月yue

zhong qiu jie

Mid-Autumn Festival中秋节is also known as “Harvest Moon Festival”,

the “moon festival”

“Mooncake Festival”

zhong qiu jie

中秋节 is on

the 15th moon day of 8th Chinese lunar month

八月十五日

6 October 2006=

The legend

嫦娥 ; Cháng'é, is the Chinese

goddess of the moon.

嫦娥 Chang'e and 后羿 Houyi the Archer

Chang E was a beautiful young girl working in the Jade Emperor's palace in heaven, where immortals, good people and fairies lived.

One day, she accidentally broke a precious porcelain jar. Angered, the Jade Emperor banished her to live on earth, where ordinary people lived. She could return to Heaven, if she completed a good deed on earth.

M. Sproule

Chang E was transformed into a member of a poor farming family. When she was 18, a young hunter named Hou Yi from another village spotted her, now a beautiful young woman. They became friends.

M. Sproule

One day, a strange phenomenon occurred -- 10 suns arose in the sky instead of one, blazing the earth. Life on earth was unbearable.

Hou Yi, an expert archer, stepped forward to try to save the earth. He successfully shot down nine of the suns, becoming an instant hero.

He eventually became king and married Chang E.

However, Hou Yi grew to become a tyrant.

He sought immortality by ordering a magic potion to be created to prolong his life. The magic potion in the form of a single pill was almost ready when Chang Er came upon it.

To save the people from Hou Yi the tyrant king, she purposely swallowed the pill.

This angered King Hou Yi, who went after his wife. Trying to flee, she jumped out the window of a chamber at the top of palace -- and, instead of falling, she floated into the sky toward the moon.

Meanwhile, King Hou Yi ascended to the sun and built a palace. So Chang E and Hou Yi came to represent the yin and yang, the moon and the sun.

It is said that Chang'e transformed herself into moonlight and descended onto the earth to offer good fortune.

Chinese people believe that on that day, the moon is the roundest and brightest signaling a time of completeness and abundance.

A day of family reunions.

Some Chinese families today still stay up late to observe the occasion eating mooncakes, sipping tea and gazing at the beautiful moon.

It is regarded the perfect moment if someone catches the moon's reflection in the centre of his or her teacup.

mooncakes

月饼yue bing

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, children are delighted to stay up past midnight, parading multi-colored lanterns into the wee hours as families take to the streets or city parks to moon-gaze.

床前明月光Chuang qian ming yue guang(The bright moon rays in front of my bed)

疑是地上霜Yi si di shang shuang(Seemed like frost on the ground)

举头望明月Ju tou wang ming yue(I lifted my head and regarded the moon)

低头思故乡Di tou si gu xiang(I lowered my head and thought of my old home.)

静夜思jing ye si(Thoughts in a quiet night)

http://china.tyfo.com/int/ent/music/festival/mid-autumn/sound.htm

李白 Li Bai (701-762 AD), one of the two greatest poets of the Tang Dynasty, wrote this well known short poem. Almost every student in China can recite it.

It epitomizes the Chinese love for home. Being away from home, the poet expressed his deep sense of homesickness that the beauty of the moonlight and the moon itself can engender.

M. Sproule

English Translation

You ask me how deep my love for you is,How much I really love you…My affection is real.My love is real.The moon represents my heart.

You ask me how deep my love for you is,How much I really love you…My affection does not waver,My love will not change.The moon represents my heart.

* Just one soft kissis enough to move my heart.A period of time when our affection was deep,Has made me miss you until now.

* You ask me how deep my love for you is,How much I really love you.

* ** Go think about it.Go and have a look [at the moon],The moon represents my heart.

Repeat *

Repeat **

Make a lantern for

Step 1: Fold a rectangular piece of paper in half, making a long, thin rectangle.

Step 2: Make a series of cuts (about a dozen or more) along the fold line. Don't cut all the way to the edge of the paper.

Step 3: Unfold the paper. Glue or staple the short edges of the paper together.

Step 4: Cut a strip of paper 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Glue or staple this strip of paper across one end of the lantern - this will be the handle of the lantern.

Make a lot of lanterns and string them along a length of yarn. Decorate your room!