The Epic Quest of Change A Journey Through Chinese
In ancient China, there lived a legendary goddess named Chang'e who resided on the moon with her loyal companion, a rabbit. According to myth, Chang'e was once an ordinary woman who consumed an elixir of immortality and ascended to the celestial realm.
The story begins with Chang'e's marriage to a mortal man named Zhāng Liè whose name means "Long Live." However, their happiness was short-lived as Zhāng became increasingly obsessed with gaining immortality and seeking power. He eventually discovered the elixir hidden in a peach tree guarded by Xiwangmu, Queen of Heaven.
When Zhāng attempted to retrieve the elixir for himself without permission from Xiwangmu, she punished him by sending him down to Earth where he perished in his quest for eternal life. Devastated by his loss and filled with regret for her husband's actions, Chang'e sought solace in solitude on the moon.
To keep herself occupied during her lunar exile, Chang'e took up archery as a pastime and became exceptionally skilled at it – so much so that she could hit any target from great distances without ever missing her mark. Over time, this skill earned her recognition among gods and mortals alike.
As centuries passed since her ascension onto the moon, humans began worshipping Chang'e as their patron deity associated with fertility and motherhood due to her maternal instincts towards all living beings under heaven despite being separated from them physically by vast distances – thus solidifying not only mythological status but also cultural significance within Chinese society through generations until today.
The Epic Quest of Chang'e: A Journey Through Chinese Mythology