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KUALA LUMPUR - Through the ages the human race has long linked the moon to romanticism and mysticism. The Chinese also relate the planet to lunacy and more auspiciously to time-cycles such as the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. In Malaysia, there is no autumn, so Zhong Qui Jie is called the Mooncake Festival or the Lantern Festival. From folklore to professional astronomy, the tale goes that the moon circulates with precision around our Mother Earth, weaving profound magnetic influences and impact on our behaviour and environment. Indeed, apart from turning the tides of the seas, the moon evokes many cultural guises and occult influences. On Oct 3, some 1.64 billion adherents to the Chinese traditional religions will spend the night time, gazing at the sky, if weather permits, to behold the full moon in all its rounded and radiant glory. The majority of the global Chinese community will pay cultural homage to the silent planet that borrows light from the awesome Sun.  Yet, introspectively the image of the Moon never fails to bring forth its religious symbolism and centuries-old revolving legends that often blur the boundaries between fiction and truth. The Moon is not just about great mysticism, but as a matter of fact, the Chinese calendar which originated around 2100 BCE during the Sia imperial dynasty is also a calculated combination of the solar (sun-yang) and the lunar (moon-yin) calendar. Mooncake or lantern festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and is one of the 22 popular Chinese festivals in Malaysia. The festival springs from the legend of the Moon Goddess Chang Er, which has been passed from generation to generation for centuries in Chinese families. Overthrowing the Mongolian rulers But it is more than a just another folklore. It is also a historical commemoration that marks the successful Chinese rebellion against the Mongolians rule in the 14th century China (1368AD). During the Yuan dynasty (AD1280-1368), secret messages depicting a strategic outline of attack were placed inside moon cakes and widely distributed, helping to overthrow the unpopular Mongolian rule. This gave rise to the establishment of the Ming dynasty, which ruled between AD1368-1644. It was said that a Han Chinese rebel Zhu Yuanzhang devised the plan to rally his fellow countrymen in overthrowing the Mongolians. He successfully sought Mongolian imperial permission to give away round cakes in honour of the 15th emperor Toghon Temur. Weeks before the Harvest Mid-Autumn festival, Zhu distributed the pastries, which each contained piece of paper with the date for the Han people to launch their rebellion. The rebellion was a success and Zhu was declared the emperor. He established the Ming dynasty and since then, moon cakes are given and eaten by Chinese families to commemorate his legendary feat. Mu Wu Kang and the cassia tree Another popular folklore associated with the Lantern festival was the story of Man Wu Kang, an apprentice who craved for immortality but was banished to the moon by his master as a punishment for his impatience and discontent. Wu Kang was told he had to cut down a huge cassia tree before he could return to earth. But each time he chopped the magical tree, it restored itself and the legend says Wu is still up in the moon chopping away at the tree. The Moon Goddess and her Brave Archer But it was the fascinating story of the Moon Goddess, Chang Er, that remains addictive and extraordinary, tugging at hearts of the young and the old for centuries. A famous poet Li Shangyin who lived during the Tang dynasty (C813-858) dedicated a poem to Chang Er, the Moon Goddess. He wrote: Chang Er, remorseful for having stolen the elixir Nightly pines amid the vast sea of the blue sky Chang Er’s tale began during the reign of the Emperor Yao after the fall of Emperor Huang Di’s rule. One version describes how 10 suns filled the sky during Yao’s rule, symbolising the anger of the immortal deities in Heaven, who were moved by the people’s suffering. Millions died of hunger and thirst. Grass and trees were scorched. The Emperor then ordered a famous archer by the name of Hou Yi to shoot down nine of the 10 suns, which he managed to do. One day Hou Yi met a charming village girl Chang Er, who was walking home along a stream holding a bamboo water container. The archer Hou Yi approached Chang Er for a drink and when she saw her hero with the red arrows and bow hanging from his belt, it was love at first sight. They lived in married bliss for a while but realizing their mortality, Hou Yi decided to look for an elixir for everlasting life. According to the legend, Hou Yi managed to get a fine powder derived from the tree of Eternity due to his meritorious deeds and also, with the help of “western queen mother” or xiwangmu - a celestial goddess residing in ancient China’s Kunlun mountains. Hou Yi was told that he and his wife, Chang Er could share the elixir but only one of them could take it. That person would then ascend to Heaven and become immortal. The archer and his wife decided they would share the elixir together only on the 15th day of the lunar month, when the moon was full and bright. Wicked sorcerer However, as fate directed, a wicked sorcerer Pang Meng derailed their plan. Wishing to grab the elixir himself, Pang Meng planned the death of Hou Yi. Having killed the archer as he was on his way home from hunting, Pang Meng then ran to Chang Er and forced her to give him the elixir of life. In the struggle, Chang Er picked up the elixir and drank it all. Overcome with grief, she rushed to her husband’s dead body. Alas, the elixir had begun to bear effects and Chang Er felt herself being lifted towards Heaven, but decided to live on the moon because it is nearest to the earth. There Chang Er dwells in sorrow, accompanied by only a white rabbit. On the 15th night of the festival celebration, it is said her beauty once again shines upon the earth. As the legend concludes, never does Chang Er forget the deep love for Hou Yi and her heart remains in the world of mortals. While this sad tale of Chang Er and Hou Yi is a precursor to one of China’s oldest and most celebrated tradition, the moon cake festival also serves us to remind us that life is often at odds with our expectations. It is also one of the most iconic festivals, celebrating reunion between two lovers. Another Chinese festival - the Qi Xi or Chinese Lovers’ Day – also celebrates this on the 7th day of the 7th Moon. Reunion Today, the symbol of zhongquiejie stands for abundance and togetherness. In the agro-based rural regions, particularly in China, farmers celebrate this occasion after harvesting their produce at the end of summer. Their families come together in reunion to spend quality time with each other. In short, the legend of the Chang Er and Hou Yi is now truly celebrated as a festival of reunion with loved ones in modern times. The traditional rounded shape moon cake is a symbol of completeness of the full moon and evokes part of the old Chinese saying “pleasant flowers and round moon”. It also signifies family togetherness and happiness. Commercialised Filled with a rich variety of fillings within a golden crust, the choice is limitless ranging from salted egg yolk, nuts, melon seeds, lotus-seed paste, Chinese dates, almonds minced meat or orange peels. As a cultural practice today, moon cakes are given away to relatives and friends to strengthen goodwill and business ties. An expensive delicacy with hundreds of varieties, moon cakes are costly and have been exploited by commercialization. During the night of the celebration, temporary makeshift altars facing the moon are positioned and placed on the table. Moon cakes are piled with 13 pieces forming a pyramid, symbolising the 13 moons of a lunar year. Besides an urn for joss sticks and candles, other round-shaped fruits like apples, pomegranates, pomelos, grapes, small melons symbolising the moon and family unity are offered to Chang Er and the deities. Children carrying brightly-lit lanterns or floating sky lanterns are part of this festive celebration. Chinese clan associations and welfare associations organise fire dragon dances and dragon boat races, while families celebrate with reunion dinners. The next zhongquijie or mooncake or lantern festival will be celebrated on Sept 22 in 2010. - Malaysian Mirror
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