Mid-Autumn Festival brings nostalgia back to mooncakes

As the Mid‑Autumn Festival approaches, a flood of innovative new‑style mooncakes has hit the market. Yet many consumers are turning their attention back to traditional versions.

Gone are the extravagantly packaged gift boxes. Simple bundles wrapped in kraft paper and tied with twine have returned. Free from inflated packaging costs, these treats carry a warm, down‑to‑earth charm. Many time‑honored bakeries are sticking to handmade techniques, rejecting gimmicky flavors, and preserving classic fillings such as wuren (nuts or kernels, including walnuts, almonds and sesame seeds), black sesame and jujube paste. Generous ingredients deliver rich, mellow textures without cloying sweetness.

Compared with flashy mooncakes, these simple, nostalgic flavors resonate with those longing for the past.