CHANG-OAlso known as HENG-O, CHANG-E, CHANG-ER
Goddess of the Moon and sister of River God [HE-BO].
The greedy wife of the ill-fated YI, she gulped down his share of Elixir of Life, leaving him with nothing. She may have heard the Elixir was great for losing weight — but when she became truly weightless and started floating up to Heaven, she began to regret her impulsiveness.Fearing Heavenly reprisals, she took refuge in the Moon and was transformed into a toad. There are many things beyond the comprehension of us mere mortals.
She remains to this day. All those dreamy moon songs and 'being over the moon'... and this sort of thing goes on behind our backs! "Give me the moonlight — give me the toad..."
As Lady of the Moon, CHANG-O glows with a brilliant eerie light and offers good fortune to those that remember her. Particularly during her festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, when prayers and offerings are most welcome. Occasionally she is allowed to visit Heaven, but an unfortunate experience with the amorous PIGSY left her reluctant to return.
Being separated from her husband YI, she's sympathetic to all lovers. That's why it's traditional for romantically-inclined couples to cuddle under the silvery moon.
Authors: Peter J Allen and Chas Saunders
References: Coming soon.
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Godchecker's article on Chang-o is based on material from ancient texts, original references and our own research. We strive for accuracy and update regularly with new information. If you spot a mistake please contact us and we'll try to fix it.
Location : China
Gender : Female
Type : Deity
Celebration or Feast Day : Unknown at present
Pronunciation : Ccharng Or
Alternative names : HENG-O, CHANG-E, CHANG-ER
Popularity index : 1114
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