Read Mid-Autumn Festival (Part 1/2)
You have seen Chinatown in the day. Mid-Autumn Festival Part 2/2 is about S.E.X in The City…
Nah… It’s Mid-Autumn Festival story telling time!
Just like any festivals, there are legends behind them. Do you know that a lady landed on the Moon first, long before Armstrong and his team made it to that satellite? This is about the legendary Chang’e (嫦娥), appearing with her sexy low-cut v-shape robe at Chinatown =P. Last year, China launched its first lunar probe, also named Chang’e 1 (嫦娥一号).
There are many beautiful legends about the Mid-Autumn Festival. A popular one is about an archer named Hou yi who shot down nine suns when ten of them appeared together one day, scorching the earth with heat. This guy fell in love with the beautiful Chang’e.
Due to the good deeds that Hou yi had done (well, shooting nine suns is no joke!), the Western Queen Mother rewarded him with the elixir. If both Hou yi and Chang’e shared the elixir, they would enjoy eternal life together; if only one of them took it, that one would ascend to Heaven and become immortal.
A wicked man overheard the conversation. He wanted that elixir to become an immortal. He killed Hou yi. To prevent the baddy from taking the elixir, Chang’e consumed all of it. When the elixir took effect, she was lifted towards Heaven. She chose to live on the Moon cos it is the nearest to Earth! She transformed herself into brilliant moonlight and offer good fortune to the people.
Did you see a rabbit next to Chang’e on the above pic? It’s the Moon rabbit (月兔) or Jade rabbit (玉兔) which is a companion of Chang’e. The Moon rabbit makes elixirs too! But according to the Japanese and Korean myths, it makes Mochi (glutinous rice cake). =_=”
Moncakes again?! There is also a legend! During the Yuan Dynasty (A.D.1280-1368), China was ruled by the Mongolians. Leaders from the preceding Sung Dynasty were unhappy with the foreign ruler, so they coordinated the rebellion without being discovered. How they did it?
Well, when the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, they made special cakes and baked into each cake was a message outlining the attack. On the full moon night, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the Mongolian government. Ming Dynasty was formed then. So, mooncake is said to commemorate the victory. What is in my mooncake now? Salted duck egg york…
On Mid-Autumn Festival, it’s about family reunion too. Chinatown is brighten up with decorative lights and red lanterns.
Street buskers singing and dancing to entertain the crowd.
Battery operated lanterns hanging on the bridge across Chinatown.
Decorative lights along the roadside.
Performers on stage for the Mid-Autumn celebration.
Chinatown Food Street. Yes, I am talking about Singapore Chinatown.
“Vote for your favourite lantern-making” contest.
Most of the materials used to make those lanterns are recycled materials like bottles and toilet paper rolls.
Decorative lightings of twelve lovely Chinese zodiac animal signs. These decorations are able to “dance”.
The twelve Chinese zodiac animal signs are horse, roaster, snake, dragon, tiger, rabbit, monkey, pig, dog, rat, sheep and ox.
BYE!
Read Mid-Autumn Festival (Part 1/2)| Singapore Chinatown | Singapore Attractions
time to have some mooncakes! 🙂
FIRST!
wow it’s so happening the mooncake festival there.
I can see lots of adorable and diff kinds of lantern
a good mooncake festival info there as well…
Never thought of posting a cover like urs…
A good one! Yeah~ 🙂
i LOOVEE those mooncakes, yum!
wow..i never knew mooncake festival in singapore is such a grand celebration!! have never experienced that yet!!
so nice..wish i was there..there’s ntg here in galway. T.T not even a full moon. huhu..
I’ve always been very interested in Chinese culture…a friend gave me a mooncake on Facebook as a gift and I didn’t know what it was for…now I understand! Very informative post and pretty pictures!
By the way, as far as Chinese zodiac goes…I’m the year of the snake…just wanted to throw that out there 😉
Great post ! But i still dont understand whats the connection between s.e.x in the city and the mooncacke festival !!??!! -_-
Great festival friend! I love those very colorful pictures!
I really love the photos here, soooooo colorful! I am very impressed!
seems like a load of fun! i enjoy the moon cakes but i didn’t know it was this big of a celebration!
Chinatown definitely look more happening and lively than my last visit there.
Chinatown looks like a fun place to be!!
Hi All! Yeah Mid-Autumn Festival is a big-time celebration among the Chinese too, other than Chinese New Year. But now, due to hectic city life, traditional festivals like this one is getting lesser crowd to celebrate together. And dude, S.E.X in the city has got nothing to do with Mid-Autumn Festival except that it’s located in Chinatown. XD
Beautiful shots! I love it!
I love the twelve Chinese zodiac animal signs, very colorful and cute!
the Mochi looks delicious Eunice. Is it? can I find one there even after the festival? wonder iof we have some in the Philippines. I really donno….
@Neolle, Asian Traveler: This is a colourful festival with lot of lanterns and decorative lights.
@Antonio: Ha! Those are mooncakes! Not mochi, which is glutinous rice cake. Yes, sometimes I still see some bakeries selling mooncakes in Singapore, especially at those traditional bakeries. I do see a bakery selling mooncakes at Singapore Changi Airport on normal days too!
以前你的部落很少看到你的照片hor, 可是最近好像越来越多wor..哈哈！
酱才对嘛, 好的东西是要跟大家一起分享的. 哈哈！
All these great festivals seem to have fantastic colour and superb food in common.
i received a box of those mooncakes from my boss…yummy. would love to visit chinatown for the festival also
@Mark H: Agreed! I wonder which festivals are not colourful?
@阿谁: 因为我不会camwhore，不像你嘛呵呵!比较旧的posts有很多我的照片的，是你没有visit而已，还敢说!
@Backpacking: I have been eating mooncakes till today! Still have alot in my fridge!!
Great pictures, Eunice. I love it when cities decorate themselves festively, as we do for Christmas here in the states.
So Chang’e got to the Moon via an elixir? Interesting! Did you know Cyrano de Bergerac described seven different methods of travelling to the Moon? One of them consisted of standing on an iron plate, then throwing a large magnet up into the air. Naturally, the iron plate that you are standing on will rise up into the air until it connects with the magnet. Then you throw the magnet into the air again, higher and higher, over and over, until you find yourself on the Moon!
omg those colorful lanterns are sooo beautiful!
Can you list down all the festivals in Singapore and which one is your most favorite?
Singapore’s Chinatown is so lively and colorful on Mid Autumn Fest. Enjoying your photos so much!
Btw, I got a tag for you, Eunice. You can see it if you have time. Take care, sweet lady!
@Chuck: LOL! Will he be crash in between the two large magnets when they stick together?! HAHA! Entertaining =D
@Ellisa: Homework for me? =P HA! All festivals refer to all who stay in Singapore and celebrated that. That’s hard as Singapore is a cosmopolitan city! I like festivals that are also public holidays in Singapore! =P
I think my favourite is Chinese New Year, afterall, it is the most important celebration for the year among the Chinese!
@Tita Beng: Yes, it’s colourful. =)
Very nice indeed.
Rich Culture in Singapore.
Malaysia one not happening for this year ><
Another nice post on mid-autumn festival. Man, your photos look swell! More reasons for me to invest in a better camera than my Panasonic Lumix point and shoot. Are there any easy to use DSLRs that is good for amateurs?
really nice post.. keep it up
love it…….