This festival was originally named the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it is one of the most important holidays celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. This year it is celebrated on September 14th. It is similar to our Thanksgiving.
Traditionally, it is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month in observance of the bountiful autumn harvest. Although old rituals are no longer followed, families still continue to gather for a day to relax and eat moon cakes.
A Traditional Moon CakeIt is during this time that the legend of the Moon Goddess (CHANG-O) is often told to children.
Chang-O
It is said that once upon a time there was a famous archer named Hou Yi, who was able to slay mankind’s worst enemies, and the most ferocious beasts that inhabited the earth with his arrows. Yi was married to Chang-O, who was a beautiful but inquisitive woman who had been an attendant of the queen mother of the west before her marriage. During this time there were 10 suns that took turns circling the earth-one every 10 days. One day, all 10 of the them circled at the same time, causing the earth’s surface to burn and threatening mankind. The wise emperor of China summoned Yi and commanded him to kill all but one of the suns, which he did without question. Once this task was completed, Yi was rewarded with a pill, which was “the elixir of life.” The emperor advised Yi to “make no haste to swallow this pill, but first prepare yourself with prayer and fasting for a year." Being a wise man, Yi took the pill home and hid it under a rafter while he began healing his spirit. In the midst of this task, the emperor summoned Yi again.
While her husband was gone, Chang-O noticed a beam of white light beckoning from the rafter. She followed it and its fragrant perfume, and discovered the pill and swallowed it. Immediately, Chang-O found she could fly. At that same moment, her Yi returned home. When he realized what had happened, he began to reprimand his wife. Chang-O flew out the window and into the sky. Yi sped after her, bow in hand, and the pursuit continued halfway across the heavens. Finally, Yi had to return to the earth because of the force of the wind.
His wife reached the moon. Breathless, she coughed and part of the pill fell from her mouth. Now, the hare was already on the moon and Chang-O commanded the animal to take a pestle and mortar and pound another pill so that she could return to earth and her husband. To this day the hare is still pounding. Yi built himself a palace in the sun as Yang (the sun and the male principle), and Chang-O as Yin (the moon and the female principle).
Once a year, on the 15th day of the full moon, Yi visits his wife. This is why the moon is full and beautiful on that night. This is the night we celebrate the moon festival, eating moon cakes and other foods (such as nuts and fruits that are round like the moon) gathered with the ones we love, and thinking of those we love who are far away and cannot be with us.
We usually make moon cakes here at home. We do use traditional moon cake molds, but a very simple (non-authentic) recipe, and fill them with preserves. We did order authentic moon cakes from Chinatown in New York the year before Alina Jayne came home- let's just say they were interesting! Last year we followed the suggestion of a friend who has two daughters adopted from China, and bought moon pies (you know, those chocolate covered marshmallow things). They were simple and round like the moon, so that is all that matters!
And as usual, I will be thinking about my Mom, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000. Although Alina Jayne will never meet her, she is named after her (my Mom's name is Jayne). Alina Jayne routinely shows anyone who will listen pictures of her, exclaiming "this is MY Nana."
Happy Mid-Autumn Moon Festival!
Kristy's Mom & Dad