Per tradition, Chinese and even some Chinese-Filipinos in the Philippines celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth lunisolar month in the Chinese calendar. This year, the date landed on September 19. The moon is believed to be at its brightest and fullest, and so we gather to feast on the moon festival.
In celebration of the mid-autumn festival, we attended an event hosted by our Cantonese family association (旅菲南海九江同鄉會) at lunchtime in Mandarin Sky and another one by Everbest with family at dinnertime in RoyalView Seafood Restaurant last Sunday.
The irony was that mooncake (the heart of the festival) was not served, yet we were more than satisfied with large servings and scrumptious portions of Chinese food and cash prizes won from the dice game. In the end, everybody went home happy and thankful for another year of harvests and sweet yields.
FOOD
Food from both restaurants showcased avant-garde tasting set menus that led on a wild romp into molecular gastronomy by way of 10 courses:
Mandarin Sky Seafood and Shabu Shabu Restaurant (Banawe, Quezon City)
1. Wintermelon with Assorted Meat Soup (Large, PHp 410); 2. Steamed Shrimps (Suahe); 3. Deep Fried Oyster with X.O. Sauce (PHp 500); 4. Yang Chow Fried Rice (PHp 420); 5. Fish; 6. Braised Efu Noodles (Large, PHp 400); 7. Sea Clam with Eggwhites (Large, PHp 560); 8. Peppercorn Spare Ribs (Large, PHp 560); 9. Sesame Balls; 10. Red Bean Dessert Soup (Tong Shui)
RoyalView Seafood Restaurant (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)
1. Assorted Cold Cuts Combination; 2. Seafood w/ Spinach Soup; 3. Steamed Shrimps; 4. Braised Abalone Mushroom w/ Vegetable; 5. Noodles; 6. HK Style Fried Pork Leg; 7. Steam Crabs; 8. Golden Crispy Chicken; 9. Steamed Lapu-Lapu; 10. Mango Sago
How to Play the Dice Game – Mooncake Festival
The objective of the Mooncake Dice Game (Pua Tiong Chiu) is to get as much prizes by throwing the dice and getting the winning number combinations. To prepare, you need six pieces of dice, a wide-mouthed bowl and prizes in any form (can be in cash, gift certificates, mooncake, or kind such as school or office supplies, candies and snacks, appliances, gadgets, furniture, car—basically, sky is the limit).
Prizes:
Each player has a chance to win a piece of each prize per round or until prizes for a place run out. Prizes vary from 1st place to 6th place winners, by count:
1st place prize: 1 piece
2nd place prizes: 2 pieces
3rd place prizes: 4 pieces
4th places prizes: 8 pieces
5th place prizes: 16 pieces
6th place prizes: 32 pieces
[box type=”info”] Example: (Cash) 1st place prize: 1 X PHp 1000 2nd place prizes: 2 X PHp 500 3rd place prizes: 4 X PHp 200 4th place prizes: 8 X PHp 100 5th place prizes: 16 X PHp 50 6th place prizes: 32 X PHp 20[/box]
Rules of the Dice Game:
1. Gather the players and decide the order in a table. You can write the numbers on paper and ask the players to draw one. Arrange them by their numbers.
2. Explain the dynamics of the game to get everyone on the same page and make way for clarifications.
3. The first player throws all 6 dice into the bowl.
4. Take note of the numbers face-up on the dice, as certain combination of numbers on the dice entitles the player to a prize.
5. Pass the bowl to the next player and repeat step 4 until all prizes are taken.
Special Rules:
1. If any of the dice fall outside the bowl, the player loses his/her turn for that round.
2. If all the prizes for a given dice number combinations have run out, then future appearances of that configuration win no further prizes.
3. “Ultimate throw” – The best combination is composed of either 6 fours, or 6 ones. If you get this combination, you win ALL prizes, even those already won. Some families just give the 1st prize to ensure everybody gets to take home a prize.
Winning Dice Number Combinations:
1st place (状元):
Winning Hierarchy: (1 being the highest and 5 being the lowest)
1. Six 4s (i.e. 4–4–4–4–4–4)
2. Six of a kind except 4s (e.g. 3-3-3-3-3-3)
3. Five 4s + any number (e.g. 4–4–4–4-3-1)
4. Five of a kind except 4s + any number (e.g. 5-5-5-5-5-1)
5. Four 4s + any 2 numbers (e.g. 4–4–4–4-6-1)
[box type=”info”] Note: When there’s a tie, for instance, check the “any number” (in #3 and #4 above) or add the “any 2 numbers” in #5. Whoever has the greater sum wins.[/box]
2nd place (榜眼 / 探花):
Straight 1 to 6 (i.e. 1-2-3-4-5-6) or Two Trios except 4 (e.g. 1–1–1-3-3-3, 5-5-5-2-2-2)
3rd place (进士):
Four of a Kind except 4s (e.g. 3-3-3-3-2-1)
4th place (会元):
Three 4s + any 3 numbers (e.g. 4–4–4-3-2-1)
5th place (举人):
Two 4s + any four numbers (e.g. 4–4-5-3-1-6)
6th place (秀才):
One 4 + any five numbers (e.g. 4-2-5-6-6-3)
Leave a Reply to Justin Cancel reply