Long have we waited for Mid-Autumn Festival this year when the balmy (or, boiling?) summer goes, and the cool, refreshing fall falls. This is a day on which we witness the beauty of the Moon, Chang’e and we offer our best treats to her companion, Yutu(aka. the Jade Rabbit).
One of the many goodies among this offer is Mooncake, a traditional Chinese bakery well-received across the globe that is made in the shape of the Moon conveying the hope of union and the care for family and friends away.
There are all kinds of mooncakes you can give a try, and if you like, you may also bake a Stargazy Mooncake as you wish (which I personally recommend against doing so.) As in my case, one filling of Mooncake that has always been lingering in my mouth after tasting is mixed-nut mooncake (or Wuren Mooncake). Although disliked by many, its distinctive texture can capture my heart like no other: one tiny ‘crack‘ on it will spread the fragrance mixed directly into your mouth, and a second bite shall allow you more time to grind them and examine them with your tongue on your own. I believe it is the uniqueness that makes it stand out.
This is the best season to eat some nuts, and mixed-nut mooncakes present you with the best option to have them all at a time.
With mooncakes out of oven, it’s time we welcomed our heroine, Chang’e, and her intimate friend, Yutu! In the ancient Chinese myth, Chang’e is the symbol of courage and wisdom, beloved by her husband and her people. In our school, there are so many teachers deserving this credit, including our director, Ron, who had his student’s day darkened when she knew Ron wouldn’t be teaching her despite the fact that he has classes on all three floors. Nonetheless, Ron has a little bit different image other than that of Chang’e. So, I will accredit Ms. Sun Chen with such a title for her charm, cohesion, fearlessness, and selfless love and devotion to an act much more than teaching students. She’s got a smile, that will cure you in no time, she’s got the power, to enlighten the whole world, she’s got the ability, to make lemonade when life provides you with lemon. When her students were in trouble, she would come out the first and protect us making every possible effort, just like what Chang’e did in the face of Feng Meng’s attempt to steal the Elixir of Immortality. She devotes her evenings and weekends to us, imparting life experience and seeing us develop. She turns every lesson into a harmonious symphony in the joint effort of her and her students…
So, now that we’ve got familiar with Chang’e, who on earth could Yutu be? Well, this was a complicated question… until one day in April. Yutu is a cutie little bunny who has long lived on Moon. When Chang’e settled down near her, she was immediately enthralled by the charisma of Chang’e and moved to live with her ever since. This year marks an extraordinary and significant year in Dear Ms. Sun Chen’s life, and it’s so lucky and blessed that our Chang’e today met her Yutu. Needless to say, our Chang’e is also taken away by her angel.
This is where our story diverges from the original one: Our Chang’e is not only accompanied by her Yutu, but also encompassed by her Hou Yi (who is the husband of Chang’e). Although she’s as beautiful as the Moon, she no longer lives on the Moon. She is now in this world, just like every one of us, but with a heart of the Moon: providing delight when it is the night, purifying your heart as if she was the goddess.
On this special day, we would like to wish every teacher a happy and beautiful year, every family a content and united weekend. And dearest Ms Sun Chen a happy holiday with her baby!
Thank you for your reading.