Chinese Legends Tells: Chang'e Flies to the Moon

Chinese Legends Tells: Chang'e Flies to the Moon
Sep 18, 2007 04:18
MAY001 Points: Join Date: Sep 28, 2005 Status: offline	Source: http://www.chinesesavvy.com/savvy/ Folklore about the origin of the Mid-Autumn festival goes like this: In remote antiquity, there were ten suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove people into dire poverty. A hero named Hou Yi (后弈)was greatly worried by this, and so he ascended to the top of the Kunlun Mountain. Using his superhuman strength to full extent, he drew his extraordinary bow and shot down the nine superfluous suns one after another. He also ordered the last sun to rise and set according to time. For this reason, he was respected and loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him to learn martial arts. One of these people was known as Peng Meng. Hou Yi had a beautiful and kind-hearted wife named Chang E (嫦娥). One day on his way to the Kunlun Mountain to call on friends, Hou Yi ran upon the Empress of Heaven Wangmu who was passing by. Empress Wangmu presented to him a parcel of elixir, by taking which, it was said, one would ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial being. Hou Yi, however, hated to part with his wife. So he gave the elixir to Chang E to treasure for the time being. Chang E hid the parcel in a treasure box at her dressing table when, unexpectedly, it was seen by Peng Meng. One day when Hou Yi led his disciples to go hunting, Peng Meng, sword in hand, rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang E to hand over the elixir. Aware that she was unable to defeat Peng Meng, Chang E made a prompt decision at that critical moment. She turned round to open her treasure box, took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp. As soon as she swallowed the elixir her body floated off the ground, dashed out of the window and flew towards heaven. Peng Meng escaped. When Hou Yi returned home at dark, he was told by his servants what had happened. Overcome with grief, Hou Yi looked up into the night sky and called out the name of his beloved wife when, to his surprise, he found that the moon was especially clear and bight and on it there was a swaying shadow that was exactly like his wife. He tried his best to chase after the moon, but as he ran, the moon retreated and as he withdrew, the moon came back. He could not get to the moon at all. Thinking of his wife day and night, Hou Yi had an incense table arranged in the back garden that Chang E loved. Putting on the table the sweetmeats and fresh fruits Chang E enjoyed most, Hou Yi held at a distance a memorial ceremony for Chang E, who was sentimentally attached to him in the palace of the moon. When people heard of the story that Chang E had turned into a celestial being, they arranged a similar incense table in the moonlight one after another and prayed to kind-hearted Chang E for good fortune and peace. From then on the custom of worshiping the moon spread among the people. People in different places follow various customs, but all show their love and longing for a better life.

Sep 18, 2007 04:18

MAY001
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Source: http://www.chinesesavvy.com/savvy/

Folklore about the origin of the Mid-Autumn festival goes like this:

In remote antiquity, there were ten suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove people into dire poverty. A hero named Hou Yi (后弈)was greatly worried by this, and so he ascended to the top of the Kunlun Mountain. Using his superhuman strength to full extent, he drew his extraordinary bow and shot down the nine superfluous suns one after another. He also ordered the last sun to rise and set according to time. For this reason, he was respected and loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him to learn martial arts. One of these people was known as Peng Meng.

Hou Yi had a beautiful and kind-hearted wife named Chang E (嫦娥). One day on his way to the Kunlun Mountain to call on friends, Hou Yi ran upon the Empress of Heaven Wangmu who was passing by. Empress Wangmu presented to him a parcel of elixir, by taking which, it was said, one would ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial being. Hou Yi, however, hated to part with his wife. So he gave the elixir to Chang E to treasure for the time being. Chang E hid the parcel in a treasure box at her dressing table when, unexpectedly, it was seen by Peng Meng. One day when Hou Yi led his disciples to go hunting, Peng Meng, sword in hand, rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang E to hand over the elixir. Aware that she was unable to defeat Peng Meng, Chang E made a prompt decision at that critical moment. She turned round to open her treasure box, took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp. As soon as she swallowed the elixir her body floated off the ground, dashed out of the window and flew towards heaven. Peng Meng escaped.

When Hou Yi returned home at dark, he was told by his servants what had happened. Overcome with grief, Hou Yi looked up into the night sky and called out the name of his beloved wife when, to his surprise, he found that the moon was especially clear and bight and on it there was a swaying shadow that was exactly like his wife. He tried his best to chase after the moon, but as he ran, the moon retreated and as he withdrew, the moon came back. He could not get to the moon at all. Thinking of his wife day and night, Hou Yi had an incense table arranged in the back garden that Chang E loved. Putting on the table the sweetmeats and fresh fruits Chang E enjoyed most, Hou Yi held at a distance a memorial ceremony for Chang E, who was sentimentally attached to him in the palace of the moon. When people heard of the story that Chang E had turned into a celestial being, they arranged a similar incense table in the moonlight one after another and prayed to kind-hearted Chang E for good fortune and peace. From then on the custom of worshiping the moon spread among the people. People in different places follow various customs, but all show their love and longing for a better life.

Sep 18, 2007 06:18	#1
DODGER Points: Join Date: Jul 15, 2007 Status: Offline	May, thank you. It was an interesting story. Dodger.

Sep 18, 2007 21:18

BBQQ
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I've heard another story about Mid-autumn Day and the Moon Cake. It's said that in Yuan Dynasty, many people who were severely treated by Mongolian decided to fight against the Mongolian rule. They stuffed a piece of paper which notify the fighting time into the cake to spread the news to others. When people ate the cake in Mid-autumn Day, they knew the exact time to fight. From then on, people began to eat moon cake in Mid-autumn Day.

Sep 18, 2007 21:49

FAERIEQUEENE
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I think 封神榜 (The Creation of the Gods) has adopted these legends and made very colourful episodes and characters … the former lover of Daji(妲己)becoming a hare in the moon and Daji herself after unmasking her foxy self in death ascended to the moon, and the whole drama was caused by the tyran King Wen of Zhou erroring the ‘purist’ Goddess Nu Wa. I like the TV series where in the last episode the tyran king馬景濤 blamed Nu Wa for everything…

Sep 19, 2007 20:55	#4
MAY001 Points: Join Date: Sep 28, 2005 Status: Offline	I know the series you mean Queene and it's adapted toooooo much. I still like the original novel.

Feb 28, 2010 13:08	#5
GUESTBOB	What is the original novel?

Sep 25, 2011 15:06	#6
GUEST62183	its a full rainbow. double rainbow! what does it mean?

Sep 25, 2011 15:57	#7
GUESTNINJA	what does the story show people? homework. :/

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