This is an ancient Chinese folk tale.
Once upon a time, there were ten suns circling over the earth, each took its turn. But one day all ten suns appeared together, blazing the earth with their heat. At that time, there was a man named Hou Yi. He went outside and shot down nine extra Suns in the sky for the benefit of the people. However, his beautiful wife, Chang Er, stole his elixir of eternal life and became a goddess on the Moon - only a white rabbit accompanied her.
The day Chang Er flew to the moon was the 15th of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It is in the mid-autumn with a full moon. Chinese regards this day as the Mid-Autumn Festival, or the Moon Festival.
This year, the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar is today, October 6, 2006.
The story of Chang Er and her husband is not about this Mid-automn Day, or as you translated, the Moon Festival. That story is about the Chinese Valentine Day,July 7th,lunar calendar.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 9, 2006 11:42 AM | Permalink to Comment