导语:中秋节一直被人们喻为最具有人情味,最富有诗情画意的节日,而这一天天上的月亮又分外明亮,分外的圆,所以又叫团圆节。
I liked the Autumn Festival very much when I was a small girl, because I was with my family then. On the evening of August 15 of the lunar calendar, when the moon was brightest, we always sat together outside in our yard to eat moon cakes--eaten only on this occasion--and enjoy the beautiful moonlight. Mother would then tell me the story of the moon fairy Chang-o, who lived in a palace on the moon, with a jade rabbit for companion. I always imagined that I was the moon fairy whenever I heard the story. When I grew older, however, I was compelled to leave home for education in the city. And now I am living alone away from home. The August moon only serves to remind me of the lost happy days I had with my family in the country.
The Moon Festival, always celebrated on August 15 of the lunar calendar, is one of the most traditional of Chinese holiday. It is several hundred years old and many beautiful tales about it have been handed down from generation to generation. On this day we eat a special kind of pastry called Moon Cake--it represents the moon and also means family reunion. It has long been a practice in our family to get together for a small moonlight party at the New Park on the evening of August 15. Cousins and some friends sometimes join us. Sitting or lying on the soft grass, some of us chat happily and others listen to music. And amidst shouts and laughter of children chasing around excitedly, I sit quietly at a corner watching the bright, beautiful moon.
Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as the Moon Festival), the third major festival of the Chinese calendar, is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month, as the moon is supposed to be at its maximum brightness for the entire year.
The moon definitely spins countless legends throughout the ages. Of course, the most famous legend is the one surrounding the "lady living in the moon" that dates back to ancient times, to a day when ten suns appeared at once in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine extra suns. Once the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his wife found the pill, took it, and was banished to the moon as a result. Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the festival.
Another legend depicts a possible role that the festival played in Chinese history. Overrun by the Mongols in the thirteenth century, the Chinese threw off their oppressors in 1368 AD. It is said that mooncakes - which the Mongols did not eat - were the perfect vehicle for hiding and passing along plans for the rebellion. Families were instructed not to eat the mooncakes until the day of the festival, which is when the rebellion took place.
The most lunatic mortal in Chinese history could have been the great poet Li Bai (701-762 AD), who once invited the moon to have a drink with him and his shadow to form a band of three. Li finally drowned in a lake in an effort to catch the moon when he was drunk one night.
The festive night can be one of the most charming and picturesque nights and the full moon is an auspicious symbol of abundance, harmony and luck. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have related the vicissitudes of life to changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes; joy and sorrow, parting and reunion. In Chinese culture, the family represents an important circle of relations that cannot be broken. Because the full moon is round and symbolizes reunion, the festival is also known as the festival of reunion. All family members try to get together on this special day. It is a happy occasion where people feast on scrumptious mooncakes. Some Chinese families today still stay up late to observe the occasion eating mooncakes, sipping tea and gazing at the beautiful moon. It is regarded the perfect moment if someone catches the moon's reflection in the center of his or her teacup. Those who can not return home watch the bright moonlight and feel deep longing for their loved ones.