As you all know, today is the mid autumn festive which is known as 'Zhong Qiu Jie'. As usual, i will tell you some stories or legend that i found from the internet. The Chinese celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival or Zhong Qiu Jie on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Also known as the Mooncake Festival or the Lantern Festival, it usually falls in late September or early October. The moon, a symbol of wholeness, unity and harmony in Chinese traditions, is the brightest and fullest on this day.
There are a few legends associated with this festival. The most popular legend is that of Chang E, the Moon fairy. One version of the legend describes how she saves the people from the tyrannical rule of her husband, Hou Yi. She steals his immortality pill, swallows it and flies to the moon. During this festival, the Chinese remember the courageous Chang E. There are many different versions of this legend, each having a different ending.
Another legend relates how the Han Chinese fight the Mongolian rulers by organising a revolt. They hide secret messages inside mooncakes giving the exact date and time of the attack against the Mongolians. To remember this victorious revolt against the Mongolians, eating mooncakes has become an important part of the celebrations.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncakes and other goodies are offered to deities and ancestors at the family altar. Youngsters present mooncakes to their elders as a mark of respect. On this night, many houses are illuminated with lanterns. Family members gather to view the full moon and eat mooncakes while children carry colourful lighted lanterns. This is also an auspicious day for Chinese weddings.
Legend of Chang Er
A long, long time ago, the Earth once had ten suns circling around it. Each sun took its turn to illuminate the Earth. But one day, unfortunately, all the ten suns appeared all together, scorching the Earth with their heat.
A man named Hou Yi heard this and saved the Earth by shooting down nine suns with his bow and arrow. Then one day, Hou Yi went to steal the Elixir Of Life from a powerful goddess.
Hou Yi brought the Elixir Of Life home to show his beautiful wife whose name was Chang Er. After telling his wife about the magical Elixir Of Life, he placed it in a secret hiding place until both of them were ready to drink it.
But Chang Er was very curious and after three days, she decided to take the Elixir Of Life out of its hiding place to have a better look at it.
Just then, Hou Yi came in and saw Chang Er holding the magical potion. " What are you doing with the Elixir Of Life?" he asked his wife. Chang Er quickly hid the elixir behind her back and said, " Nothing."
Hou Yi became suspicious and asked if Chang Er was drinking the elixir. " No, I am not drinking it," she replied simply. Hou Yi then asked, " Let me see yours hands then."
Chang Er quickly took one hand out from behind her back and showed it to Hou Yi. He said, " Let me see your other hand." Chang Er switched the elixir to another hand and showed him the empty hand. Hou Yi requested to see both hands.
Not knowing what to do, Chang Er admitted that she took the elixir. Hou Yi became angry and said, " The Elixir Of Life is far too strong for us to drink it now. We are not supposed to drink it until next year."
Chang Er was so afraid of getting into more trouble with Hou Yi so she took the elixir and ran out of her room. She did not believe that the elixir was too strong to drink so she drank it all in one gulp. Just then, Hou Yi appeared and was just in time to see Chang Er finish the elixir.
Suddenly, Chang Er’s body felt weightless and she began to glow with a bright shining light, then she started to rise up into the air. " Where are you going, my wife?" asked Hou Yi worriedly and yelled for his wife to come back down.
Chang Er shook her head sadly. " I’m sorry, it was just an accident. I was feeling curious and I did not mean to drink it. I did not know it was going to be so strong," she said, trying to get back to the ground, but it was no use.
Hou Yi tried to grab his wife back but he couldn’t reach her. So he spotted Chang Er’s favourite pet, Jade Rabbit, sitting on the porch, looking up at Chang Er. Hou Yi hurriedly picked up the rabbit and tossed it to his wife so that she wouldn’t be all alone wherever she was going.
Chang Er was touched and she wished him goodbye before disappearing up to the moon. She still lives there in the Cold Palace of the Moon.
Legend of Wu Kang
In Chinese mythology, Wu Kang was portrayed as a woodcutter fascinated with the magic of immortality. He went to live in the mountains where he importuned an immortal to teach him. However, as a shiftless person, he was not able to hold on to any apprenticeship for a long period of time. After requesting the immortal to teach him something new every few days, the master was angered by Wu Kang’s impatience and banished him to the Moon Palace, where he has to cut down a huge cassia tree before he could return to earth. Though Wu Kang chopped day and night, the magical tree restored itself with each blow, and thus he continues to eternally chop the cassia on the moon.
Legend of Jade Rabbit
According to legend, three sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey, and a rabbit. Both the fox and the monkey were able to give the old men some food, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead and jumped into a blazing fire to cook himself. The fairies were so touched by the rabbit’s sacrifice that they let him live in the moon, where he became the “Jade Rabbit”.
well...hope that you all know more about mid autumn festive. Was quite busy this morning that i had to rush out my report that had to be submitted today and what happen was i realise that alot more to go before i can finish the report and i have to give up on my lunch and only ate buns for lunch just to complete the report.
tonight i going to talk a stroll around somewhere..and enjoy myself before i reaLly get into my exam moOd..
i think i had to stop here..still need to do read through my report once more time in case got error and after which settle some stuff and off i go to enjoy and also because i need to piCk BB up before going home..
..meaning that i going off early..don't throw anymore work for me..anything keEp till monday than ask me do ok..no time..rushing for tim now..sorry..
sources from:
http://www.newasia-singapore.com/maf/legend.html
http://sam11.moe.gov.sg/racialharmony/PrimarySchool/articles_midautumn.html
http://members.tripod.com/~exprez/Chang-Er.htm
Was here @3:01 PM