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Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! That’s Zhōngqiū Jié or 中秋节 in Mandarin! Here’s a drawing of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang’e (嫦娥), as she’s associated with this Chinese festival. If you’re Korean, Happy Chuseok! And if you’re Japanese, Happy Otsukimi!

Mid-Autumn Festival:
The Mid-Autumn Festival is China’s second largest festival (after the Spring Festival/Chinese New Year) and is celebrated in China and Chinese communities/Overseas Chinese communities all over the world (including where I live in Malaysia as I’m not mainland Chinese). We celebrate the full moon, the harvest, and much like Thanksgiving in the Western world, we gather and celebrate with our families (not possible currently due to the pandemic) and give thanks. We eat delicious desserts called Mooncakes and here in Malaysia (and Singapore and Indonesia) we also call it the Lantern Festival as we play with lanterns (though this is no longer possible due to quarantine restrictions). The Mid-Autumn Festival had initially started out as a religious event to worship the moon goddess, Chang’e, from hundreds of years ago due to Chinese folk religion but has lost its religious value over the years and has become more of tradition rather than religion today, but I don’t mind. As long as I get to eat mooncakes haha and gaze at the pretty full moon (though I have to do it from my window, unfortunately). While Chang’e is no longer seen as a religious figure, we know her as a character from a famous folktale. Since, Mid-Autumn Festival began with the worship of Chang’e, the folktale of how Chang’e became a moon goddess is said to be the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival!

The Story of Chang’e and the origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival:
(note that different versions say different things, I grew up with this one).
There was once a deity and archer named Hou Yi (后羿) who had a wife named Chang’e. One day, the sun goddess Xihe (羲和) gave birth to 10 suns. But because 10 suns was too scorching for the Earth and the people were dying, the Jade Emperor sent Hou Yi to deal with the suns. At first, Hou Yi used his arrows to intimidate the suns into backing down, but when he was ignored, Hou Yi shot for real and killed 9 out of 10 suns, leaving one in the sky. When Xihe heard that Hou Yi had killed 9 of her children, she was mad and ordered the Jade Emperor to punish Hou Yi. So Hou Yi and Chang’e were stripped of their godhood and immortality and no longer lived in Heaven but on Earth has mortals and humans. However they were graciously given a gourd full of immortality pills in case they ever need it again. This was their more prized possession. Hou Yi became an adventurer and demon slayer and therefore travelled often. While out on day, a bunch of robbers came into Hou Yi and Chang’e’s home. Fearing that the robbers would steal their most prized possesion, the gourd full of immortaity pills, to save it, Chang’e downed the entire gourd. Because she consumed so many pills (it was meant to be shared with 2 people), she ended up floating to the sky — and even floated farther than Heaven! And landed on the moon, now fully immortal. When Hou Yi returned, he realized what had happened. Full of grief and greatly missing her, Hou Yi would begin to place offerings and cakes and food and fruits and incense as a way to honor Chang’e. The people soon took notice of Hou Yi’s actions and feeling sympathetic towards Hou Yi and Chang’e, they also partook in Hou Yi’s activities. So every year, people would honor Chang’e on the 15th day of the 8th month. Over the years, it became tradition and soon people began to worship the moon and Chang’e as a moon goddess. Thus Mid-Autumn Festival was born! Don’t worry, Chang’e may miss her husband but she’s not alone as she became BFFs with the Moon Rabbit (read below!) when she landed on the moon. Also, her husband eventually passed away because he was mortal BUT his spirit now resides in the Sun Palace in the Sun...so I’m not sure if they’re farther apart or closer now that neither of them live on Earth. Well, they can always meet up in Heaven if they travel there I guess haha.

