Mid-Autumn Moon Festival for Clueless ABC’s

The Story

A long time ago, there were 10 suns in the sky and the world was pretty hot: dead crops, dry rivers, just pretty bad for everyone. A guy named Hou Yi (后羿) was an archer and shot down 9 of those hot suns. Phew, only 1 sun now. Great! For being so awesome, he got the Elixir of Immortality from the Queen Mother of the West.

Even though he had the Elixir of Immortality, Hou Yi decided he didn’t want to live forever without his wife, Chang’e (嫦娥) whom he loved—like, a lot. He didn’t drink it and just kept it hidden at home.

Hou Yi had a disciple, Pang Meng, who was not a cool guy: y’know, greedy and wicked. One day, Hou Yi was out hunting and Pang Meng went to Hou Yi and Chang’e’s home and tried to steal the Elixir of Immortality.

Ah, but Chang’e was home and didn’t want the Elixir of Immortality to fall into the wrong hands, so she swallowed it. Her body became super light and she floated up into the sky and up up up and… TO THE MOON 🌕. She was separated from Hou Yi forever, doh!

Hou Yi was super sad, and on the night of the full moon, he laid out Chang’e’s favorite foods and fruits and gazed up at the moon and prayed for her. Folks saw Hou Yi and were so impressed by his devotion and bummed by the tragic love story so they started a new meme where every year they’d offer mooncakes and look at the moon too 🥮.

On the moon, Chang’e hangs out with a jade rabbit who pounds herbs with a mortar and pestle to make the Elixir of Life.

The Lesson

Alright, so it’s no Disney happy ending, but the story reflects themes of sacrifice, love, loss, and reunion—which is why the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is such an emotional and family-oriented holiday. When people gaze at the moon during the festival, they often think of their loved ones far away, just like Hou Yi looking to the moon for Chang’e.

Now you know why we gaze at the moon and eat those yummy mooncakes each year. Hou-mei ah!

The Words

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