Search 
Mid-Autumn Moonlight Market
The following description was submitted by the event organizer.
Join Lan Su to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with a bustling marketplace of local Asian businesses, mouth-watering food, and fun cultural performances. As the moon glows and the lanterns are raised, stay for illuminated lion dances, rabbit meet and greet, story time, and the world debut of adorable rabbit lantern sculptures from China.
In Chinese mythology, the Moon Goddess is named Chang’e, 嫦娥. There are many stories about Chang’e, including the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Chang’e was a beautiful woman married to an archer named Houyi 后羿. ten suns had risen into the sky and were scorching the earth, so Houyi shot down nine of them, leaving just one sun in the sky. As a reward, Houyi was given 2 elixirs that would grant immortality, which he gave to Chang’e to keep safe. While he was out hunting, his apprentice tried to steal the elixirs. Chang'e drank them and became immortal to keep the elixirs from the evil apprentice. She then flew to the moon to remain close to her husband. (Some versions of the story say that Chang’e stole the elixirs from her husband and escaped to the moon so he couldn’t find her). When Houyi found out, he made an altar and filled it with his wife’s favorite fruits and cakes and then took his own life. This is why when the full Moon appears during Mid-Autumn, some people will set up an altar for the worship of Chang’e with fruits and pastries.
Chang’e also has a companion with her, the Moon Rabbit 月兔, or Jade Rabbit 玉兔. In many Southeast Asian cultures, The Moon Rabbit sits with the Moon Goddess and creates herbs and elixirs in his mortar and pestle. If you look up at the full moon, you might be able to see the outline of the Moon Rabbit, which is hard at work.
Lan Su Chinese Garden expects over 1000 daily visitors. Get advanced tickets today to skip the line at the Mid-Autumn Festival Moonlight Market.