English Original
Houyi, seeking perpetual youth, obtained the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West in the Kunlun Mountains. Upon returning, he confided this to his beloved wife Chang'e, a woman of graceful carriage and unparalleled beauty.
One day, while Houyi was away, Chang'e secretly swallowed the elixir, hoping to become immortal. Unexpectedly, she felt herself becoming light and began to float uncontrollably, drifting through the air until she reached the Moon Palace.
Later generations regard her as the Moon Goddess. This beautiful tale has long been cherished by the Chinese people and serves as a favorite allusion for poets and writers.
For instance, Chairman Mao Zedong's poem commemorating his martyred wife, Yang Kaihui, contains these famous lines:
The lonely moon goddess spreads her ample sleeves
To dance for these loyal souls in infinite space.
In the original Chinese, the name "Chang'e" is used instead of "moon goddess." Her image—a beauty in elegant, ancient garments, floating toward the moon—continues to provide unending inspiration for painters and sculptors.
中文翻译
后羿为求长生不老，从昆仑山的西王母处求得了不死药。回到宫殿后，他将这个好消息告诉了他深爱的妻子——仪态优雅、美丽无双的嫦娥。
一日，后羿外出时，嫦娥偷偷吞下了仙药，希望能成为永生之身。结果出乎意料：她感到身体变得轻盈，不由自主地飘浮起来，在空中飘荡，最终飞抵月宫。
后世尊奉她为月亮女神。这个美丽的故事一直深受中国人民喜爱，也成为诗人和作家钟爱的典故。
例如，毛泽东主席为纪念其逝去的妻子杨开慧所写的诗中，就有这样的名句：
寂寞嫦娥舒广袖
万里长空且为忠魂舞
在中文原诗中，使用的是“嫦娥”而非“月亮女神”。嫦娥的形象——一位身着飘逸古装、飞向月亮的美人——自然为画家和雕塑家提供了无尽的灵感源泉。