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chineserebelleadernamedliufutongdevisedaplantoarousethechinesepeopletoriseupagainsttherulingmongols,toendtheoppressiveyuandynasty.
heobtainedpermissionfromthemongolianleaderstogivegiftstofriendsasasymbolicgesture,tohonorthelongevityofthemongolianemperor.thesegiftswereroundmooncakes.liu'splanwastoplaceapieceofpaperwiththedateoftherevoltinsideeachmooncake,toinformhisfollowerswhentoriseup.thecoupdatewasthefifteenthnightoftheeighthmonth.whenthepeoplecutopenthecakesandfoundthemessage,theysetoutonthatappointeddaytooverthrowthemongols,thusendingtheyuandynasty.
today,farfromexoticandheroicdeeds,chinesecommunitiesallovertheworldmakeandeatmooncakesduringthetraditionalharvestmoonfestivaltohonorthistradition.