Chang’e 嫦娥
The moon goddess.
Chang’e (Cháng’é) is the Chinese moon goddess. Her best-known story, 嫦娥奔月, can be called “Chang’e Flies to the Moon” in English. Her name, her flight, and the rabbit beside her belong to related but distinct parts of the moon tradition.
Use Chang’e for the name and Cháng’é when you want to show Mandarin tones. The apostrophe marks the boundary before the second syllable, é. Read it as two syllables, rather than as the English word “change.” You may also see the spacing “Chang E” in museum catalogues.
For a reader meeting her for the first time, write: “Chang’e is the moon goddess in Chinese mythology.” Once you have introduced her, use her name. Translating every occurrence as “the moon goddess” loses the personal name.
In Shanhai Story’s graded retelling, Chang’e is the wife of the archer Hou Yi (后羿, Hòu Yì). She takes an elixir to prevent a bad man from stealing it, becomes light, and rises to the moon. The Chinese text and its English translation follow that version.
Other accounts give her a different motive. The Ashmolean’s catalogue of a Tang bronze mirror describes a tradition in which she steals the elixir from her husband, flees to the moon, and becomes a toad. That account should not be silently merged with the rescue version.
When comparing two retellings, ask three questions: who possesses the elixir, why Chang’e takes it, and what happens after she leaves. These details help explain why the same figure can seem brave, lonely, or blameworthy in different tellings.
The Jade Rabbit (玉兔, Yùtù) is another inhabitant of the mythic moon. In Chinese art it is often shown with a mortar and pestle, preparing the substance of immortality. A rabbit beside a woman in a moon scene can therefore help you recognize the setting.
Chang’e’s story is also associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival, 中秋节 (Zhōngqiū Jié). The Smithsonian’s Moon Festival teaching resource introduces the festival alongside the legend of Hou Yi and Chang’e. Festival customs and the plot of a particular story are related topics, but they are not interchangeable.
For language practice, read 嫦娥奔月 with pinyin, audio, and sentence-by-sentence English, then compare the moon setting with 月亮上的玉兔. Use the character directory to meet other gods, heroes, and spirits.
Questions about Chang’e
What is 嫦娥 in English?
嫦娥 is written Chang’e in English, with the pinyin Cháng’é. You can introduce her as ‘Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess.’ Chang’e is her name; ‘moon goddess’ describes her role.
How do you translate 嫦娥奔月 into English?
‘Chang’e Flies to the Moon’ is a natural English story title. ‘Chang’e’s Flight to the Moon’ also works. 嫦娥 names the main character, and 奔月 describes her journey to the moon.
Is Chang’e the same character as the Jade Rabbit?
No. Chang’e is the moon goddess. The Jade Rabbit, 玉兔 (Yùtù), is the rabbit associated with the moon and with preparing the elixir of immortality. They are distinct figures in Chinese moon traditions.
Why are there different endings to Chang’e’s story?
The legend has been told in different texts, images, and popular retellings. Accounts differ about why she takes the elixir and what happens on the moon. When reading or translating it, identify the version instead of treating every detail as universal.