{"id":6220,"date":"2019-11-09T14:13:32","date_gmt":"2019-11-09T14:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-culture\/zhong-qiu-jie-mid-autumn-festival\/"},"modified":"2019-11-09T14:13:32","modified_gmt":"2019-11-09T14:13:32","slug":"zhong-qiu-jie-mid-autumn-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/mm\/zhong-qiu-jie-mid-autumn-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"\u4e2d\u79cb\u8282 Mid-Autumn Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar mo<\/em>nth is the traditio<\/em>nal Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival(\u4e2d\u79cb\u8282zh\u014dng qi\u016b ji\u0113), which falls on Sept 8 this year. In the Chinese lunar calendar, August is in the middle of autumn and the 15th day is in the middle of the month. This explains why the 15th of August is called the Mid-Autumn Festival. The day is also known as the moon festival, for on that day, the moon is at its fullest and brightest. It is an im<\/em>portant festival for family members to get together, so it is also called the Reunio Festival.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u4f20\u7edf\uff1aTradition<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

According to tradition, all family members gather on this day, sit down at a table filled with fruit and pastry, among which there must be moon cakes. Moon cakes were originally tributes to the Moon God. Later gazing at the moon and sharing moon cakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival became rituals of a family reunio. Moon cakes must be shared and cut evenly so each family member has a piece, no more, no less. This is called, "reunio cake sharing".<\/p>\n

To this day, moon cakes have different ingredients and tastes. People in the North prefer sweet moon cakes with bean paste or jujube fillings, while those in the South prefer salty o<\/em>nes and even put bacon or salted yolks in the stuffing. Moon cakes, with exquisite fillings and beautiful presentations, are very popular gifts.<\/p>\n

\"\u4e2d\u79cb\u8282<\/p>\n

\u6d6a\u6f2b\u7684\u4f20\u8bf4 Romantic Legend<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Four thousand years ago, there was a hero called Hou Yi, who shot nine suns from the sky to protect the earth from the heat. He had a beautiful wife names Chang’e. The couple lived happily together. One day, an immortal emperor gave Houyi a pill which could grant eternal life as a reward. Houyi then let Chang’e store the pill in her jewelry box.<\/p>\n

But one of Houyi’s apprentices, Peng Meng, discovered this secret. One day Houyi was out, so Peng Meng broke into Chang’e’s room and forced her to give him the pill. Chang’e knew she couldn’t fight him alone, so she swallowed the pill immediately. Then she found herself floating in the air and flying further away. She did not want to leave her husband, so she stopped at the moon. <\/p>\n

After Houyi knew what happened, he was very angry. He looked up the night sky and discovered that inside the moon there is a lady’s shadow which looked like Chang’e. <\/p>\n

When people knew what happened, they all prayed in the yard for the pretty and kind girl. Since then, the worship of the moon has become a folk custom.<\/td>\n

\"\u4e2d\u79cb\u8282<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u8bd7 A Poem<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

Poets have their own way to express their love of the moon. There are many poems in Chinese literature appreciating the moon. One of the best examples of those literary works a<\/em>bout moon is the lyrics "Thinking of You", written by Su Shi during the Song Dynasty. In it, Su Shi first wo<\/em>nders a<\/em>bout the mystery of the moon and yearns for what it represents. Then he expresses how he misses his brother, who he hasn’t seen for seven years.<\/p>\n

\u82cf\u8f7c\u300a\u6c34\u8c03\u6b4c\u5934\u300b(\u6797\u8bed\u5802 \u8bd1)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u660e\u6708\u51e0\u65f6\u6709\uff1f
<\/strong>How rare the moon, so round and clear!<\/p>\n

\u628a\u9152\u95ee\u9752\u5929\u3002<\/strong>
With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky,<\/p>\n

\u4e0d\u77e5\u5929\u4e0a\u5bab\u9619\uff0c\u4eca\u5915\u662f\u4f55\u5e74\uff1f
<\/strong>"I do not know in the celestial sphere
What name this festive night goes by?"<\/p>\n

\u6211\u6b32\u4e58\u98ce\u5f52\u53bb\uff0c
<\/strong>I want to fly home, riding the air,<\/p>\n

\u53c8\u6050\u743c\u697c\u7389\u5b87\uff0c\u9ad8\u5904\u4e0d\u80dc\u5bd2\u3002<\/strong>
But fear the ethereal cold up there,
The jade and crystal mansions are so high!<\/p>\n

\u8d77\u821e\u5f04\u6e05\u5f71\uff0c\u4f55\u4f3c\u5728\u4eba\u95f4\u3002<\/strong>
Dancing to my shadow, I feel no lo<\/em>nger the mortal tie.<\/p>\n

\u8f6c\u6731\u9601\uff0c\u4f4e\u7eee\u6237\uff0c\u7167\u65e0\u7720\u3002
<\/strong>She rounds the vermilion tower,
Stoops to silk-pad doors,
Shines on those who sleepless lie.<\/p>\n

\u4e0d\u5e94\u6709\u6068\uff0c\u4f55\u4e8b\u957f\u5411\u522b\u65f6\u5706\uff1f<\/strong>
Why does she, bearing us no grudge,
Shine upon our parting, reunio deny?<\/p>\n

\u4eba\u6709\u60b2\u6b22\u79bb\u5408\uff0c\u6708\u6709\u9634\u6674\u5706\u7f3a\uff0c\u6b64\u4e8b\u53e4\u96be\u5168\u3002<\/strong>
But rare is perfect happiness–
The moon does wax, the moon does wane,
And so men meet and say goodbye.<\/p>\n

\u4f46\u613f\u4eba\u957f\u4e45\uff0c\u5343\u91cc\u5171\u5a75\u5a1f\u3002<\/strong>
I o<\/em>nly pray our life be long,
And our souls together heavenward fly!<\/p>\n

\u6b4c A Song<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n

The above poem has a pop version as a song sung by Faye Wang, and it has been given a different name \u4f46\u613f\u4eba\u957f\u4e45(dàn yuàn rén zh\u01ceng ji\u01d4) Never Part With Your Beloved Ones<\/strong>. Let’s enjoy the song.<\/div>\n