The Lantern Festival

Tuesday (06/09/2011)

a) The Lantern
Teacher: Why do you make lanterns?
Ying Qiao: It’s Lantern Festival.
Teacher: Why do you eat mooncakes?
Tzen Yu: Without Chang Er, there won’t be mooncakes.
Teacher: Who is Chang Er?
Rei: Chang Er is the Moon Godess. She swallowed some medicine and flew to the moon.

b) The Legend of Chang Er.
• Once upon a time, there were 9 suns in the sky. People suffered! Hou Yi; a good archer negotiated with the suns. They didn’t want to leave the sky. Thus, Hou Yi shot down the 9 suns. It was Chang Er who suggested not to shoot down the 10th. Sun. People need a sun for many good things. Chang Er and Hou Yi married. Jade Emperor awarded Hou Yi with 2 elixir pills. They kept it ear the ceiling safely. News spread and a bad guy came to steal the pills. To avoid that, Chang Er swallowed them and started flying out of the window and then to the moon. Hou Yi couldn’t chased her. Chang Er reached the Moon and vomited some pill out which legend said it turned into a Jade rabbit. Until today, the rabbit pounced making elixir pill but failed. Thus, Chang Er remained on the Moon. Hou Yi asked Jade Emperor’s permission to meet Chang Er but he became the Sun God. People believe that they only meet up on this day of “Lantern festival”.

c) Video Clip.
• We watched examples of Chang Er’s legend. We also watched The Lantern Festival in China which come in different shapes.
• The kids discussed on what activity to do.
Shawn: Can we colour pictures of Chang Er and Hou Yi?
• As the kids are doing lanterns in the morning, we shall be baking “Pig Mooncake” and a short storybook.