What is the story of Chang'e Flies to the Moon about?

Hou Yi, the archer who shot down nine suns, is given a magic pill by the Queen Mother of the West. He gives it to his wife Chang'e to keep. A thief tries to take it, so Chang'e swallows it and floats up to the moon, where a white rabbit keeps her company. Hou Yi sets out her favourite fruits under the moon every year, and that is how the Mid-Autumn Festival began.

Where does the legend of Chang'e come from?

The earliest version is one line in the Huainanzi, a Chinese text from the 2nd century BC: Yi got the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, and Chang'e stole it and fled to the moon. Later folk tales added the thief, the jade rabbit and the Mid-Autumn offering.

What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?

It falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is full, usually in September or October. Families gather, eat mooncakes and look at the moon together, and children hear the story of Chang'e. It is the second biggest festival in China after Chinese New Year.

Is there a Chinese version of Chang'e Flies to the Moon?

Yes. It is called 嫦娥奔月 (Cháng'é bēn yuè), “Chang'e flies to the moon.” This page has our Chinese retelling with Mandarin narration next to the English one.

Chang'e Flies to the Moon Story

Ages 3–6
English audio 1 min
Mandarin audio 2 min

Chang'e Flies to the Moon is a classic story from Chinese Myths and Legends for Kids, for children aged 3–6. This page has the English story with a native English narration (about 1 min), plus the Chinese version with Mandarin narration (about 2 min). Free to read and listen, no sign-up.

Hou Yi is given a magic pill, and when a thief comes for it, his wife Chang'e swallows it and floats up to the moon. The legend behind the Mid-Autumn Festival in simple English with narration, plus the Chinese version in Mandarin.

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A narrator, and a voice of its own for each character: Hou Yi, Chang'e, Peng Meng, the Jade Rabbit

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Read Chang'e Flies to the Moon

Long ago, Hou Yi shot down nine suns and saved the world. The Queen Mother of the West gave him a magic pill that could make him fly to the sky.

But Hou Yi loved his wife, Chang'e. "Keep it safe. I will stay with you," he said. She hid the pill in a box.

Hou Yi's student Peng Meng was a bad man. One day, when Hou Yi was out, Peng Meng ran in. "Give me the pill!" he shouted.

Chang'e would not let him have it. She swallowed the pill. "You will never get it!" she cried. Up she floated, into the sky.

She flew up to the moon. A white rabbit hopped over. "Don't be afraid. I will stay with you," it said.

Hou Yi came home and looked up. The moon was big and bright. "Chang'e!" he called. She was looking down at him.

Every year after that, Hou Yi put her favourite fruits under the moon. That is why families watch the moon at Mid-Autumn.

The Chinese version: 嫦娥奔月

很久很久以前，天上有十个太阳，后羿射下了九个，救了天下的人。西王母送给他一颗仙药，吃了就能飞上天去做神仙。

可是后羿舍不得离开妻子嫦娥。他把仙药交给嫦娥：“你替我收好，我哪儿也不去，要和你在一起。”嫦娥把仙药藏进了梳妆盒里。

后羿有个徒弟叫逢蒙，心眼很坏，一直想把仙药抢过来。八月十五这天，后羿出门打猎，逢蒙偷偷留了下来。他闯进屋里，凶巴巴地喊：“快把仙药交出来！”

嫦娥不肯让坏人拿到仙药。她打开盒子，一口把药吞了下去：“坏人休想拿到它！”她的身子一下子变得轻飘飘的，飘出窗子，一直向天上飞去。

嫦娥飞呀飞，飞到了月亮上。月亮上安安静静的，只有一只雪白的玉兔。玉兔蹦过来说：“别怕，我陪着你。”

后羿回到家，知道了这件事，又着急又难过。他抬头一看，月亮比平时更圆更亮，里面有个影子在轻轻地动。他大声喊：“嫦娥！”月亮上的嫦娥也正望着他。

从那以后，每年八月十五，后羿都在院子里摆上嫦娥爱吃的水果和点心，对着月亮说说话。人们也学着他，在中秋节的晚上一家人一起赏月、吃月饼。

Chang'e Flies to the Moon Story: the moral of the story

Chang'e gives up her home rather than let a bad man have the pill, and Hou Yi turns missing her into a gentle yearly ritual. When you miss someone, look up: they can see the same moon.

