Why do we give hairy crabs as gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival? The meaning of giving crabs as gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival

Since the ancient times of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there has been a habit of eating crabs. It is a leisurely and pleasant humanistic enjoyment. A group of friends will gather together to eat. "Shishuo Xinyu. Rendan" records a similar "dinner party" activity of eating crabs, and there is a similar description in "Dream of Red Mansions". It can be seen that eating crabs is an ancient practice and an elegant enjoyment. It is not surprising that it continues to this day. It is easy for everyone to understand why modern people often like to eat hairy crabs during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Let's take a look at the meaning of sending hairy crabs in ancient times and modern times.

Contents of this article

1. The meaning of sending hairy crabs during the Mid-Autumn Festival

2. The meaning of sending crabs during the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times

3. Why do we give hairy crabs as gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival?

4. The rules of eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival

The meaning of sending hairy crabs during the Mid-Autumn Festival

First, it means money coming from all directions. The two claws of the hairy crab are extremely powerful. Once they clamp an object, they will hold it tightly and refuse to let go. In the eyes of the ancients, it means guarding money; the eight legs of the hairy crab also mean that money will come from all directions.

Second, it means to dominate the world. In ancient times, when friends and relatives were going on a long journey, they would have to prepare a banquet, and hairy crabs were one of the must-have dishes at the banquet. Because hairy crabs crawl sideways, people used this to wish their friends to dominate the world after they left. After continuous evolution, more beautiful wishes were generated, such as blessing for smooth business and career.

Third, it means success in the imperial examinations. As we all know, the growth characteristics of hairy crabs and reeds are similar in some aspects, that is, they live in places with low water levels, so the ancients would directly link the two together. The ancients often referred to hairy crabs as "甲", such as an auspicious pattern in ancient times called "二甲传胪", "甲" means "hairy crab", and "胪" and "芦" are homophones, so it was given the good blessing of success in the imperial examinations.

The meaning of sending crabs during the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times

According to ancient sayings, eating crabs has been a habit since the Wei and Jin Dynasties. It is a leisurely and pleasant cultural enjoyment. A group of friends will gather together to eat. "Shishuo Xinyu. Ren Dan" records a "dinner party" similar to eating crabs. There is also a similar description in "Dream of Red Mansions". It can be seen that eating crabs is an ancient practice and an elegant enjoyment. It is not surprising that it continues to this day.

From a modern perspective, crabs have the habit of walking sideways, which has the beautiful connotation of "windfall" and "dominant in the world"; and "crab" has the same pronunciation as "thank you", so sending "crabs" can imply "sending a thank you gift". Nowadays, gifts are more subtle, so sending crabs can not only satisfy your appetite, but also express your inner gratitude, killing two birds with one stone.

Why do we give hairy crabs as gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival?

The reason why hairy crabs are given as gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival is that the hairy crabs are at their best when they have more roe and more roe.

Because hairy crabs are delicious, everyone likes to eat them, and generally few people will refuse them. Most people will refuse other gifts, so they are a good gift for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Another reason is that everyone likes to eat fresh food, and hairy crabs are fresh food that cannot be kept overnight.

Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs are a good choice for Mid-Autumn Festival gifts. Nowadays, Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs are still a relatively high-end gift. In addition, the meaning is also very good.

The Etiquette of Eating Mooncakes During the Mid-Autumn Festival

Eat fresh mooncakes instead of stale ones. Mooncakes contain a lot of fat and are prone to spoilage if stored for too long. Fresh mooncakes are round and full, look good, have a strong umami flavor, and are delicious. Stale mooncakes have oxidized and rancid fats, losing their original flavor and even producing an unpleasant "rancid" smell. It is best to buy and eat them right away.

Eat less, not more. Mooncakes contain a lot of oil and sucrose. Excessive consumption will produce a greasy feeling, which can easily cause stomach fullness and bloating, causing indigestion, loss of appetite, and increased blood sugar. The elderly and children should not eat too much, otherwise it will cause abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting.

It is better to eat moon cakes early rather than late. It is best to eat moon cakes in the morning or at noon, and eat less or no moon cakes at night, especially for the elderly, otherwise, it may become a factor in blood coagulation and thrombosis.

Eat salty first, then sweet. Mooncakes generally come in two flavors: salty and sweet. If you eat salty and sweet mooncakes together, you should eat the salty first, then the sweet, so that you can taste the flavors of both mooncakes. If you have three types of mooncakes: sweet, salty, and fresh, you should eat the fresh first, then the salty and sweet. If you have four types of mooncakes: sweet, salty, fresh, and spicy, you should eat the fresh first, then the salty, then the sweet, and finally the spicy.

Drink tea while eating mooncakes. Drinking tea while eating mooncakes can quench thirst, relieve greasiness, and aid digestion; it can also be refreshing and add flavor to the meal. People who like to drink can eat mooncakes with wine instead of tea, which will make them more interesting.

When eating mooncakes, you can cut the mooncakes into several small pieces so that the fillings are evenly distributed, and then chew them slowly. This way, you can taste the deliciousness of the mooncakes and it also helps digestion. Don't eat too fast or swallow them whole.