The Mid-Autumn Festival

   The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, usually in October in Gregorian calendar. The moon looks extremely round, big and bright that day. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, all family members or friends meet outside, putting food on tables and looking up at the sky while talking about life.

What a splendid moment it is!

Now I say something about the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The Folklore about Mid-autumn Festival

In remote antiquity, there were ten suns rising in the sky, scorching all crops and driving people into dire poverty. A hero named Hou Yi was much worried about this, so he ascended to the top of the Mount Kunlun, and directing his superhuman strength to full extent, drew his extraordinary bow and shot down the nine superfluous suns one after another. He also ordered the last sun to rise and set according to time. For this reason, he was respected and loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him to learn martial arts from him. A person named Peng Meng lurked in them.

Hou Yi had a beautiful and kindhearted wife named Chang E. One day on his way to the Mount Kunlun to call on friends, he ran upon the Empress of Heaven Wang who was passing by. Empress Wang presented to him a parcel of elixir, by taking which, it was said, one could ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial being. Hou Yi, however, hated to part with his wife. So he gave the elixir to Chang E to treasure for the time being. Chang E hid the parcel in a treasure box at her dressing table, unexpectedly; it was seen by Peng Meng.

One day when Hou Yi led his disciples to go hunting, Peng Meng, handing a sword, rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang E to hand over the elixir. Aware that she was unable to defeat Peng Meng, Chang E made a prompt decision at that critical moment. She turned round to open her treasure box, took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp. As soon as she swallowed the elixir her body floated off the ground, dashed out of the window and flew towards heaven. Peng Meng escaped.

When Hou Yi returned home at dark, he knew from the maidservants what had happened. Overcome with grief, Hou Yi looked up into the night sky and called out the name of his beloved wife. To his surprise, he found that the moon was especially clear and bight and there was a swaying shadow that was exactly like his wife on it. He tried his best to chase after the moon. But as he ran, the moon retreated; as he withdrew, the moon came back. He could not get to the moon at all.

Thinking of his wife day and night, Hou Yi then had an incense table arranged in the back garden that Chang E loved. Putting on the table sweetmeats and fresh fruits Chang E enjoyed most, Hou Yi held at a distance a memorial ceremony for Chang E who was sentimentally attached to him in the palace of the moon.

Different Celebrated Forms

For thousands of years，the Chinese have related the vicissitudes of life to changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes, joy and sorrow，parting and reunion. All family members try to get together on this special day.

My hometown is in Zhejiang Province，watching the flood tide of the Qian Tang River during the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a must for local people，but an attraction for those from other parts of the country. The ebb and flow of tides coincide with the waxing and waning of the moon as it exerts a strong gravitational pull. In mid autumn，the sun，earth and moon send out strong gravitational forces upon the seas. The south of the Qian Tang River is shaped like a bugle. So the flood tide, which forms at the narrow mouth, is particularly impressive. Spectators crowd on the river bank，watching the roaring waves. At its peak，the tide rises as high as three and a half meters.

OK, let’s end it with a poem,“Thinking of You” by Su Shi (水调歌头)

When will the moon be clearest and brightest?

With a cup of wine in my hand, I ask the blue sky.

I don’t know which season it will be in the heavens at this night.

I’d like to ride the wind to fly home.

Yet I fear the crystal and jade mansions are much too high and cold for me.

Dancing with my moon-lit shadow

It does not seem like the human’s world

The moon rounds the red mansion Stoops to silk-pad doors

Shines upon the sleepless bearing no grudge

Why does the moon tend to be full when people are apart?

People may have sorrow or joy, be near or far apart

The moon may be dim or bright, wax or wane

This has been going on since the beginning of time

May we all be blessed with longevity though far apart?

We are still able to share the beauty of the moon together!