The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, dates back to the moon-viewing tradition in the Tang Dynasty (618–907) and saw its heyday during the Song Dynasty (960–1279) when people celebrated it in a grand, atmospheric manner with unhinged passion. Special and lavish celebrations could be found all over the country, and a lot of beautiful, moving stories were created. Mooncakes, a symbol of the festival, originally were offerings to the Moon Goddess in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Other special snacks for the festival are rich in variety and have varied over times. Countries such as the ROK, DPRK, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia also have a long history of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. Celebration events in some of these countries are lively and exotic.