In Chinese people's memory, every Mid-Autumn Festival, our parents would use molds to make mooncakes. Kneading the dough, preparing the filling, shaping the mooncakes, firing up the oven, baking the mooncakes... Although these scenes have gradually faded from life, they still remain fresh in my memory, bringing warmth to the heart. The auspicious culture and human sentiments embodied in cake molds will always exist in our lives, representing the heritage of Chinese culture for thousands of years. With this sentiment in mind, the Zhoukoudian Site Museum presented a nostalgic feast to the general public on March 31, 2023, with the exhibition "Exactly the Same - Exhibition of Cake Molds from Jilin Museum," leading everyone into the world of cake molds.
The exhibition showcases 109 cultural relics in four sections: material and craftsmanship, types and shapes, patterns and designs, functions and uses. It allows visitors to not only understand the history and culture of Chinese cake molds, but also comprehend the profound and extensive elements of Chinese culinary culture, from the primitive era of survival to the mastery of fire, from primitive cave dwellings to clan societies, and from basic sustenance to the changes in culinary culture.
Unlike the image of a single mooncake mold in our impression, molds can be used not only for mooncakes but also for rice cakes, wedding cakes, longevity cakes, and more. Moreover, molds come in various materials, including wood, stone, ceramics, porcelain, metal, and plastic. They come in different shapes such as round, square, and patterned, with single, double, triple, quadruple, and multiple eyes. There are also individual molds, top and bottom molds, flat molds, rolling molds, hollow molds, and double-sided molds. They are adorned with rich and colorful patterns, featuring figures, animals, plants, fruits, utensils, text, and various decorations. In people's daily lives, there are many occasions when molds are used to make cakes. During the Chinese New Year, we make rice cakes, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, we eat mooncakes, for weddings, we use wedding cakes and celebratory pastries. Even for congratulating others, we make special-shaped pastries, and for the elderly's birthday celebrations, we make longevity cakes. Even in daily entertaining, we need to prepare some small pastries. It can be said that cake molds have permeated every aspect of people's lives.
With the development of time, fast-paced life, and the advancement of modern industrial production lines, traditional cake molds and handmade cake-making by ordinary people have gradually faded from people's lives and sight. However, people's expectations for health, safety, longevity, prosperity, fame, nostalgia for ancestors, aspirations for the success of future generations, hopes for well-being and longevity, and the importance placed on passing on the family line are eternal and beautiful aspirations of humanity.
This exhibition is planned to run until June 25, and everyone is welcome to visit.
Translator: ZHAO Huinan
Reviewer: LIU Yu
