The Legend of Hou Yi and the Ten Suns
Long ago, in ancient China, there were ten suns in the sky, each taking its turn to illuminate the world. However, the suns grew restless and bored of their routine. One day, they decided to rise into the sky together, scorching the earth below with their intense heat.
The combined heat of the ten suns caused great suffering. Rivers dried up, crops withered, and people lived in constant fear. The legendary archer Hou Yi saw the plight of the people and decided that something needed to be done.
Hou Yi, known for his exceptional archery skills, took up his bow and arrows and ascended Kunlun Mountain. He looked at the ten suns in the sky and, with unwavering determination, began to shoot them down, one by one. The people watched in amazement and gratitude as the suns fell from the sky.
After shooting down nine of the suns, Hou Yi decided to spare the last one, realizing that the earth needed the warmth and light of at least one sun. As a reward for his heroism, the Queen Mother of the West presented him with the Elixir of Immortality.
Hou Yi, however, was not hasty in consuming the elixir. He loved his wife, Chang’e, dearly and wanted to share eternity with her. He hid the elixir away but word of its existence spread. Feng, one of Hou Yi’s apprentices, discovered the elixir and, consumed by greed, demanded that Chang’e hand it over.
Realizing that she couldn’t escape Feng’s grasp, Chang’e decided to take the elixir herself. As she consumed it, she felt her body becoming lighter and lighter until she floated into the sky. Chang’e ascended to the moon, where she remains to this day, accompanied only by the Jade Rabbit.
Hou Yi, devastated by the loss of his wife, grieved for her deeply. He continued to live as a hero, teaching archery to others and performing good deeds. The legend of Hou Yi and the ten suns became a revered tale in Chinese mythology, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil and the consequences of greed.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people in China and other East Asian countries celebrate the legend by gazing at the moon, where Chang’e is said to reside, and enjoying mooncakes to commemorate the heroic deeds of Hou Yi and the eternal love between him and Chang’e.