Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the traditional Chinese festivals, the lunar calendar August 15, the legend is to commemorate the Moon.The fall of the second month in August, in ancient times called Zhongqiu in autumn and August being so people known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Qiuxi, August Festival August a half months Xi, Januarysection, but also because this day the moon full circle, a symbol of reunion, also known as reunion.

The moon cake, celebration originated in the Tang army food. The Gaozu years, the Great General Li Jing crusade Turkic moon cake hidden messenger victorious, triumphant return August 15, Since then, the annual custom of eating moon cake.Was offered cake celebration, business Turpan to the emperor of the Tang Dynasty Gaozu Li Yuan took the the ornate cake box, come up with a round cake, laughing air moon said: "Hu cake should be invited toad. The finished cake to the ministers together to eat.

Southern Song Wu from the animal husbandry "Dream sorghum recorded" book, has the word "moon cake", but Mooncake description of eating moon cake, Ming Dynasty "West Lake Chi will" have documented: so-called "August 15 the Mid-Autumn Festival, the folk of moon cake left, take the meaning of reunion ". To the Qing Dynasty, the records about the moon cake would increase, and the production of more and more sophisticated.

The Jade Rabbit

Folklore

The mythological white hare making the elixir of immortality on the Moon, from Chinese mythology. Embroidered onto 18th-century Imperial Chinese robes.

In the Buddhist Śaśajâtaka (Jataka Tale 316), a monkey, an otter, a jackal, and a rabbit resolved to practice charity on the day of the full moon (Uposatha), believing a demonstration of great virtue would earn a great reward.

When an old man begged for food, the monkey gathered fruits from the trees and the otter collected fish, while the jackal wrongfully pilfered a lizard and a pot of milk-curd. The rabbit, who knew only how to gather grass, instead offered its own body, throwing itself into a fire the man had built. The rabbit, however, was not burnt. The old man revealed himself to be Śakra and, touched by the rabbit's virtue, drew the likeness of the rabbit on the moon for all to see. It is said the lunar image is still draped in the smoke that rose when the rabbit cast itself into the fire.

A version of this story can be found in the Japanese anthology Konjaku Monogatarishū, where the rabbit's companions are a fox and a monkey.

Similar legends occur in Mexican folklore, where people also identified the markings on the moon as a rabbit. According to an Aztec legend, the godQuetzalcoatl, then living on Earth as a man, started on a journey and, after walking for a long time, became hungry and tired. With no food or water around, he thought he would die. Then a rabbit grazing nearby offered herself as food to save his life. Quetzalcoatl, moved by the rabbit's noble offering, elevated her to the moon, then lowered her back to Earth and told her, "You may be just a rabbit, but everyone will remember you; there is your image in light, for all people and for all times."

Another Mesoamerican legend tells of the brave and noble sacrifice of Nanahuatzin during the creation of the fifth sun. Humble Nanahuatzin sacrificed himself in fire to become the new sun, but the wealthy god Tecciztecatl hesitated four times before he finally set himself alight to become the moon. Due to Tecciztecatl's cowardice, the gods felt that the moon should not be as bright as the sun, so one of the gods threw a rabbit at his face to diminish his light. It is also said that Tecciztecatl was in the form of a rabbit when he sacrificed himself to become the moon, casting his shadow there.

A Native American (Cree) legend tells a different variation, about a young rabbit who wished to ride the moon. Only the crane was willing to take him. The trip stretched Crane's legs as the heavy rabbit held them tightly, leaving them elongated as crane's legs are now. When they reached the moon Rabbit touched Crane's head with a bleeding paw, leaving the red mark cranes wear to this day. According to the legend, Rabbit still rides the moon to this day.

History

An early mention that there is a rabbit on the moon appears in the Chu Ci, a Western Han anthology of Chinese poems from the Warring States period, which notes that along with a toad, there is a rabbit on the moon who constantly pounds herbs for the immortals. This notion is supported by later texts, including the Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era encyclopedia of the Song Dynasty. Han Dynasty poets call the rabbit on the moon the "Jade Rabbit" (玉兔) or the "Gold Rabbit" (金兔), and these phrases were often used in place of the word for the moon. A famous poet of the Tang Dynasty period, Li Bai, relates how: "The rabbit in the moon pounds the medicine in vain" in his poem "The Old Dust."

Wu Gang and the Cherry Bay

Wu Gang, (Chinese: 吳剛; pinyin: wú gāng) or Wu Kang, is a character in Chinese folklore and Taoism. He is known for endlessly cutting down a self-healing Bay Laurel on the Moon.The story has often been associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival. The reason for this remains unclear, although different versions offer several explanations.

The Book of the Master of Huainan, in the Han Dynasty, records that when the Moon waxes, the foot of an immortal grows into a laurel. However, Wu Gang was not mentioned there

Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang records that the tree was over five hundred chi high, and Wu Gang of Xihe stood under it. It was also recorded that since then, immortals were sent there to chop the laurel when they made a mistake.

In the first version mentioning Wu, Wu saw that his wife and Yandi's grandson had an affair, and had three sons. As a revenge, Wu murdered Yandi's grandson. Consequently, Yandi ordered Wu to be banished to the Moon, where he would cut down a laurel. However, the tree healed itself after each blow. Wu was then forced to attempt to chop the tree forever.

Another version features a cherry bay. Wu Gang wished to learn to become an immortal, but he did not try his best. The Jade Emperor was furious, and decided to punish him. The Emperor created a cherry bay on the Moon. Wu Gang was asked to chop it in order to become an immortal. Wu Gang tried to chop the tree but, because of the tree's self-healing abilities, it was impossible. The shadows on the Moon are said to be created by the cherry bay.

In yet another version, Wu wished to be taught the method of eternal life. He found a teacher in the mountains. When his teacher taught him to heal, he gave up after three days. When he was taught to play Chinese chess, he gave up after two days. When he was taught the method of eternal life, he gave up after a day. His teacher sent him to the Moon to chop down a tree of unnamed species.

[edit]References in literatur

Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang, mentioned above, also includes Wu Gang's folklore.

Chang E

Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT-mPf5c-6w

Chinese ancient myths and legends, Chang E stole the medicine of immortality husband Hou Yi begged from the Queen Mother of the West, to fly to the moon. But Qionglouyuyu, standing above the crowd, the Chang E remorse after to talk to her husband, said: "Tomorrow is the full moon waiting you use flour as a pill, round and round as the full moon shape, on the northwest of the house, and then continuous call my name. midnight, I can come home. "the following day, according to the wife commanded to do, when Chang E If coming by mid-couple that ends it. Mid-Autumn Festival to do a moon cake for Chang E of customs, could result from the formation. Chang'e map, performance of this plot is the desire for a better world reunion, emotional portrayal of the desire for a happy life.