Moon Rabbit Lore:
Not pictured is Chang’e’s BFF the moon rabbit. Known as the “Jade Rabbit” in China (玉兔 ; yùtù) but also “Moon Rabbit” sometimes (月兔; yuètù), she is also known as “tsuki no usagi” (月の兔 ; ‘moon rabbit’) in Japan and “daltokki” (달토끼; also ‘moon rabbit’) in Korea. It can be seen that the craters and crater formations on the moon looks like the shape of a rabbit pounding with her mortar and pestle making....something, but what she’s making depends on the country. China says that she’s making immortality pills. Japan says she’s making mochi. While Koreans believe she’s making teokk (rice cakes). In Chinese mythology, the origin of the Moon Rabbit is a bittersweet one. Once upon a time, there were three immortals who had reincarnated themselves into three poor, old people. They had come across a fox, a monkey, and a rabbit. The immortals had begged for food, and so the fox and the monkey gave them food, but since the rabbit had no food on her, she said “you can eat me” and jumped into a fire, sacrificing herself. Moved with compassion, they took the rabbit’s spirit and placed her on the moon as an immortal moon rabbit. Thus she became the Moon Rabbit and became associated with immortality because she makes immortality pills. So when Chang’e arrived, they lived in the Moon Palace together. She actually gives those immortality pills to Chang’e for her to send to Heaven (according to the Journey to the West). So on this day of Mid-Autumn Festival/Chuseok/Otsukimi, the moon and rabbits have been closely associated together, so in East Asia (and Southeast Asia) we associate rabbits with the moon and autumn/fall unlike in the West who associate rabbits with Easter/springtime. Also, I’m so sorry Westerners, I know Westerners celebrate Thanksgiving in the fall but.....rabbits > turkey and mooncakes > pumpkin pie. Just sayin’ XD (jk jk lol)

Artist’s Note: Chang’e in this drawing is pictured wearing Tang Dynasty clothing and makeup. While Tang Dynasty is c. 600 AD, the origins of Chang’e and her story date back to Chinese folk religion which is before Tang Dynasty (the actual date of when her story is written is unknown). The reason why I drew Chang’e in Tang Dynasty clothing is because that’s the only type of Hanfu the artist knows how to draw lol So...disclaimer I guess? I know my Chinese history I just wanted to draw her in a Tang Dynasty Hanfu lol. Also ‘cause Tang Dynasty Hanfu is easy to draw in and super recognizable (and aesthetic lol).

Thanks for sticking around! Stay safe! And celebrate well! May all your wishes come true! 🐇🌙🐇🌙🐇🌙🐇🌙🐇🌙

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Description

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! That’s Zhōngqiū Jié or 中秋节 in Mandarin! Here’s a drawing of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang’e (嫦娥), as she’s associated with this Chinese festival. If you’re Korean, Happy Chuseok! And if you’re Japanese, Happy Otsukimi!

Mid-Autumn Festival:
The Mid-Autumn Festival is China’s second largest festival (after the Spring Festival/Chinese New Year) and is celebrated in China and Chinese communities/Overseas Chinese communities all over the world (including where I live in Malaysia as I’m not mainland Chinese). We celebrate the full moon, the harvest, and much like Thanksgiving in the Western world, we gather and celebrate with our families (not possible currently due to the pandemic) and give thanks. We eat delicious desserts called Mooncakes and here in Malaysia (and Singapore and Indonesia) we also call it the Lantern Festival as we play with lanterns (though this is no longer possible due to quarantine restrictions). The Mid-Autumn Festival had initially started out as a religious event to worship the moon goddess, Chang’e, from hundreds of years ago due to Chinese folk religion but has lost its religious value over the years and has become more of tradition rather than religion today, but I don’t mind. As long as I get to eat mooncakes haha and gaze at the pretty full moon (though I have to do it from my window, unfortunately). While Chang’e is no longer seen as a religious figure, we know her as a character from a famous folktale. Since, Mid-Autumn Festival began with the worship of Chang’e, the folktale of how Chang’e became a moon goddess is said to be the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival!

