The
Legend
of
Chang'e:
Exploring
the
Origin
of
Mooncake
and
Lunar
Worship
Chang'e,
a
famed
figure
in
Chinese
mythology,
is
best
known
for
her
tragic
story
of
ascending
to
the
moon.
In
ancient
times,
the
Chinese
people
believed
that
the
moon
was
a
deity
and
they
paid
tribute
to
it
annually.
This
reverential
worship
of
the
moon
can
be
traced
back
to
the
Han
Dynasty
(206
BC
–
220
AD).
Chang'e's
story
is
not
just
a
tale
of
love
and
betrayal,
but
it
is
also
connected
with
the
tradition
of
mooncake,
an
essential
part
of
the
Mid-Autumn
Festival.
According
to
legend,
Chang'e
was
a
beautiful
and
kind-hearted
woman
who
was
married
to
the
archer
Hou
Yi.
As
the
story
goes,
ten
suns
appeared
in
the
sky,
causing
a
scorching
drought
and
famine
on
earth.
To
save
the
people,
Hou
Yi
shot
down
nine
of
the
suns
to
prevent
further
damage.
As
a
token
of
their
appreciation,
they
gave
him
a
pill
of
immortality,
which
would
grant
him
eternal
life.
However,
knowing
that
immortality
would
only
bring
him
loneliness,
he
gave
the
pill
to
Chang'e
for
safekeeping.
One
day,
a
man
named
Fengmeng
broke
into
their
home
while
Hou
Yi
was
out
hunting,
demanding
the
pill.
To
prevent
the
pill
from
falling
into
the
wrong
hands,
Chang'e
swallowed
it
and
ascended
to
the
moon,
where
she
lives
to
this
day.
Hou
Yi
was
devastated
by
her
disappearance
and
would
visit
the
moon
every
night,
offering
fruits
a〔分析更多 手相文章请关注 :星座屋网,wWw.xiNGZUowu.cC〕)】nd
delicacies
as
a
sign
of
his
love
for
her.
The
Mid-Autumn
Festival,
also
known
as
the
Moon
Festival,
is
celebrated
on
the
fifteenth
day
of
the
eighth
lunar
month.
It
is
a
time
for
family
reunions,
as
well
as
offering
prayers
to
the
moon
deity.
During
this
festival,
people
eat
mooncakes,
which
are
round
pastry
cakes
filled
with
sweet
or
savory
fillings.
The
traditional
fillings
are
lotus
seed
paste
and
salted
egg
yolk,
meant
to
symbolize
the
moon's
fullness
and
brightness.
In
conclusion,
Chang'e's
tale
represents
undying
love
and
self-sacrifice,
which
has
been
passed
down
through
the
generations.
It
has
become
an
essential
part
of
Chinese
culture,
inspiring
art,
literature,
and
even
video
games
such
as
"王者荣耀
(King
of
Glory)."
The
Mid-Autumn
Festival
is
an
important
occasion
for
Chinese
people
all
over
the
world
to
celebrate
their
heritage
and
show
gratitude
to
their
loved
ones.