhuangyuan: Normally four fours, and then compare the sum of the other two numbers.
Five Same: Five same numbers, where five fours are the highest.
Six Same: All six numbers are the same, where six fours are the highest.
Zhuangyuan with Golden Flowers: Four fours plus two ones.