The Lord returned home after a long day of hunting, a deer on his horse and a bow on his back. His apprentice had stayed behind, feeling unwell. He rode slowly through the forest, closed his eyes, and felt the warm sunlight on his face. He opened his eyes to a full moon rising. Time to make offerings and pray for peace, good weather, a bountiful harvest. And a child with his beloved wife. He smiled.
As he approached, the house was quiet. Too quiet. He dismounted in the empty courtyard. “Feng Meng?” he called. Silence. He went to his apprentice’s quarters. The room was empty, shelves bare. He picked up his pace to the main building. The dining hall was still. Chairs pushed back, a cup overturned on the table. “Chang’e?” he yelled. No answer. He rushed to their bedroom. Clothes scattered, drawers open. On the floor, red stains. Blood.
He picked up a small, empty bottle. The elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. It was only enough for one. He had never taken it. No torture could be worse than facing an eternity without the love of his life. Realization struck him like an ice-cold wave. His apprentice wanted the elixir and his beloved stopped him. He could see it all—his frantic searching, his threats, her desperation, her decision to drink it. Her sacrifice to keep it away from evil hands.
He stumbled into the courtyard, collapsed to the ground, and stared up at the moon. He had never seen it so full, so bright. He knew she was there, alone. Forever. “Chang’e,” he whispered. He closed his eyes and felt the cool moonlight on his face. Tears fell quietly. As years passed, his hair turned gray, his face lined with age and sorrow. The moon remained unchanged. Eternally radiant and beautiful. Eternally alone.
經過一天的狩獵，君王身掛弓箭，馬背上馱著獵捕到的鹿，踏上了歸途。他的徒弟因為身體不適留在家裡，未能與他同行。他慢慢地騎馬穿過森林，閉上眼睛，感受溫暖的陽光照在臉上。再次睜開眼睛時，滿月已經升起。看來該是去祭拜的時候了，祈求平安順遂、風調雨順與五穀豐登，更祈求他與愛妻能早日擁有一個孩子。想到這裡，他不禁露出一抹微笑。
當他回到家時，屋內靜悄悄的，一點聲音也沒有。有點太安靜了。他在空蕩蕩的院子裡下了馬。「蓬蒙？」他喊道。沒有回應。他走到徒弟的房間，房間空無一人，架子上也空空如也。他加快腳步走向主屋。餐廳裡一片寂靜，椅子被推到一旁，桌上有一個翻倒的杯子。「嫦娥？」他大喊。依然沒有回應。他衝向他跟嫦娥的臥室，只見衣服散落一地，抽屜敞開。地上染上了紅色的污漬。是血。
他撿起一個小空瓶。那是西王母娘娘賜予的長生不老藥。藥的份量只夠一個人服用，他卻從未想過要使用它。因為沒有什麼比摯愛不能永遠陪在身邊還要來得痛苦。一瞬間，他想通了到底發生什麼事，冰冷的現實如同寒潮般席捲而來。他的徒弟想要長生不老藥，而他的摯愛阻止了他。整個過程如同跑馬燈般浮現在他眼前——他的瘋狂搜尋、他的威脅、她的絕望，以及她喝下藥的決心。她的犧牲是為了保護長生不老藥不被惡勢力染指。
他跌跌撞撞地走到院子裡，倒在地上，仰望著那輪明月。他從未見過如此圓滿、明亮的月亮。他知道她在那裡，孤獨一人，直到永遠。「嫦娥……」他對月細語。他閉上眼睛，感受著臉上涼爽的月光，淚水靜靜地流下。歲月流逝，他的頭髮漸漸斑白，臉上布滿了歲月和悲傷的痕跡。而月亮依舊不變，永遠光輝燦爛，永遠孤獨。
Epilogue 故事討論
The story of Chang’e’s sacrifice and Lord Hou Yi’s loss became legend. During the Moon Festival, families gather under the full moon to remember her ascent to the heavens. They share mooncakes that symbolize reunion, and in Taiwan, enjoy barbecues under the moon and make pomelo peel hats. Children hear tales of Hou Yi, the archer who saved the world by shooting down nine suns and received an elixir of immortality. Though his story ended in solitude, the festival remains a time for reflection, prayer for peace, and hope for reunion under the brightest and fullest moon of the year.
嫦娥的犧牲以及后羿失去摯愛的故事成為了傳說。中秋節期間，家家戶戶都會在滿月下團圓，紀念嫦娥升天。他們分享著月餅，月餅象徵一家團圓，在台灣更會在月光下烤肉，並用柚子皮製作帽子。孩子們聽著后羿的故事——這位射落九個太陽拯救世界的弓箭手，並獲得了長生不老藥。雖然他的故事以孤獨告終，但中秋佳節，仍是一個讓人們靜心反思，祈求平安，更期盼著在一年中最明亮、最圓滿的月亮下與親友團聚的時刻。
Vocabulary 單字片語
1. Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節
2. mooncake 月餅
3. tale, legend 故事；傳奇
4. archer 弓箭手
5. sacrifice 犧牲
6. elixir 長生不老藥；鍊金藥
7. immortality 不死；不朽
8. solitude 孤獨；寂寞
9. reunion 再聯合；再相會
10. pomelo 柚子
11. barbecue 烤肉；燒烤
12. pray 祈求；祈禱
Idioms 相關成語
1. 嫦娥奔月 (Cháng’é bēn yuè)
“Chang’e’s ascent to the moon” is often used to describe someone who has achieved great success or fame.
2. 望月思人 (Wàng yuè sī rén)
“Looking at the moon, missing someone” expresses the longing and nostalgia felt for someone like Hou Yi’s heartbreak and longing for Chang’e.
3. 月圓人團圓 (Yuè yuán rén tuán yuán)
“Moon round, people in a round group” describes family reunions during Mid-Autumn or moon Festival.
4. 月滿則虧 (Yuè mǎn zé kuī)
“When the moon is full, it begins to wane” reminds us that even the most perfect situations are temporary and subject to change, like the waxing and waning of the moon.
Nigel P. Daly is a writer with a language learning newsletter called Chin-glish bilingual lab (https://ndaly.substack.com).
Cynthia Chen is a translator and writer specializing in blogs, scripts and articles.
