CHANG'EFLIESTOTHEMOON 　　(Chang'eBenYue) 　　Houyi(seefurtheronthestoryHouyiSheRi),seekingperpetualyouth,obtainedtheelixirofimmortalityfromQueenMotheroftheWestwholivedintheKunlunMountains.Returningtohispalace,heconfidedthegoodnewstohiswifeChang'e,aladygracefulofcarriageandunparalleledofbeauty,verymuchlovedbyherhusband. 　　Oneday,whenHouyiwasout,Chang'esecretlyswallowedthepotioninthehopethatshewouldbecomeimmortal.Theresultwasquiteunexpected:shefeltherselfbecominglight,solightthatsheflewupinspiteofherself,driftingandfloatingintheair,untilshereachedthepalaceofthemoon. 　　Sheisregardedbylatergenerationsasthegoddessofthemoon. 　　ThisbeautifulstoryhasalwaysbeenlikedbytheChineseandprovidesafavouriteallusionforpoetsandwriters. 　　ChairmanMaoZedong'spoeminmemoryofhismartyredwifeYangKaihuihasthesewell-knownlines: 　　Thelonelymoongoddessspreadsheramplesleeves 　　Todancefortheseloyalsoulsininfinitespace. 　　Here,intheChineseoriginal,thenameChang'eisusedinsteadof"moongoddess". 　　ThefigureofChang'e,abeautydressedintheelegantgarmentsofabygoneagefloatingtowardsthemoon,naturallysuppliesunendinginspirationforpaintersandsculptors