What is the meaning behind the Chinese Moon Festival?

Question

Can any one tell me some traditional stories or meaning behind the Moon Festival and the mooncakes?

Answer 1

Is about the Chinese legend about a story when the ten sun all rise together in the day(according to Chinese legend) and all the crop's and animal the people breed died of hotness.A young Chinese man, name Hou Yi came and shot the sun with his arrow.All the nine sun died and one was left alive because the sun made an agreement, if Hou Yi spare him,he will rise and set as usual.The people then cheer Hou Yi and make him the king of China.After becoming King,he became very arrogance and all his people suffer.Hou Yi even decide to take 2 pill of longevity to live forever.His wife,Chang Ee,afraid that the people will suffer forever,ate both the pill and became very light she eventually float until she reach the moon.There,she lived a very lonely life.The Chinese made it a legend so that they can remember the good decision that Chang Ee made.The Chinese Cheer's and eat mooncake in this day,the children play lantern.The mooncake was another story,it start when a young man at the end of the Yuan Dynasty,named Zhu Yuan Zhang who rise against the Mongolian ruler that were cruel to the people of China.He send messages to his army to in a cake during the mooncake festival.With his messages,his army launch a revolt and eventually end the Yuan Dynasty.Zhu Yuan Zhang eventually become the king of China and started the Ming Dynasty.To remember his wisdom,the people of China make and eat mooncake during the mooncake festival.

Answer 2

Chinese Moon Festival Legend

Answer 3

The Chinese Moon Festival is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month. It's also known as the Mid-autumn Festival. Chinese culture is deeply imbedded in traditional festivals. Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving in the West, the Moon Festival is one of the most important traditional events for the Chinese.

The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes, and sing moon poems. With the full moon, the legend, the family and the poems, you can't help thinking that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival.

Answer 4

The Chinese Moon Festival, or also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, which takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This famous festival dates back to the Tang Dynasty of 618 A.D.. The Moon Festival celebrates the moon at it's biggest and brightest stage. This is also known as the harvest moon by Western countries.

Like other Chinese traditions, there's a legend connected with this festival. The Chinese Moon Festival actually have several legends.

The origin was romanticised by the legendary story of Chang Er, who was believed to have taken a pill, become a fairy and flown to the moon to escape from the pursuit of her husband. It was thought that we could see Chang Er on the moon when it is at its brightest in mid-autumn (i.e. the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar). The exact date in the Western calendar changes from year to year but it is approximately in September. There's more legends connected with the Moon Festival and each depends on the province and its people and culture.

Most families celebrate this festival by coming back together (like Thanksgiving) and sit outside and gaze at the moon. Since the traditional Chinese Calendar is the LUNAR Calendar this activity celebrates, honors, and shows respect to the Moon.

Try this link for more info and legends:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

Answer 5

it's fun!...and mooncake taste good!

Answer 6

To show your butt and say "Ive mooned you :-)

Moon Cakes : BUTT CHEEKS :-)