Moon Festival @ 我就喜歡這樣的妳

MOON FESTIVAL is one of the most important festival in a year and family will get together to watch the moon, eat the moon cake and enjoyed the moon light at night.

MOON FESTIVAL is originated from China three thousand years ago and spread out in Asian like Korea, Japan and Vienam.

the origin of Moon Festival

The custom of offering sacrifices to the moon originated from worshiping the moon goddess, and it was recorded that kings offered sacrifices to the moon in fall during the Western Zhou Dynasty (周朝1045 – 770 BC) , became popular in Tang Dynasty ( 唐朝 618~907 AD) , and became a formal festival in Song Dynasty ( 宋朝 960 -1279 AD).

People eat moon cake in Yuan Dynasty ( 元朝 1279 - 1368 AD ）

The story of 朱元璋 that using moon cake to spread out the news of rebelling Yuan Dynasty ( 元朝 1279 - 1368 AD ） and set up Ming Dynasty ( 明朝 1368- 1644 AD）

During the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) and the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912 AD), People promoted many different activities to celebrate it, such as burning pagodas and performing the fire dragon dance.

REFERENCE

Introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndknxk4v4QY

origin https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mid-autumn-festival-history-origin.htm

THREE traditional legend

THE STORY OF HOU-YI & CHANG-O (后裔射日 & 嫦娥奔月）

Long, long ago, there were ten suns in the sky. The suns burnt all the plants and people were dying on Earth, until one day excellent archer Hou Yi used his bow and arrows to shoot down nine of the suns. Earth was saved, and people flocked to learn archery from Hou Yi. The Western Queen Mother gave Hou Yi a bottle of elixir that could make one person immortal. Although Hou Yi did want to become immortal, he wanted to stay with his wife Chang'e more. Therefore, he just kept it at home.

Pang Meng, one of his students, tried to seize the elixir when Hou Yi wasn't at home. Faced with greedy Pang Meng, Chang'e decided to drink the elixir. It made her fly to the moon where she would stay forever. To remember her and pray to her, Hou Yi and others started to worship the moon with many offerings.

Chang'e's image usually appears on Mid-Autumn Festival pictures. Children in China are told that Chang'e is still living on the moon. And on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is bright, children try their best to find the shape of Chang'e on the moon.

told by a girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSlmQ01XDhk

animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okquqt7GJFU

THE STORY OF WU-KANG CHOPPING THE CASSIA TREE (吴刚伐桂）

Wu Gang the woodman wanted immortality, but he didn't try hard enough to learn the necessary magic. The Emperor of Heaven got angry with him because of his attitude. In order to punish him, the Emperor of Heaven planted a huge cherry bay tree, 1,665 meters (about a mile) high, on the moon and toldWu Gang that if he could cut it down, he could become immortal. Wu Gang thought this was his chance to try hard at something he was good at to gain immortality. However, the Emperor of Heaven had made it so that the cherry bay healed every time Wu Gang chopped it!

Today, people still believe an obvious shadow on the moon is made by the huge cherry bay.

animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9oxECJxvg

THE STORY OF THE JADE RABBIT GRINDS MEDICINE （玉兔捣药）

Once upon a time, there were three animals living in a forest: a fox, a rabbit, and a monkey. Three immortals, pretending to be beggars, went through the forest asking for food. The fox and the monkey quickly offered them food. The rabbit, who was less resourceful but very pious, felt guilty. She said, “I'm so sorry I couldn't offer any food to help you, but I can give myself”, and jumped into the fire. The three immortals were moved by the rabbit's sacrifice, and decided make the rabbit an immortal, sending her to live in the Moon Palace.