Learning Mandarin making moon cakes (behind the scenes)

International Students Make Mooncakes and Experience Culture – The Fragrant Smell Prompting Burst of Mandarin Expressions: “The mooncakes smell so good!”

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the Mandarin Language Center at Hungkuang University of Technology organized a “Learn Mandarin, Make Mooncakes” event. Students were taught to make Taiwan’s popular egg yolk pastry and pineapple cake, attracting a total of 23 students from Lithuania, Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. As the fragrant aroma of the mooncakes wafted from the oven, many of the foreign students couldn’t help but blurt out in Mandarin, “The mooncakes smell so good!”

The activity began with a one-hour Mandarin lesson led by teacher Zhang Yaqian. The foreign students learned about the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the legends of Chang’e’s journey to the moon and Wu Gang chopping the laurel tree. The director of the Mandarin Language Center, Qiu Meizhen, noted that through such lessons, students can learn Mandarin effortlessly from everyday festive activities and intriguing stories. This not only enhances their Mandarin proficiency but also deepens their understanding of the language’s cultural significance.

The students then headed to the hospitality management department’s professional kitchen to make mooncakes. Under the guidance of Xu Peiqi, a teacher from the Food Technology department, they learned how to make egg yolk pastries and pineapple cakes. The teacher meticulously explained the ingredients and process for making these two types of pastries. Students were curious about every step, happily following the teacher’s lead in making mooncakes.

The highlight was placing the mooncakes into the oven for baking. As the egg yolk pastries and pineapple cakes neared completion, their delightful aroma filled the room, prompting another burst of Mandarin from the foreign students. Exclamations of “This is the first time I’ve made mooncakes!” and “The mooncakes smell so good!” filled the room amidst laughter.

Foreign students from Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia mentioned that they also celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in their home countries. In Japan, people admire the moon while eating mochi; in Vietnam and other East Asian countries, the festival is a time for family reunions. Elders enjoy tea and moon-gazing while children gather for fun and feasting. Participating in this activity allowed them to genuinely experience the Taiwanese version of the Mid-Autumn Festival, making it an unforgettable memory.