Legend has it that there is a laurel tree 500 feet high on the moon. There was a man named WU GANG in the Han Dynasty who was obsessed with fairy tales and didn't concentrate on reading. So the Emperor was furious and detained him in the Moon Palace, ordered him to cut down the osmanthus tree, and said, "If you can cut down the osmanthus tree, you will get the immortal method."
WU GANG began to cut laurel trees, but every time WU GANG cut an axe, the tree wound healed immediately. Day after day, WU GANG's desire to cut laurel remained unfulfilled, so WU GANG cut laurel on the moon all the year round, but the tree could not be cut down, and later generations could see the image of Wu Gangyue cutting laurel endlessly.
Extended data:
The origin and custom of Mid-Autumn Festival;
The origin of Mid-Autumn Festival is closely related to myths and legends such as "the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon", "WU GANG chopped laurel" and "Jade Rabbit mashed medicine", so the folklore of Mid-Autumn Festival is mostly related to the moon. Watching the moon, Yue Bai and eating reunion moon cakes all originated from this.
The Mid-Autumn Festival began in the early years of the Tang Dynasty and prevailed in the Song Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it had become one of the traditional festivals in China, which was as famous as the Spring Festival. Influenced by China culture, Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival for overseas Chinese in some countries in East and Southeast Asia, especially local Chinese.
Since the Mid-Autumn Festival, there have been customs such as offering sacrifices to the moon, enjoying the moon, eating Yue Bai, enjoying osmanthus flowers and drinking osmanthus wine, which have been passed down to this day and last forever. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a colorful and precious cultural heritage. The full moon is a symbol of people's reunion, a sustenance for missing their hometown and relatives, and hopes for a bumper harvest and happiness.