In some versions, Chang'e becomes a toad, only when the moon is full, she becomes a princess again.
Chang’e’s flight to the moon is one of the four major myths in ancient China, but unfortunately, there are very few records about it in historical books. "Gui Zang", written during the Warring States Period, is the earliest known book recording Chang'es flight to the moon: "In the past, Chang'e took the immortal medicine of the Queen Mother of the West, and then she flew to the moon and became the moon spirit." ”
"Huainanzi" written by Liu An, King of Huainan in the Western Han Dynasty, further explains that the "elixir of immortality" that flew to the moon was stolen by Chang'e from her husband Houyi, the hero who shot the sun. "Yi asked the Queen Mother of the West for the elixir of immortality. His wife Chang'e stole to the moon and held her body on the moon. She was a toad, but she was a moon spirit." ”
On many cultural relics unearthed during the Han Dynasty, such as the famous Mawangdui silk painting of the Western Han Dynasty, a toad is painted on the moon, which also confirms the statement in the literature.
Why did the goddess Chang'e turn into a toad? Some people believe that Chang'e stole the magic medicine and eloped to the moon. She was punished for being unfaithful to her husband and turned into an ugly toad. There is also a view that Chang'es transformation into a toad is actually due to totem worship, because toads are a symbol of many children and blessings, and "frog worship" has been very popular since primitive society.
