The August Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival (Chinese characters above) is one of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Chinese legends say that the moon is at its brightest and roundest on this day. Based on the Gregorian calendar, this year's August Moon Festival will be held on September 12.

中秋節(jié)是中國人的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日之一，每年農(nóng)歷8月15日慶祝。傳說月亮在這一天最大最圓。根據(jù)推算，今年公歷9月12日為中秋節(jié)。

The August Moon Festival is often called the Women's Festival. The moon (Chinese character on right) symbolizes elegance and beauty. While Westerners worship the sun (yang or male) for its power, people in the Far East admire the moon. The moon is the 'yin' or female principle and it is a trusted friend. Chinese parents often name their daughters after the moon, in hope that they will be as lovely as the moon.

中秋節(jié)也被稱為女人的節(jié)日，月（漢字部首）象征著優(yōu)雅與美麗。而西方人則崇尚太陽（陽剛或男性）的力量，東亞地區(qū)的人們則崇尚月亮。月亮代表“陰”或女性，并且被看做是可靠的朋友。中國的父母總喜歡以“月”為女兒取名，為的是希望她們像月亮一樣可愛。

The Moon FairyLady - 'Chang Er'

月亮仙子——嫦娥

In fact, many ancient August Moon folktales are about a moon maiden. On the 15th night of the 8th lunar moon, little children on earth can see a lady on the moon.

實際上，古代很多關于八月月圓的故事都跟一位月亮仙子有關。在陰歷8月15的晚上，小孩子都能看到月亮上有一位女子。

The story about the lady took place around 2170 B.C. At that time, the earth had ten suns circling it, each taking its turn to illuminate to the earth. But one day all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. The earth was saved by a strong and tyrannical archer named Hou Yi. He succeeded in shooting down nine of the suns. One day, Hou Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However, his beautiful wife Chang E drank the elixir of life in order to save the people from her husband's tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating and flew all the way to the moon. Hou Yi loved his divinely beautiful wife so much, he refused to shoot down the moon.

這個故事發(fā)生在公元前2170年左右，那個時候，天上有十個太陽，它們輪流照亮地上。但有一天，十個太陽一同出現(xiàn)，他們發(fā)出的熱量燒焦了地上的作物。一位身強體壯、性格暴虐名叫后羿的弓箭手拯救了人間。他成功接連射落九個太陽。有一天，后羿偷了一位神仙的長生不老藥。而他美麗的妻子嫦娥為了幫助人們脫離他暴虐的統(tǒng)治偷偷喝下了長生不老藥。喝下藥之后他發(fā)現(xiàn)自己飄浮起來并飛向了月亮。后裔十分愛他美若天仙的妻子，他不忍心將她從月亮上射落。

People believed that the lady was a god who lived in the moon that made the moon shine. Girls who wanted to be a beauty and have a handsome husband should worship the moon. And on this magical occasion, children who make wishes to the Lady on the Moon will find their dreams come true.

人們認為嫦娥是住在月亮上的仙子，所以月亮才會發(fā)光。女孩子如果想要變得漂亮并且有一位如意郎君都要供奉月亮。而中秋之時，孩子們都會向月亮仙子許愿祈求他們能夠夢想成真。

The wood cutter - Wu Kang

伐木人——吳剛

Wu Kang was a shiftless fellow who changed apprenticeships all the time. One day he decided that he wanted to be an immortal, so he went to live in the mountains where he importuned an immortal to teach him. First the immortal taught him about the herbs used to cure sickness, but after three days his characteristic restlessness returned and Wu Kang asked the immortal to teach him something else. So the immortal taught him chess, but after a short while Wu Kang's enthusiasm again waned. Then Wu Kang was given the books of immortality to study. Of course, Wu Kang became bored within a few days, and asked if they could travel to some new and exciting place. Angered with Wu Kang's impatience, the master banished Wu Kang to the Moon Palace telling him that he must cut down a huge cassia tree before he could return to earth. Though Wu Kang chopped day and night, the magical tree restored itself with each blow, and thus he is up there chopping still.

