The 2009 Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 2 October, if I don't remember wrongly. I was taking a stroll at Tropicana City Mall after watching Sorority Row & having a sumptuous dinner at Kimchi Korean Restaurant.
Then, I was enthralled by a dance performance featuring "The Legend of Chang'e, the Chinese Moon Goddess". There are a few versions concerning the legend of Chang'e and Hou-Yi the Archer. This is the famous of all.
Disclaimer: The article in this post is edited from its original source, found here. Photos are taken with my Nokia E71. This is an extremely text- and photo-heavy posts. Loading time is increased if you're on low bandwidth.
Once upon a time, a terrible drought plagued the earth. Ten suns burned fiercely in the sky like smoldering volcanoes. Trees and grass were scorched. The land was cracked and parched, and rivers ran dry. Many people died of hunger and thirst.
Then, I was enthralled by a dance performance featuring "The Legend of Chang'e, the Chinese Moon Goddess". There are a few versions concerning the legend of Chang'e and Hou-Yi the Archer. This is the famous of all.
Disclaimer: The article in this post is edited from its original source, found here. Photos are taken with my Nokia E71. This is an extremely text- and photo-heavy posts. Loading time is increased if you're on low bandwidth.
Once upon a time, a terrible drought plagued the earth. Ten suns burned fiercely in the sky like smoldering volcanoes. Trees and grass were scorched. The land was cracked and parched, and rivers ran dry. Many people died of hunger and thirst.
The King of Heaven sent Hou-Yi down to the earth to help. When he arrived, he took out his red bow and white arrows and shot down nine suns one after another. The weather immediately turned cooler. Heavy rain filled the rivers with fresh water and the grass and trees turned green. Life had been restored and humanity was saved.******************************
One day, a charming young woman, Chang'e made her way home from a stream, holding a bamboo container. A young man came forward, asking for a drink. When she saw the red bow and white arrows hanging from his belt, Chang'e realized that he was their savior, Hou-Yi. Inviting him to drink, Chang'e plucked a beautiful flower and gave it to him as a token of respect. Hou-Yi, in return, selected a beautiful silver fox-fur as his gift for her, thus kindling the spark of their love. Then, they were married.
In order to immortalize his happy life with Chang'e forever, Hou-Yi decided to look for an elixir of life. He went to the Kunlun Mountains where the Western Queen Mother lived. Respecting Hou-Yi's good deeds, the Queen rewarded Hou Yi with the elixir and told him, "If you share this elixir with your wife, both of you will enjoy eternal life. If only one of you takes it, that one will ascend to Heaven and become immortal."
Upon returning home, Hou-Yi and Chang'e decided to drink the elixir together on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month when the moon was full and bright.
A wicked and merciless man named Feng Meng overheard their plan. He wanted the elixir in order to become immortal. He went to Hou-Yi's home and forced Chang'e to give him the elixir. Without hesitation, Chang'e drank the elixir.
Soon the elixir's effect began to show and Chang'e felt herself lifted to Heaven.
The End
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