Happy Moon Festival

The Moon Festival is a celebration of great importance, ranking second only to the Chinese New Year among the Chinese festivals. It falls on the 15th night of the 8th lunar month each year (around September or October). For this reason, the Chinese people refer to this festival as “Zhong Qiu” (中秋), which translates to the mid-autumn season. One intriguing legend about the origin of the Moon Festival is the legend of Chang’E (嫦娥), the goddess who ascended to the moon. It is said that in ancient times, our world had up to 10 suns, posing great danger to humanity. The Earth was scorching, rivers and oceans dried up, leaving people with no shelter. Later, a hero named “Hou Yi” (后羿) emerged, skilled in archery to the extent that he could shoot down nine suns with just one arrow, leaving only one sun remaining which remains till today. Upon successfully relieving the people of their suffering, Hou Yi was hailed as a king. However, he became corrupted, indulging in revelry and tyranny, causing anger and resentment among the people. Upon realizing the intense animosity the populace held towards hum, Hou Yi set forth on a journey to the majestic Khun Lun mountain (崑崙山), seeking the Elixir of Immortality from the Goddess Wangmu (also known as the Queen Mother of the West 西王母娘娘). This action pushed Chang’E, his wife, into a dilemma, as she feared the consequences if her husband obtained eternal life – He would inevitably unleash the torment upon his people. Chang’E then made a clandestine decision to pilfer the Elixir of Immortality from her husband and consume it herself. Yet, as she ingested the elixir, her form became ethereal and ascended gracefully to the moon. Since then, the moon became the embodiment of the goddess Chang’E herself, floating weightlessly in the celestial expanse.