Once upon a time, there was a great archer named Houyi.He saved the world by shooting down 9 suns, leaving just one to keep everything alive. People lived happily, but Houyi angered the Emperor of Heaven by killing the Sun Prince. As punishment, Houyi and his wife Chang'e were sent to live as mortals on Earth.
On Earth, Houyi taught people how to hunt and spent every day with Chang'e. He said, "Though life here is free, we mortals will die someday. To live forever, we must cross a Weak Water, climb a fiery mountain, and reach Kunlun to ask the Queen of Heaven for the elixir of immortality."
One day, Houyi reached theQueen of Heaven and got the elixir. It could make two people live forever if shared, or turn one into an immortal if taken alone. He brought it home to Chang'e, planning to share it later. But his wicked pupil, Pangmeng, saw this.
One day, while everyone was away, Pangmeng forced Chang'e to give him the Elixir. In despair, Chang'e swallowed it all and flew out the window, soaring towards the moon. When Houyi returned, his servants told him the news.
Houyi was very sad and angry. He took out his sword to find Pengmeng, but he had already run away. Houyi looked up at the bright moon and saw a shadow that looked like Chang'e. He set up an altar in the garden with Chang'e's favorite foods to honor her in the moon.
People heard about this and started to worship the moon too. That's how the Mid-Autumn festival began, with mooncakes and family gatherings under the bright moonlight.
从前，有一位名叫后羿的伟大射手。他射下了九个太阳，只留下一个让万物得以生存，因此拯救了世界。人们过着幸福的生活，但后羿因射杀了太阳王子而激怒了天帝。作为惩罚，后羿和他的妻子嫦娥被贬到人间，过起了凡人的生活。
在人间，后羿教会了人们狩猎，并每天都与嫦娥相伴。他说：“虽然这里的生活自由自在，但我们凡人终有一死。要想长生不老，我们必须渡过弱水，翻越火山，到达昆仑山，向王母娘娘求取长生不老药。”
有一天，后羿终于见到了王母娘娘，并得到了长生不老药。若两人分享，就能长生不老;若一人独食，则能羽化登仙。他将药带回家给嫦娥，打算日后共享。但他的恶徒逄蒙却看到了这一切。
有一天，趁大家都不在时，逄蒙逼迫嫦娥交出长生不老药。绝望之下，嫦娥吞下了整颗药，随后飞出窗外，向月亮飞去。后羿回来后，侍女们告诉了他这一噩耗。
后羿既伤心又愤怒，他拔出剑去寻找逄蒙，但蓬蒙早已逃之夭夭。后羿抬头望向明亮的月亮，发现月影中似乎有嫦娥的身影。于是，他在花园里设下祭坛，摆上嫦娥最爱吃的食物，以遥祭月宫中的嫦娥。
人们听说了这件事后，也开始祭拜月亮。就这样，中秋节诞生了，人们在这一天会吃月饼、赏月、与家人团聚。