The Story of Chang’e and the origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival:
(note that different versions say different things, I grew up with this one).
There was once a deity and archer named Hou Yi (后羿) who had a wife named Chang’e. One day, the sun goddess Xihe (羲和) gave birth to 10 suns. But because 10 suns was too scorching for the Earth and the people were dying, the Jade Emperor sent Hou Yi to deal with the suns. At first, Hou Yi used his arrows to intimidate the suns into backing down, but when he was ignored, Hou Yi shot for real and killed 9 out of 10 suns, leaving one in the sky. When Xihe heard that Hou Yi had killed 9 of her children, she was mad and ordered the Jade Emperor to punish Hou Yi. So Hou Yi and Chang’e were stripped of their godhood and immortality and no longer lived in Heaven but on Earth has mortals and humans. However they were graciously given a gourd full of immortality pills in case they ever need it again. This was their more prized possession. Hou Yi became an adventurer and demon slayer and therefore travelled often. While out on day, a bunch of robbers came into Hou Yi and Chang’e’s home. Fearing that the robbers would steal their most prized possesion, the gourd full of immortaity pills, to save it, Chang’e downed the entire gourd. Because she consumed so many pills (it was meant to be shared with 2 people), she ended up floating to the sky — and even floated farther than Heaven! And landed on the moon, now fully immortal. When Hou Yi returned, he realized what had happened. Full of grief and greatly missing her, Hou Yi would begin to place offerings and cakes and food and fruits and incense as a way to honor Chang’e. The people soon took notice of Hou Yi’s actions and feeling sympathetic towards Hou Yi and Chang’e, they also partook in Hou Yi’s activities. So every year, people would honor Chang’e on the 15th day of the 8th month. Over the years, it became tradition and soon people began to worship the moon and Chang’e as a moon goddess. Thus Mid-Autumn Festival was born! Don’t worry, Chang’e may miss her husband but she’s not alone as she became BFFs with the Moon Rabbit (read below!) when she landed on the moon. Also, her husband eventually passed away because he was mortal BUT his spirit now resides in the Sun Palace in the Sun...so I’m not sure if they’re farther apart or closer now that neither of them live on Earth. Well, they can always meet up in Heaven if they travel there I guess haha.

Moon Rabbit Lore:
Not pictured is Chang’e’s BFF the moon rabbit. Known as the “Jade Rabbit” in China (玉兔 ; yùtù) but also “Moon Rabbit” sometimes (月兔; yuètù), she is also known as “tsuki no usagi” (月の兔 ; ‘moon rabbit’) in Japan and “daltokki” (달토끼; also ‘moon rabbit’) in Korea. It can be seen that the craters and crater formations on the moon looks like the shape of a rabbit pounding with her mortar and pestle making....something, but what she’s making depends on the country. China says that she’s making immortality pills. Japan says she’s making mochi. While Koreans believe she’s making teokk (rice cakes). In Chinese mythology, the origin of the Moon Rabbit is a bittersweet one. Once upon a time, there were three immortals who had reincarnated themselves into three poor, old people. They had come across a fox, a monkey, and a rabbit. The immortals had begged for food, and so the fox and the monkey gave them food, but since the rabbit had no food on her, she said “you can eat me” and jumped into a fire, sacrificing herself. Moved with compassion, they took the rabbit’s spirit and placed her on the moon as an immortal moon rabbit. Thus she became the Moon Rabbit and became associated with immortality because she makes immortality pills. So when Chang’e arrived, they lived in the Moon Palace together. She actually gives those immortality pills to Chang’e for her to send to Heaven (according to the Journey to the West). So on this day of Mid-Autumn Festival/Chuseok/Otsukimi, the moon and rabbits have been closely associated together, so in East Asia (and Southeast Asia) we associate rabbits with the moon and autumn/fall unlike in the West who associate rabbits with Easter/springtime. Also, I’m so sorry Westerners, I know Westerners celebrate Thanksgiving in the fall but.....rabbits > turkey and mooncakes > pumpkin pie. Just sayin’ XD (jk jk lol)

Artist’s Note: Chang’e in this drawing is pictured wearing Tang Dynasty clothing and makeup. While Tang Dynasty is c. 600 AD, the origins of Chang’e and her story date back to Chinese folk religion which is before Tang Dynasty (the actual date of when her story is written is unknown). The reason why I drew Chang’e in Tang Dynasty clothing is because that’s the only type of Hanfu the artist knows how to draw lol So...disclaimer I guess? I know my Chinese history I just wanted to draw her in a Tang Dynasty Hanfu lol. Also ‘cause Tang Dynasty Hanfu is easy to draw in and super recognizable (and aesthetic lol).

Thanks for sticking around! Stay safe! And celebrate well! May all your wishes come true! 🐇🌙🐇🌙🐇🌙🐇🌙🐇🌙

—
Follow me on:
Instagram
Twitter
Reddit