THE MOON RABBIT

A family shares the story of the Moon Goddess.

On the evening of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a youngster named Meifung—apparently of Chinese descent—sees the shape of a rabbit in the moon and asks Mama to tell the story of Chang’e. Mama’s told the tale hundreds of times before, but she happily obliges, describing how, long ago, when 10 suns blazed in the sky, a beautiful woman named Chang’e and an archer called Houyi fell in love. When Chang’e lamented the scorching heat, Houyi used his magical arrows to shoot down nine of the suns. The Earth was now a perfect temperature, and the Queen Mother of the West rewarded Houyi with a potion for long life. Unwilling to live forever without his beloved, Houyi hid the potion away, but one day, the curious Chang’e found it and, not knowing what would happen, drank it. She rose up into the sky until she was one with the moon. Gazing up, Houyi often saw his wife chasing a rabbit; people today say that the rabbit and Chang’e “became one and the same.” They call her the Moon Goddess, blessing everyone from above. With this serenely told story complete, the modern-day family heads out to celebrate the holiday with lanterns that float up into the sky. Chuang’s accompanying artwork is a colorful blend of traditional Chinese and modern styles, depicting lush and magical scenes befitting the grand legend.

A handsome introduction to the Chinese Moon Festival’s origins and celebrations.