Like many Chinese tradition, this one stems from ancient legend. A long time ago, 10 suns circled the earth. One day, all 10 suns appeared in the sky together and the heat caused a great drought. A famous archer named Hou Yi came to the rescue, shooting down nine of the suns and earning himself vast acclaim. The Emperor awarded him a beautiful wife, as well as an immortality pill. One day while Hou Yi was out, his wife ate the pill. She became a fairy and floated to the moon, leaving a heartbroken husband at home on Earth. The gods noticed the couple's deep love and sympathized, allowing them to meet on the 15th day of every eighth moon.
The other legend has it that Chinese patriots used mooncakes to overthrow the tyrannical Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) by embedding messages outlining the planned rebellion in the seemingly sweet delicacy and smuggling them to their allies.
In Singapore, it is a tradition celebrated by all ethnic Chinese. The mooncakes will be sold around 1st day of the 8th lunar month - so for this year, it will be 1st September onwards. We buy mooncakes as gifts to families and sometimes to business partners. Though, it is not a public holiday we still enjoy the pleasure of eating mooncakes. It is usually celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.
In Singapore and Malaysia, it is also called the Lantern Festival - At night, children accompanied by their parents will take out their laterns of different shapes and sizes, and walk around their neighbourhood and parks and just have fun. For some people who prefer to be with their loved ones and family, they will spent a romantic night together in their house garden or beaches or parks to enjoy looking at the sky with the brightest moon of the year.
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