![]() ![]() In order to overthrow the then cruel government, rebel leader Zhu Yuan Zhang organised a rebellion by hiding messages in mooncakes and sending them to the different resistance forces. In gratitude, the Jade Emperor made the rabbit immortal and sent it to the moon to accompany the goddess Chang’e.Ĭantonese mooncake, baked with a lotus paste filling and a salted duck egg yolk in the middleĬan you say that you’ve celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival if you didn’t eat mooncakes? I don’t think so! The tradition of eating mooncakes began in the Yuan Dynasty, which was ruled by the Mongols. Instead, the rabbit threw itself into a fire and offered itself as meat. The fox caught him a fish, the monkey brought him fruits, but the rabbit had nothing to offer. It is said that the Jade Emperor, Ruler of all Heavens, disguised himself as a hungry old man and asked three animals for food. Wait, what about the pet bunny? Oh yes, Chang’e’s pet rabbit, also known as the Jade Rabbit, has a tale of its own. Sun Wukong fights the Jade Rabbit, a scene in the sixteenth century Chinese novel, Journey to the West, depicted in Yoshitoshi Tsukioka's One Hundred Aspects of the Moon From then on, people would celebrate and worship the moon in a day filled with festivities. It was in the Northern Song Dynasty when Emperor Tai declared that the 15th day of the eighth lunar month would be Mid-Autumn’s Day. In the Tang Dynasty, the upper class would also admire the moon over big parties, on top of praying for a good harvest. This practice was then followed by people in the Zhou Dynasty who would worship the moon goddess in autumn, believing that the practice would bring them a plentiful harvest the following year. ![]() On every full moon, he would display the cakes that Chang’e liked, hoping that she would come home. But how could she leave her husband behind? She eventually landed on the moon, the closest place in Heaven to Earth. In a moment of desperation, she drank the elixir and started flying to the heavens. One day when he was out hunting, his evil disciple Feng Meng tried to force the elixir from Chang’e. Wanting to share it with his wife, Chang’e, he left it in her care. He was rewarded with an elixir of life that if taken, would help him ascend to the heavens and become a god. The scorching heat from the suns made life extremely difficult for the people, until hero and archer, Hou Yi, shot down nine of them. Legend has it that there used to be ten suns in the sky. Yes, the beautiful lady with the pet bunny. ![]() Perhaps the most famous of all tales connected to the Mid-Autumn Festival would be that of Chang’e. Never celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival or knew why you were celebrating it? Here is an ultimate guide to why, when and how to celebrate this festival of the moon! What is happening? The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming! Easily referred to as the Mooncake Festival, get ready to feast on none other than mooncakes-baked, snow-skin, salted yolk-and gather your friends to admire the moon together. Lanterns are up, mooncakes are baking and every mall is plastered with versions of a beautiful lady with her pet bunny. ![]()
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