中秋節 The Mid-Autumn Festival

The mid-autumn festival which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar months is a much celebrated chinese festival.

According to a famous chinese fable, the legendary archer Hou Yi and his kind-hearted wife Chang Er were a loving couple. To reward Hou Yi for his heroic deeds, the Goddess of Immortality granted him an elixir that promises eternal youth. One fateful day, the evil Feng Meng slipped into Hou Yi's residences to steal the heavenly elixir. To prevent the elixir from falling into the wrong hands, Chang Er swallowed it and immediately found herseld drifting towards the moon.

The common folks heard of Chang Er's sacrifice and flocked to ask for continued peace, showing their gratitude with sweet pastries and fruits. It is now said that during the mid-autumn festival, when the moon is full and at its brightest, one can see the willowy silhouette of Chang Er - Now the Goddess of the Moon.

The custom of gift exchanging during this festive period has since been observed and mooncakes remain the favoured gift of the season.