吳剛是個懶惰而又不學無數(shù)的學徒。有一天他想學道成仙，于是他住到深山里強求以為仙人教他法術。起初，仙人教他治病的草藥，但三天之后吳剛不安定的本性就暴露出來了。他又求仙人教他其他的東西，于是仙人教他下棋，但不久之后吳剛又失去了興趣。于是仙人給了他研習仙術的書籍。當然沒幾天吳剛又覺得無聊了，并問仙人能否遠行到一些新鮮有趣的地方。氣惱于吳剛毫無耐心的本性，仙人罰他去月宮，并告訴他除非他能砍倒一棵巨大的桂樹，否則他就不能回到人間。雖然吳剛日夜砍伐，但這棵神奇的樹每次被砍倒創(chuàng)傷又會自己愈合，于是吳剛只有夜以繼日地砍伐。

野兔——玉兔

In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit. The fox and the monkey both had food to give the old men, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead by jumping into a blazing fire to cook himself. The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace where he became the "Jade Rabbit."

傳說中，三味仙人將自己變成可憐的老人向一只狐貍、猴子和兔子乞討吃的，狐貍和猴子都將自己的食物分給了仙人，只有兔子自己跳入了火坑而將自己的肉獻出來，先人們被兔子的犧牲所感動，于是將兔子留在了月宮，這只兔子后來變成了玉兔。

Families get together to eat mooncakes and celebrate the end of the harvest season on this day. Scholars write poems about the moon. This night is also made for romantic rendezvous. Friendships are made and renewed. No wonder the August Moon Festival has a special meaning to all who believe in the mystical powers of the moon.

每到這一天，親人都會歡聚一堂吃月餅并慶祝豐收。文人們也寫了很多跟月亮有關的詩。這個夜晚也是浪漫約會的好時刻。新朋舊友也因此相聚，難怪中秋節(jié)對于那些相信月亮神秘力量的人來說有著特殊意義。

When did this festival first begin? No exact date can be found in historical documents, but scholars assume that it is related to 2 customs in China.

中秋節(jié)最早是于什么時候慶祝的？目前古籍資料上還沒有找到確切時間，但學者們認為他跟中國的兩個習俗有關。

The first custom concerns farmers. China is an agricultural country, and farming is closely related to the seasons. In ancient times, farmers worshipped the Earth God to pray for a good harvest, when they sowed the seeds in spring. This was known as spring worship. During autumn, farmers also worshipped the Earth God to thank him for giving them a good harvest. This was known as autumn reward. Since the 15'" month of the 8th month is the time when rice paddies are harvested, some people believe that the Mid Autumn Festival came from the autumn reward ritual.

第一個習俗是關于農(nóng)民的，中國是一個農(nóng)業(yè)大國，而農(nóng)業(yè)跟季節(jié)息息相關。在古代，農(nóng)民們春天撒種播種時會向土地之神祈禱豐收。這就是著名的春日祭祀。到了秋天，人們會再次祭祀土地之神，感謝他給予人們豐收，這就是著名的秋日祭祀，因為陰歷8月15日是水稻成熟之時，所以有些人認為中秋節(jié)是從秋日祭祀儀式演變而來的。

The second custom concerns worship of the moon. According to astronomy, the Mid Autumn Festival occurs at the autumn equinox. At this time, the sunlight shines vertically on the equator, equally dividing the day and night in both the southern and northern hemispheres. The moon appears in the evening with gentle winds and light clouds. This is the best time to watch the moon. People later made this day, the day to worship the moon.

第二個習俗與祭祀月亮有關。根據(jù)天文學，中秋節(jié)是秋分之時。在這個時候，太陽直射赤道，南北半球晝夜平分。月亮在晚上出現(xiàn)，云淡風輕，是觀月的最佳時機。后來人們就把這一天定為祭祀月亮的日子。