The Story of the Moon Festival: The Legend of Chang'e 

The story of Chang'e, the Moon Goddess, is central to the Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated across many Asian cultures.

Long ago, ten suns rose in the sky, scorching the Earth and making life unbearable. Hou Yi, a skilled archer, was called upon to save the world. He shot down nine of the suns, leaving only one to provide light and warmth. As a reward, the Queen Mother of the West gave Hou Yi an elixir of immortality. However, Hou Yi did not want to leave his beloved wife, Chang'e, so he decided to keep the elixir hidden.

One day, when Hou Yi was away, his apprentice tried to steal the elixir. To protect it, Chang'e drank the potion herself. Immediately, she began to float up to the heavens and eventually settled on the moon, where she became the Moon Goddess.

Heartbroken, Hou Yi would lay out her favorite foods and gaze at the moon, hoping to see his wife again. This tradition of moon worship and the offering of mooncakes to Chang'e has continued, becoming a central part of the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.