中秋节 The Mid-Autumn Day

“中秋节”是在农历八月十五这一天。
The Mid-Autumn Day is on the August 15th of the lunar calendar.

农历每月的十五日是我们看到月球最圆的那天。
The fifteenth of each month in the lunar calendar is the day of the full moon.

中秋节来临时正好在“秋分”前后。
Mid-Autumn Day falls during the autumn equinox.

这时候秋高气爽，天空能见度极高，因此月亮显得又圆又大，是一年中月色最好的时候。
During this time, the days are especially bright and crisp and the sky is very clear, which makes it the perfect time to appreciate the moon’s beauty.

中国人特别是诗人，对月亮有一种独特的情感。
The Chinese people, especially the poets, have a special emotion for the moon.

他们对月亮的深情，超过世界上任何一个民族，形成了一种独特的月亮情结。
The affections they hold may surpass those of any other nations in the world, forming a special moon sentiment.

看到月亮会触发他们的心弦，牵动他们的情思，勾起他们的遐想。
The sight of the moon can affect their emotions, and arouse their hopes and dreams for the future.

每当人们看到中秋月圆，这一合家团圆的象征，思乡之情就会油然而生。
The full moon on the Mid-Autumn Day reminds people of their families and triggers their longing for a family reunio.

分散在各地的孩子们都在这一夜回家团聚看望老人和亲友。
It is for sure a time for people to come home to see their parents and relatives.

赶不回来的也要打电话回家问候长辈亲人。
And those who can not make it home would call to send a regards.

在这样一个月圆的节日里，祭月、赏月是必不可少的一种中秋习俗。
During this full moon holiday, sacrificial offerings and moon-gazing are essential customs.

中秋之夜，大家准备丰盛的瓜果和月饼，把最圆的水果当作供品祭拜月亮，其它的留给全家人，边赏月，边聊天，边品尝。
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Day, people have fruits and moon cakes, the most round food is offered to the moon, while the rest is for the family to enjoy as they appreciate the moon’s beauty.

月饼最早是用在祭月典礼中的一种供品。
Originally the moon cake was used only for sacrificial offerings during the Moon Ceremony.

后来逐渐演变成了民间中秋节必不可少的象征性食品。
Later it gradually became a symbolic food of the Moon Festival.

它和中秋夜圆圆的月亮一样，代表着团圆。
It resembles the full moon on the night of the Mid-Autumn Day, representing reunio.

一家人祭月之后分食月饼，家里有多少人，就把月饼切成多少份，即使出门在外不能赶回家的亲人，也要算上，给他们留上一份，表示合家团圆。
After the entire family offers a sacrificial slice to the moon, they cut the rest in slices on the number of members of the family, including those family members who did not make it to the gathering.

而第一块月饼一定要先给家里最年长的人。
The first slice of the moon cake must be given to the most elderly of the family.

和中国的其它节日一样，中秋节也有一些自己的传说。
Like the other Chinese holidays, the Mid-Autumn Day has its own stories.

“嫦娥奔月”便是最著名的。
Among them “Chang’E and the Moon” is the most well known.

传说月亮上有一座美丽而寒冷的宫殿，里面住着一位美丽的仙女——嫦娥。
There lived a beautiful goddess named Chang’E in a very beautiful but cold palace on the moon.

月宫里，有一只可爱的玉兔陪伴她。
In the palace, a jade hare accompanies her.

月宫外，还有一棵桂花树和一个叫吴刚的伐树人。
And outside the palace, there was a sweet-scented osmanthus tree and a lumberjack called Wu Gang.

在中秋节晴朗的夜空里，如果你仔细观看，真的会隐约看到传说里的人和物呢。
If you look carefully at the moon on the mid autumn night, you might see the shadows of the figures in the story!

除了祭月、赏月外，中国各地还有许多自己的风俗和活动。
Besides sacrificial offerings and moon appreciation, different parts of China have different customs and activities for this festival.

在北方孩子的玩具里有一种玩偶叫“兔儿爷”。
In the north, there is a toy called “the rabbit master” which is popular among children.

就是由月亮上的玉兔演化过来的。
It is an adaptation of the jade hare on the moon.

南方有的地方，人们把柚子镂空，做成精致好看的柚子灯笼。
In the South, people hollow out the pomelo to make exquisite lanterns.

里面点上蜡烛，成为孩子们最喜爱的中秋玩具。
They light candles inside to make a favorite mid-autumn season toy.

在广东、香港，人们会在中秋举行舞“火龙”的表演。
In Guangdong and Hong Kong, people attend performances of mid-autumn dance “Fire Dragon”.

火龙的身上插满“长寿香”，在夜里大放光芒。
Incenses are lit and inserted along the fire dragon’s body to symbolize longevity, and to radiate brightness in the dark night.

而在浙江，人们中秋除了赏月，还要去观看一年一度受月球引力而产生的自然景观——“钱塘江大潮”。
In Zhejiang, besides watching the moon on the Mid-Autumn Day, people also watch the annual natural spectacle caused by the gravity of the moon, —“Qiantang River Tide”.

一些少数民族的青年男女会在中秋这天对歌传情。
For some minority groups in China, the Mid-Autumn Day is a time for the youths to flirt by singing songs to each other.

但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
May the people live forever, and share the moon shine across vast distances together.

月饼的制作
How to make a moon cake

现在，我们来看一看怎么做月饼。
Now, let’s learn how to make a moon cake.

首先在面粉里放入糖浆，加入一勺碱。
First, we need to make some syrup and flour, and then at the spoon of alkali.

然后放入食用油，慢慢和匀。
Then we put in some vegetable oil and slowly mix them well.

和成面团后，搓成长条，再这样切成三厘米左右的等份。
After the dough is ready form it into the long strip and then divide into portions, they are each three centimeters long.

现在我们把这个莲蓉馅切好，也可以放其他你喜欢吃的果仁。
Then we cut this special flavor into small dices and we can also add some dry food as the sweet stuffing.

在案板上洒点面粉，把刚才分好的小面团放在案板上，用手压扁。
Pour some flour on the cutting board, put those small portions of dough we have prepared on the cutting board, and press them flat with your hands.

再把馅放上去，这样包起来，然后用两手搓圆，把搓好的面团放进模子，再用手掌压平，然后在模子两面这么一敲，月饼就出来了，接下来就可以放进烤箱了。
Then we put the stuffing in the middle of the dough and make the dough into a ball and then we put the dough with stuffing into the mould, pressing the mould flat with hands, knock the mould slightly and the dough in the shape of moon will come out, and now is ready to put in the oven to bake.