73 pages • 2 hours read
Sue Lynn TanDaughter of the Moon Goddess
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Cultural Context: Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival (known in Chinese as 中秋节) is one of the major holidays in Chinese culture. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, which usually falls in September or October of the Gregorian calendar. Also known as the Moon Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family, feasting, and other celebrations.
Mooncakes are an iconic traditional food for the Mid-Autumn Festival. They originated in the Yuan dynasty as a way for rebels to pass secret messages in order to overthrow the Yuan dynasty (Jiang, Fercility. “What Is the Origin of Mid-Autumn Festival? A Brief History.” China Highlights, China Highlights, 30 Aug. 2022). In modern times, families gather together to look at the moon (usually full or nearly full, and often a harvest moon) and think of relatives who are far away. This is something that protagonist Xingyin often does once she leaves home, seeking comfort and thinking of her family, with whom she wants nothing more than to reunite. Historically, people who celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival worshiped the Moon Goddess, Chang’e, who is Xingyin’s mother and her major source of 
