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Friday, May 31, 2013

Chang Er Flying to the Moon - an Ancient Chinese Legend

 Chang'e Flying to the Moon a Legend of China 
This Legend started in China as a Mid-Autumn Festival that was held on the 15th day of the eight lunar This date is when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. In China the traditional food at this festival is the moon cake, which I found is varied in many parts of China-
month.
The people of China most often associate the ancient legend with the silver moon at the Mid-Autumn Festival to their Ancient legend of the Chang Er flying to the moon Chinese fable-
The Legend of the Change Er Flying to the moon goes something like this-
I've come to the conclusion that there are two different versions of this beautiful Chinese fable-
I thought I would give you both since I  loved both stories. Me personal I enjoyed the longer version but that's me. I have always loved a good long story, legend, fable...
Long version of the Change'e - Change Er Flying to the moon Chinese Fable-
In the ancient times of an remote antiquity, there were ten suns that would appear rapidly into the
skies at the same time in one year. When this happened upon the earth, all the great oceans began to dry-out, the forest and plants(the peoples 'farmlands') wittered away, and all the animals and people of the earth were dying of heat, thirst and hunger.
Then there was Houyi, a legendary hero who was also a master of archery - saw what was happening to the people of China. Being the legend hero, Houyi shot down nine suns and the earth and the people survived. His merit was honored by the people, Yet lots of men sought instruction in Archery from him.
But when there is good there is always evil. One of the students called Fengmeng who came to Houyi to learn the craft of Archery was pure Evil. Being of pure hart Houyi took him in.
Before long, Houyi married a fairy-Chang'e /Chang Er . Houyi loved his wife and always stayed with her except the times of when he would teach hunting or hunt.
One day Houyi was given a gift of gratitude from the Lady Queen Mother, while he was calling on his
friends on the Kulun Mountain.  It was a special elixir in a small glass bottle. In Chinese legend- it is said that if a person were to to take just one slip of the elixir he/she would be immortal immediately. But Houyi could never take the elixir because if he did, his beloved Chang'e fairy would be all alone on the earth. So he decided to give the glass bottle of elixir to his wife to keep temporarily until he figure out what to do.
But someone else was listening . The secret was out- by the evil Fengmeng.
Three days later, Houyi planned to go out hunting with all his students. One student pretended to be sick. This of course was Fengmeng. As soon as Houyi and the other students left for the hunting trip, Fengmeng took his sword and made his attempt to force Houyi wife to give him the elixir. Without an urgent aid, Chang'e had to make a prompt decision.
She decided to take the elixir herself so that the evil Fengmeng would not get his hands on it and be able to become immortal. Quickly she opened the bottle and swallowed all the elixir and she was immediately flown out of the house into the skies. But worrying about her husband. Chang'e befell and became an immortal being in the moon.
At dusk, when Houyi came home. The handmaidens told him what had happened when he was gone. When he heard, he wanted to kill Fengmeng. But Fengmeng had ran far away never to be seen again.
Grieving his beloved wife, calling her name, he looked up at the moon at night. To his surprise he saw a figure just the same as Chang'e his wife in the full moon.
Houyi hurried to set something what Chang'e like on the table in the garden to express that he missed her.   The date was just Aug 15th on the Chinese lunar Calender when the clearest and brightest full moon appears. 
This is the Shorter version-
The legend of Chang Er flying to the Moon is a ancient tale/myth-.
Chang Er was the wife of the legendary hero, HouYi, who was a great archer who accomplished great things - the one he was most famous for was for shooting down nine extra suns.
The hero was rewarded with a kinda Elixir for his deed, which was then drank by his wife by stealth.
Chang Er rose up into the skies, then the heaven forever living in the moon.
The moon is also called,"Moon Palace" by the Chinese. It is said that Chang Er regretted what she had done as soon as she flew into the moon. Some Chinese Poets cited in poems of Chang Er solitude of the Moon Palace being very loneliness and cold.
Some worship the moon for the Mid-Autumn Festival - others legends talk about people making moon cakes.
Wendy...

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