Chinese Festivals - Moon Festival

August 15* was Moon Festival, also called Mid-Autumn Festival, because it falls in the middle of autumn. The Moon is a symbol of roundness, completeness, and togetherness, especially for romantic couples, married couples or families. So the Moon Festival was the night for family togetherness. The celebration was held in our own courtyard. The family gathered around a table, enjoyed the family togetherness and the delicious moon cakes, which were made round. Bright moon light, clear autumn sky, breezy autumn air. A beautiful and peaceful night. Numerous poems were written about that. Example:

It means: "The bright moonlight shining on front of my bed. I thought it was dew reflecting from the ground. Then I raised my head, I saw the bright moon. When I bow my head, I think of my native place." (Li Po)

There were at least three interesting stories related to the moon...

In the beginning of the beginning, there were nine moons. One day a beautiful concubine named Chang Ngor** escaped from a palace on earth. She flew into one moon. Her master, the powerful and mean king, chased her in hot pursuit. But he could not fly. He was an expert archer, though, like William Tell or Robin Hood. He shot down one moon with his magic arrow, but Chang Ngor flew to another moon. One after another, he shot down moons (eight in total) but Chang Ngor escaped from each of them. At the last remaining moon, he ran out of magic arrows. Therefore we now have only one moon, and Chang Ngor was saved and safe. She rested in a beautiful Crystal Palace on the moon, living peacefully, happily forever. "Chang Ngor's Escape to the Moon" was a popular subject for songs, drama, painting, poem or novel. Never mind what Neil Armstrong said about "one giant step for mankind." To the Chinese, the moon is a palace of peace, happiness and beauty. That night, everyone tried to imagine seeing Chang Ngor's face, gown, or her graceful movement.

Another story was about an old man named "Old Man Under the Moon." He was a heavenly appointed official in charge of couples on earth. He had a book containing all boys and girls names. When a couple was destined to be married, then no matter who they were or how far apart they were, he would tie one end of a red string to the boy's ankle, and another end to the girl's ankle. Once that was tied, that was it. Those two eventually must marry one another. Their fate was fixed and sealed. He always checked his list under the moon, and so was his name.

The third story was about an uprising. The leader secretly placed a message inside each mooncake. That night when people cut open the mooncake, they got the message and instructions, and picked up their weapons and gathered to a designated place, formed a force and succeeded in the uprising. I don't know how much of this story is related to the American fortune cookies.  

*The Mid-Autumn Festival does not happen in August, as uncle states, but occurs on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which roughly falls near the autumnal equinox (the 1st day of fall) in the Western calendar. 

**She is known as Chang'e or Chang-o in Mandarin.