Aside from mooncakes, we also made lanterns. I made two lanterns. One was a cute rabbit lantern that we put together piece by piece, and the other was a paper lantern that I got to draw on with flower designs. These activities helped me experience how people celebrate and express their creativity during the festival.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has a famous legend about the hero Hou Yi and his wife Chang’e. In the story, there were once ten suns in the sky, making living on Earth very hot. Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns to save the world. As a reward, he was given a special pill that would give him immortality and let him live forever. However, Hou Yi didn’t want to take it because he wanted to stay with his wife, Chang’e. One day, Chang’e accidentally ate the pill, became immortal, and flew to the moon. Hou Yi could no longer see her, so every year, when the moon was at its fullest, he would prepare a feast to honor and remember her.
People believe that Chang’e became the goddess of the moon, and that’s why the community celebrates this festival. It’s a time to honor the moon, pray for good harvests, fertility, and fortune. It's also a special holiday to spend time with people you love. The moon festival reminds people of the importance of family and getting back together with their loved ones.