The original Chinese text of Chang'e Flies to the Moon

羿请不死之药于西王母，姮娥窃以奔月，怅然有丧，无以续之。

— 《淮南子·览冥训》

Our translation

Yi asked the Queen Mother of the West for the medicine of immortality. Heng'e stole it and fled to the moon, and he was left sad and empty, with no way to get it back.

— Huainanzi, “Lanming” (2nd century BC)

Chinese words in Chang'e Flies to the Moon

Play the Chinese narration and listen for these words. The pinyin shows the tones.

嫦娥cháng é
Chang'e
后羿hòu yì
Hou Yi
月亮yuè liang
moon
仙药xiān yào
magic pill, elixir
玉兔yù tù
jade rabbit
飞fēi
fly
中秋节zhōng qiū jié
Mid-Autumn Festival
月饼yuè bing
mooncake

For families learning Mandarin

Mandarin learning pack

Print the story, read it together, then listen and say it back. Made for heritage families and children learning Mandarin.

A printable PDF (3 pages): the Chinese story with pinyin over every character, the words to know, the English version, questions to talk about, and character writing practice.
Slow Mandarin audio (4 min): every sentence at a gentler pace, followed by a pause long enough to say it back.

Buy once, download again any time. The story itself stays free to read and hear. Try the free sample pack (The Tortoise and the Hare) first.

Page one of the Chang'e Flies to the Moon learning pack: the Chinese story with pinyin over every character

Bedtime storytelling tips

Read Peng Meng's line low and fast, then slow right down as Chang'e floats up. Let your child imagine her rising higher and higher.
Pause after Hou Yi calls “Chang'e!” and say the last line softly. Then ask what your family does on Mid-Autumn night.
The word moon comes up again and again. Each time, let your child point to the window or draw a circle in the air. In Chinese it is 月亮 (yuè liang).

Things to talk about afterwards

Why did Chang'e swallow the pill?
How did Hou Yi feel when he saw the moon? What did he do every year after that?
What would you do if you missed someone who was far away?

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Chang'e Flies to the Moon Story: common questions

What is the story of Chang'e Flies to the Moon about?: Hou Yi, the archer who shot down nine suns, is given a magic pill by the Queen Mother of the West. He gives it to his wife Chang'e to keep. A thief tries to take it, so Chang'e swallows it and floats up to the moon, where a white rabbit keeps her company. Hou Yi sets out her favourite fruits under the moon every year, and that is how the Mid-Autumn Festival began.
Where does the legend of Chang'e come from?: The earliest version is one line in the Huainanzi, a Chinese text from the 2nd century BC: Yi got the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, and Chang'e stole it and fled to the moon. Later folk tales added the thief, the jade rabbit and the Mid-Autumn offering.
What is the Mid-Autumn Festival?: It falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is full, usually in September or October. Families gather, eat mooncakes and look at the moon together, and children hear the story of Chang'e. It is the second biggest festival in China after Chinese New Year.
Is there a Chinese version of Chang'e Flies to the Moon?: Yes. It is called 嫦娥奔月 (Cháng'é bēn yuè), “Chang'e flies to the moon.” This page has our Chinese retelling with Mandarin narration next to the English one.

Source and how we retold it

The oldest record is a single line in the Huainanzi, chapter “Lanming” (览冥训), a Western Han text from the 2nd century BC: Yi obtained the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West, and Heng'e (later called Chang'e) stole it and fled to the moon. The text is in the public domain. The thief Peng Meng, the jade rabbit and Hou Yi setting out fruit under the moon come from later folk tradition. Our bedtime retelling follows that popular version, gives Chang'e a reason a child can understand (keeping the pill from a bad man), lets the rabbit keep her company, and ends with families watching the moon at Mid-Autumn.

The narration on this page is AI-generated: the English is read by our narrator and the Chinese by our narrator. The audio files are labeled as AI-generated.

If you liked Chang'e Flies to the Moon Story, there are more stories in Chinese Myths and Legends for Kids. You can also read this one to your child in your own voice.