Mooncakes are often decorated with Chinese characters. Looking closely and carefully he could see a familiar figure on the moon – his wife looking over him. As he sadly looked up at the night sky defeated and unsure of what to do next, he suddenly noticed that the moon was much brighter than normal. He screamed his wife’s name over and over searching for some sign of her. When Hou Yi learned of his wife’s sacrifice, he was heartbroken. I guess nobody had really outlined the terms and conditions of immortality! What happened next? She is said to have floated higher and higher until she eventually reached the moon where she was now destined to spend eternity. Not convinced that the student had good intentions, she drank the potion herself.Īlmost immediately, Chang’e felt a lightness about herself and she began to float. It was now Chang’e’s turn to be the hero. Hearing that Hou Yi and Chang’e held the key to immortality, Peng Meng stormed their home one day wielding a sword and demanded that the elixir be handed over to him. However, one of his students, Peng Meng, had an ulterior motive. You could say he became somewhat of a celebrity. ![]() Impressed by his archery skills, people had flocked from all over to learn from Hou Yi. Realizing that others may seek to use his gift, not necessarily for good, Hou Yi decided to keep the elixir safe and so he asked Chang’e to guard it. He wanted to be by his wife’s side in this life and the next. However, Hou Yi was an old romantic and didn’t want to live forever. Here the story becomes a bit unclear with many differing accounts of what happened next, but the version I like best goes like this.īy means of a thank you for saving the world, the Queen of Heaven gifted Hou Yi an immortality elixir. ![]() The overload of suns was causing water to dry up and crops to die, and this was destroying the earth and everyone on it.Ī skilled archer, Hou Yi heroically shot down nine of the suns with his bow and arrow in a bid to save humanity. This husband and wife duo lived during a time when there were 10 suns in the sky. The tale of Hou Yi and Chang’e is the most well-known story. While the above origin does make logistical sense, there are also a few legends behind the day. Are there any myths or legends relating to this holiday? In China, locals will often enthusiastically remind you to look at the moon around this time as it’s supposed to be the time when it’s at its biggest and brightest. Families and friends would come together to (hopefully) celebrate a plentiful crop and enjoy the fruits of their labor under the glowing moon. It was a celebration of the autumn full moon and harvest season. The holiday is said to have roots in the Shang Dynasty, which took place around 1600-1046 BC. I’d say this holiday is the second biggest in China after Chinese New Year (which you can read more about here.) How did Mid-Autumn Festival start? This is because it’s a time for family reunions and plenty of food. Often, Mid-Autumn Festival is likened to a Chinese version of America’s Thanksgiving. ![]() Chinese families celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival together.
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