2026-09-13 Families Make Snow Skin Mooncakes: Mid-Autumn Culture Takes Root in Miami

On September 13th, in celebration of the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, the Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) Miami Chapter hosted a "Snow Skin Mooncake Making" event at the Fo Guang Shan Miami Temple. Over 10 members, devotees, and children joyfully participated. Under the guidance of Sister Zhang Kexin, they completed elegantly colored and beautifully shaped snow skin mooncakes by hand—from making the dough and preparing the fillings to pressing them into molds. The event not only allowed everyone to experience the fun of making festive Mid-Autumn delicacies, but also helped them learn about traditional Chinese festival culture through hands-on practice.

To ensure participants fully experienced the mooncake-making process, Zhang Kexin meticulously prepared various ingredients in advance. She provided step-by-step explanations and demonstrations covering the proportions and preparation of the snow skin, types of fillings, portion control, color coordination, and the use of molds. Everyone worked together, pairing different colored doughs with various fillings and pressing them into shape using patterned molds. From weighing, kneading, and stuffing to molding, every step required patience and care. Members exchanged techniques and learned from one another, striving for thin crusts and generous fillings, blending their creativity and heartfelt intentions into each mooncake.

The most special aspect of the event was the shared experience among participants of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Under adult supervision, children completed their creations step-by-step—from kneading the dough and wrapping the fillings to choosing their favorite molds—showing an immense sense of accomplishment when their mooncakes successfully popped out of the molds. Hispanic devotees also participated enthusiastically, learning about the cultural significance of mooncakes and the Mid-Autumn Festival through practical experience. People of different ethnicities and generations gathered together through culture, using the Mid-Autumn Festival as a medium to bridge the gap between one another through communication and cooperation, naturally integrating Chinese culture into the life experiences of diverse communities.

Zhang Kexin expressed that she was delighted to have the opportunity to lead everyone in making snow skin mooncakes. She hoped that through this simple and fun activity, more people could not only taste mooncakes but also learn about Mid-Autumn culture through the hands-on process. Seeing adults, children, and friends of different ethnicities working together, sharing, and learning from each other made the event all the more meaningful.

Xing Dongmei, President of the BLIA Fort Lauderdale Subchapter, who assisted with the event, said it was especially gratifying to see children actively participating and learning earnestly. Cultural transmission must begin in daily life; through firsthand experience, children are introduced to and learn about traditional Chinese festivals from a young age. This plants the seeds of culture in their young minds so that they can continue to take root and grow in the future.

A single, small mooncake embodies not only the heartfelt intentions of handmade craft but also connects families, members, and diverse ethnic groups. Through highly accessible cultural activities, the Miami Chapter brings the Mid-Autumn Festival from a traditional holiday directly into the local community. By "learning by doing, and finding joy in learning," they put the everyday application of Humanistic Buddhism into practice, allowing Chinese culture to continue being passed down and shared in the multicultural environment of South Florida.