It is said that the Mid-Autumn Festival originated in ancient times, became popular in the Han Dynasty, was finalized in the early Tang Dynasty, and became popular after the Song Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an autumn seasonal custom, and most of the festival elements contained in it have ancient origins. In our understanding, Chang'e, Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang are all characters from ancient Mid-Autumn Festival legends, so "Chang'e Flying to the Moon", "Wu Gang Cutting Gui" and "Jade Rabbit Pounding Medicine" are all legends about the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Jingwei’s reclamation of the sea comes from the "Book of Mountains and Seas Beishan Jing" and is one of the ancient Chinese myths and legends. It has nothing to do with the legend of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Story content of "Jingwei Reclamation":
Emperor Yan had a daughter named Nvwa. The girl was very well-behaved and Emperor Yan regarded her as the apple of his eye. Emperor Yan is always busy and has no time to accompany the girl. When he was not at home, the girl played alone, but she really wanted her father to take her to the East China Sea where the sun rose.
The girl looked at the free bird and was very envious. She couldn't help but walk out of the house and follow the bird to the east. Unknowingly, the girl came to the East China Sea. The East China Sea is so vast! The waves lapped happily on the rocks, and the golden sunshine dotted the sea. The girl was fascinated by it.
When the girl saw a small boat moored on the shore, she jumped on it without hesitation and rowed towards the place where the sun rose. At this time, a huge wave severely overturned the girl's boat, and the girl fell into the sea. The girl shouted for help: "Help! Help!"
The East China Sea laughed ferociously. : "Girl, girl, with your own strength, how can you withstand my wind and waves?" The girl was eventually swallowed by the ruthless sea water, and could no longer see her dear father, and her body sank to the bottom of the sea. The fish on the seabed gathered around her sympathetically and sighed, such a vivid life withered and died like this.
After the baby girl died, she turned into a beautiful bird. This little bird hovered over the East China Sea, emitting a mournful cry of "Jingwei Jingwei", so people called it Jingwei.
Because she hated the ruthless Donghai for taking her life, and in order to prevent Donghai from harming other innocent lives, she vowed to fill it up. From then on, she kept picking up pebbles and twigs and throwing them into the East China Sea.
Donghai asked Jingwei: "Why do you hate me so much? Jingwei said sadly and angrily, because you took away my precious life, and you will take away more innocent lives, so I must Fill you to the ground." Donghai stopped talking, and used stronger sea wind and turbulent waves to blow away all the pebbles and twigs that Jingwei carried.
However, Jingwei did not give up, he still persisted and never stopped. Later, a handsome petrel was moved by Jingwei's perseverance, and he married her. To this day, the descendants of Jingwei and Haiyan are still fighting in the turbulent East China Sea and have never given up.
The content of the stories of "Chang'e Flying to the Moon", "Wu Gang Cutting Gui" and "Jade Rabbit Pounding Medicine": 1. Wu Gang won the laurel
Wu Gang, the guard of Nantianmen, and Chang'e in the moon They were very close friends, but he often neglected his duties because he was worried about meeting Chang'e. When the Jade Emperor found out, he was furious and sent Wu Gang to the moon to cut down a big tree called laurel. He also said that if Wu Gang did not cut down the laurel tree, he would not be able to return to Nantianmen and meet Chang'e.
Wu Gang chopped and chopped, from winter to summer, for half a year. Seeing that the tree was about to be chopped down, the Jade Emperor sent a crow to the laurel tree, and with a "swish" sound, the tree was cut down. Wu Gang took the coat hanging on the tree in his mouth. Wu Gang immediately put down his ax and chased the crow. After the clothes were recovered, Wu Gang returned to the tree and saw that all the branches and leaves that had been cut had grown back on the tree. From then on, whenever Wu Gang was about to chop down all the branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree, the crow would stand on the tree and scream "Wow!" Wu Gang only had to stop the ax and look at it, and the tree would grow branches and leaves again.
In this way, year after year, Wu Gang could not cut down the laurel tree. And only on August 16th every year, a leaf falls from the moon to the ground. Whichever family is the most diligent will have golden leaves floating to them, and that family will have endless wealth. 2. Chang'e flew to the moon
A long time ago, Hou Yi achieved merit by shooting the sun. Soon, Hou Yi married a beautiful and kind-hearted wife named Chang'e. People are envious of this talented and beautiful couple. One day, Hou Yi went to Kunlun Mountain and met the Queen Mother, and asked the Queen Mother for a pack of elixir. It is said that if you take this medicine, you can immediately ascend to heaven and become an immortal. However, Hou Yi was reluctant to leave his wife, so he had to temporarily give the elixir to Chang'e for collection. Chang'e hid the medicine in the treasure box on the dressing table, but Pengmeng saw it. Three days later, Hou Yi went out hunting, but Peng Meng, who had evil intentions, pretended to be sick and stayed behind. Soon after Hou Yi left, Peng Meng broke into the backyard of the inner house with a sword and forced Chang'e to hand over the elixir. Chang'e knew that she was no match for Peng Meng. In the critical moment, she made a prompt decision, turned around, opened the treasure box, took out the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp. Chang'e swallowed the medicine, and her body immediately floated off the ground, rushed out of the window, and flew to the sky. Because Chang'e cared about her husband, she flew to the moon closest to the world and became an immortal.
Later Hou Yi missed his wife, so he sent people to the back garden that Chang'e loved, set up an incense table, put the sweetmeats and fresh fruits that Chang'e loved to eat, and offered sacrifices to Chang'e in the moon palace.
After the people heard the news that Chang'e flew to the moon and became an immortal, they all set up incense tables under the moon and prayed to the kind-hearted Chang'e for good luck and peace. From then on, the custom of worshiping the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival spread among the people. 3. The Jade Rabbit Pounds Medicine
Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a pair of rabbits who had practiced spiritual practice for thousands of years and became immortals. They have four lovely daughters, all of whom are pure white and smart.
One day, the Jade Emperor summoned the male rabbit to go to the Heavenly Palace. He reluctantly left his wife and children and went to the Heavenly Palace on the clouds. Just when it came to the Nantian Gate, it saw Taibai Jinxing leading the generals escorting Chang'e away. The Rabbit Fairy didn't know what happened, so he asked a god guarding the Tianmen next to him. After hearing what happened to her, the Rabbit Fairy felt that Chang'e had suffered innocently and sympathized with her. But with little strength, what can I do to help? Thinking of how lonely and sad Chang'e was when she was locked up in the moon palace alone, it would be great if she had someone to accompany her. Suddenly, she thought of her four daughters, and she immediately ran home. The Rabbit Fairy told the female rabbit what happened to Chang'e, and said that she wanted to send a child to keep Chang'e company. Although the female rabbit deeply sympathized with Chang'e, she was reluctant to part with her precious daughter. This was like cutting off the flesh of her heart! The daughters were also reluctant to leave their parents, and they all burst into tears. The male rabbit said earnestly: "If I were locked up alone, would you be willing to accompany me? In order to save the people, Chang'e was implicated. Can we not sympathize with her? My child, we can't just think of ourselves!"
The children understood their father’s intention and expressed their willingness to go. The male and female rabbits smiled with tears in their eyes. They decided to let their youngest daughter go. So the Little Jade Rabbit bid farewell to his parents and sisters and went to the Moon Palace to accompany Chang'e in making medicine!
"Chinese civilization is broad and profound" I hope everyone will not confuse the content of the story and the inspiration it gives us while studying.