♥
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Mid-Autumn Celebration
The cell group celebrated Mid-Autumn at the field next to Opera Estate. It's down memory lane for me again!
When I stepped into the field, memories of playing on the field during recess, while waiting for the school bus, during house practices came into my mind. The place just brought so many beautiful memories for me. I was so happy at that time. The building and structure is now different after undergoing PRIME, but the feeling I got remains.
I looked around the area, with the familiar slope and houses surrounding it, I just love this place. I wanna live here!!!
We had mooncakes, lit my one and only lantern (the rest didn't bring theirs) and enjoyed tea. Ha! Not forgetting playing sparkers! It lit up the night with its splendid light that it produced. We had great fun!
The moon was gigantic with its light forming a brilliant circle around it. The bright moonlight lit up the dark field we were in, making sure that we could still see.
We wondered why we celebrated Mid-Autumn. Is it just a time for family and friends to gather? Or is it a time for everyone to have fun playing lanterns and stuff ourselves with goodies?
What's the origin or story behind Mid-Autumn Festival? Wah... there's so many different stories about it! Here's what I found out:
Story #1:
China is an agricultural country, and farming is closely related to the seasons. In ancient times, farmers worshipped the Earth God to pray for a good harvest, when they sowed the seeds in spring. This was known as spring worship. During autumn, farmers also worshipped the Earth God to thank him for giving them a good harvest. This was known as autumn reward. Since the 15'" month of the 8th month is the time when rice paddies are harvested, some people believe that the Mid Autumn Festival came from the autumn reward ritual.
Story #2:
Of course we have the famous story about the lady in the moon, Chang Er. Ha! I didn't know that she wanted to avoid living with a king who likes her forever so she swallowed immortality pills which the king gave and flew to the moon! When she reached the moon, there was an old man and a bunny. The old man was a god inside the moon and the bunny his pet. Their movements on the moon created the dark spots we saw on the moon. People worshiped or celebrate Mid-Autumn to remember Chang Er. Now Chang Er is stuck with an old man and a pet instead of all the riches of the world.
Stort #3:
The mooncakes come about to overthrow the Yuan dynasty led by the Mongolians. To do so, a Han Chinese rebel leader named Liu Fu Tong devised a scheme to arouse the Han Chinese to rise up against the ruling Mongols. He sought permission from Mongolian leaders to give gifts to friends as a symbolic gesture to honor the longevity of the Mongolian emperor.
These gifts were round mooncakes. Inside, Liu had his followers place pieces of paper with the date the Han Chinese were to strike out in rebellion -- on the fifteenth night of the eighth month. With the message spread, they set out to overthrow the Mongols, thus ending the Yuan dynasty.
Amazing huh that humans can come up with so many stories to create something. Humans are story tellers of all time. Sometimes big fat liars. Blah!
PROFILE ♥
Cynthia
Life is beautiful,
Dance like no one is watching,
Love like you will never get hurt,
Love like you will never get hurt,
Sing like no one is listening,
Live like it is heaven on earth,
Enjoy this day.
♥
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Mid-Autumn Celebration
The cell group celebrated Mid-Autumn at the field next to Opera Estate. It's down memory lane for me again!
When I stepped into the field, memories of playing on the field during recess, while waiting for the school bus, during house practices came into my mind. The place just brought so many beautiful memories for me. I was so happy at that time. The building and structure is now different after undergoing PRIME, but the feeling I got remains.
I looked around the area, with the familiar slope and houses surrounding it, I just love this place. I wanna live here!!!
We had mooncakes, lit my one and only lantern (the rest didn't bring theirs) and enjoyed tea. Ha! Not forgetting playing sparkers! It lit up the night with its splendid light that it produced. We had great fun!
The moon was gigantic with its light forming a brilliant circle around it. The bright moonlight lit up the dark field we were in, making sure that we could still see.
We wondered why we celebrated Mid-Autumn. Is it just a time for family and friends to gather? Or is it a time for everyone to have fun playing lanterns and stuff ourselves with goodies?
What's the origin or story behind Mid-Autumn Festival? Wah... there's so many different stories about it! Here's what I found out:
Story #1:
China is an agricultural country, and farming is closely related to the seasons. In ancient times, farmers worshipped the Earth God to pray for a good harvest, when they sowed the seeds in spring. This was known as spring worship. During autumn, farmers also worshipped the Earth God to thank him for giving them a good harvest. This was known as autumn reward. Since the 15'" month of the 8th month is the time when rice paddies are harvested, some people believe that the Mid Autumn Festival came from the autumn reward ritual.
Story #2:
Of course we have the famous story about the lady in the moon, Chang Er. Ha! I didn't know that she wanted to avoid living with a king who likes her forever so she swallowed immortality pills which the king gave and flew to the moon! When she reached the moon, there was an old man and a bunny. The old man was a god inside the moon and the bunny his pet. Their movements on the moon created the dark spots we saw on the moon. People worshiped or celebrate Mid-Autumn to remember Chang Er. Now Chang Er is stuck with an old man and a pet instead of all the riches of the world.
Stort #3:
The mooncakes come about to overthrow the Yuan dynasty led by the Mongolians. To do so, a Han Chinese rebel leader named Liu Fu Tong devised a scheme to arouse the Han Chinese to rise up against the ruling Mongols. He sought permission from Mongolian leaders to give gifts to friends as a symbolic gesture to honor the longevity of the Mongolian emperor.
These gifts were round mooncakes. Inside, Liu had his followers place pieces of paper with the date the Han Chinese were to strike out in rebellion -- on the fifteenth night of the eighth month. With the message spread, they set out to overthrow the Mongols, thus ending the Yuan dynasty.
Amazing huh that humans can come up with so many stories to create something. Humans are story tellers of all time. Sometimes big fat liars. Blah!
