Autumn Harvest Festival

Other Names

-Mid-Autumn Festival-Moon Festival-August Moon Festival-Lantern Festival-Full Moon Festival

Historical Importance• -One of the two most

important Chinese holidays and is a celebration of Abundance and Togetherness

• -It is celebrated on the 15th Day of the 8th Lunar Month

• -Dates back over 3000 years to China’s Zhou Dynasty

-Hou Yì and Chang'e-At the time there existed ten suns that took turns to circle the Earth, but one day

they all came out at the same time, causing the entire Earth to scorch. Hou Yi was an archer who was commanded by the emperor to shoot down all but one of the

suns. After doing so he was rewarded with an Elixir of Life in the form of a pill. He was told that he must prepare himself

spiritually before he could take the pill, so he hid it from his wife, Chang’e and left to heal his spirit. Chang’e found and ate the pill and discovered that she could now fly. Hou Yi came back and chased her halfway to the heavens, but eventually had to turn back. Chang’e landed on the moon. Once there, she coughed out part of the pill.

Already on the moon was the Jade Rabbit, who made Elixirs, and she asked him to

make her a pill that would allow her to go back to Earth. Ever since, he has been

pounding a medicine for her. Till this day, every 15th of August, Hou Yi goes to the moon to vist her. moon to visit Chang’e.

Variations of the StoryHou Yì and Chang'e were

originally immortals. One day Hou Yi was told to deal with

the ten sons of the Jade Emperor who had

transformed into ten suns, causing the Earth to burn. He shot down 9 of them with his bow and arrow. Angered, the

emperor sent him and his wife down to Earth as

mortals. Hou Yi went on a quest and found the Pill of

Life which he would share half of with his wife so they could become immortals again. But his wife, Chang’e, swallowed the whole thing and floated up to the moon where she

stayed.

More Stories! Yay!-The Jade Rabbit-

In this legend, three fairy sages transformed

themselves into pitiful old men, and begged for food

from a fox, a monkey, and a hare. The fox and the

monkey both had food to give to the old men, but

refused and walked away. The hare, empty-handed,

jumped into a blazing fire to offer his own flesh instead. The sages were so touched by the hare's sacrifice and act of kindness that they

chose to let him live in the Moon Palace, where he

became the Jade Rabbit.

Traditional Ways to Celebrate

- Most Chinese families go outside to drink tea and

eat Moon Cakes together, since it is a holiday about togetherness and being

with family.- Other’s also burn

incense, plant Mid-Autumn trees, light lanterns on towers and fire dragon

dances- People usually have big family dinners together

and afterwards got to the park to watch a

performance of some sort.

Everyone Loves Moon Cakes!-Moon cakes are cakes

usually in a round shape, sometimes square, that are filled with mung bean, red

bean, etc.

-Story of Moon Cakes: during Mongolian rule of China,

Rebellion leaders passed out Moon Cakes with a messages stuffed inside that said things

like "Kill the Mongolians on the 15th day of the Eighth

Moon" (八月十五殺韃子 ). After a successful rebellion, the

Ming Dynasty was established.

Ways to Celebrate (cont.)- It is also common to have barbecues outside under

the moon, and to put pomelo rinds on one's head.

Brightly lit lanterns are often carried around by

children. Together with the celebration, there appear some special customs in

different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting sweet-

olive trees, lighting lanterns on towers, and fire dragon dances. Shops selling Moon Cakes, before the festival, often display pictures of Chang'e, floating to the

moon.

More Pictures!!!! Weeeee!