A Chinese rebel leader named Liu Fu Tong devised a plan to arouse the Chinese people to rise up against the ruling Mongols, to end the oppressive Yuan dynasty.
He obtained permission from the Mongolian leaders to give gifts to friends as a symbolic gesture, to honor the longevity of the Mongolian Emperor. These gifts were round mooncakes. 
Liu's plan was to place a piece of paper with the date of the revolt inside each mooncake, to inform his followers when to rise up. The coup date was the fifteenth night of the eighth month.
When the people cut open the cakes and found the message, they set out on that appointed day to overthrow the Mongols, thus ending the Yuan dynasty.
Today, far from exotic and heroic deeds, Chinese communities all over the world make and eat mooncakes during the traditional Harvest Moon Festival to honor this tradition.
相关单词：symbolic
symbolic解释：adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的
symbolic例句：
It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。
相关单词：longevity
longevity解释：n.长命；长寿
longevity例句：
Good habits promote longevity.良好的习惯能增长寿命。
Human longevity runs in families.人类的长寿具有家族遗传性。
相关单词：followers
followers解释：追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件
followers例句：
the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。
相关单词：coup
coup解释：n.政变；突然而成功的行动
coup例句：
The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。
相关单词：overthrow
overthrow解释：v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆
overthrow例句：
After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。
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