Text B Mid-Autumn Festival
导 读
“中秋”一词，最早见于《周礼》。根据我国古代历法，农历八月十五日，在一年秋季的八月中旬，故称“中秋”。一年有四季，每季又分孟、仲、季三部分，因此秋中第二月叫仲秋，到唐朝初年，中秋节才成为固定的节日。《新唐书·卷十五 志第五·礼乐五》载“其中春、中秋释奠于文宣王、武成王”，及“开元十九年，始置太公尚父庙，以留侯张良配。中春、中秋上戊祭之，牲、乐之制如文”。据史籍记载，古代帝王祭月的节期为农历八月十五，时日恰逢三秋之半，故名“中秋节”；又因为这个节日在秋季八月，故又称“秋节”“八月节”“八月会”“中秋节”；又有祈求团圆的信仰和相关习俗活动，故亦称“团圆节”“女儿节”。因中秋节的主要活动都是围绕“月”进行的，所以又俗称“月节”“月夕”“追月节”“玩月节”“拜月节”；在唐朝，中秋节还被称为“端正月”。中秋节的盛行始于宋朝，至明清时，已与元旦齐名，成为我国的主要节日之一。关于中秋节的起源，大致有三种：起源于古代对月的崇拜、月下歌舞觅偶的习俗，古代秋报拜土地神的遗俗。
A Brief Introduction to Mid-Autumn Festival
The 15th day of every 8th lunar month is the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.It is the most important festival after the Chinese Lunar New Year.The moon on the night of the 15th day of lunar August is believed to be fuller and brighter than in other months.A full moon is a symbol of togetherness.As such,the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunion.It’s also called “Reunion Festival”.Those unable to get home to join the get-together miss their family even more on the festival.The origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival derived from the tradition of worshipping the Goddess of Moon.The festival is also a time to celebrate a good autumn harvest.It dates back thousands of years and the modern-day festive customs were gradually formed over the years.Generally speaking,eating moon cakes,enjoying the moon and lighting up lanterns are common traditions on the festival.
In addition,various parts of the country and all ethnic minorities have different Mid-Autumn Festival customs.In Nanjing,the festival coincides with the blooming season of sweet-scented flowers.Local people like to pick fresh flowers for delicious food preparing.They traditionally eat salted ducks and drink the flower juice.In Zhejiang,the Mid-Autumn Festival is an ideal time for tide watching.Fire dragon dances are usually performed in Hong Kong on the festival and people in Anhui do a game called “pagoda building” and the Dai ethnic people pay tribute to the moon and the Gaoshan ethic people usually perform ball-holding dance.All these interesting customs are an indication of people’s love of life and good wishes for a better future.
There are lots of Chinese legends about the moon.The story of Goddess Chang’e,Wu Gang and the Jade Rabbit living on the moon is still popular today.There have been numerous poems about the Mid-Autumn Festival since ancient times,the most famous piece being Shui Diao Ge Tou by the Northern Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo.Although he lamented by writing “Men have sorrow and joy,they part or meet again; the moon may be bright or dim,she may wax or wane.There has been nothing perfect since the olden days”,he also expressed his wishes by writing “So let us wish that man will live long as he can; though miles apart,we’ll share the beauty she displays.”,reflecting how much those far away from home would like to reunite with their families and how deeply they missed their hometowns.
Legends about the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Jade Rabbit Pounding Medicine in a Mortar
Legend has it that there were three immortals that turned themselves into three poor old men asking a fox,monkey and rabbit for food.The fox and the monkey had food to give them,but the rabbit had none and didn’t know what to do.Later,the rabbit said: “just eat me for food!” With that,the rabbit jumped into a blazing fire,making him ready to be eaten.The immortals were deeply touched and sent the rabbit to the palace on the moon to keep Chang’e’s company and he was made a jade rabbit.
Wu Gang Chops the Laurel
Apart from the famous mythological story of “Chang’e Flying to the Moon”,there’s another moon related story,which is about the laurel tree cutter Wu Gang.It is said that there was an extremely tall laurel tree on the moon and a man called Wu Gang was ordered to cut down the tree as a punishment for offending the god of heaven.He was not allowed to go home until he could cut down the tree.But the problem was that each time he chopped the tree,it would instantly grow back,making it impossible for him to cut it down.Like Chang’e,he had no choice but to cut the tree on the moon forever.
Celebrations in Different Areas
Fire dragon dance is the most traditional custom on the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong,dating back some 100 years.Every year,grand fire dragon shows are performed for three nights in a row in Tai Hang of Causeway Bay starting the 14th of August on the lunar calendar.The fire dragon is more than 70 meters long with its body divided into 32 segments,all of which are stuffed with straw and stuck full of incense sticks.On the festive night,the streets and alleyways in the area are packed with fire dragons joyfully dancing to drum music against the backdrop lit by colored lights,creating a fantastic atmosphere for the festival.
Besides,on the night of every Mid-Autumn Festival,the Gaoshan ethnic people in Taiwan traditionally put up beautiful ethnic costumes and gather around the Sun Moon Lake,playing the game of “ball-holding dance” in the moonlight.The colored ball symbolizes the sun and the moon,which is said to have something to do with the legend about the Sun Moon Lake.In the game,people try to keep the colored ball in the air,preventing it from falling to the ground.The game represents their wishes for good weather and banner harvests in the year.
At the same time,on the Mid-Autumn night when the bright moon sheds light over the Miao villages,after a family gathering in the house,every household will come to a vacant field in the mountain forest to sing and dance under the moon.
According to a legend of Miao ethnic group,the moon was a simple and honest young man who was hardworking and brave.A beautiful lady named Shui Qing fell in love with him despite of proposals made by 99 young men from 99 states.After trials given by the sun,she finally tied the knot with the moon and lived happily ever after.In order to remember their love,every generation of Miao minority will dance under the moon,referring to the custom as “Tiao Yue”,or moon dance.The unmarried men and women will look for their love during the dance.Once found,they will express their feelings and vow that their love will stay pure and last like the happiness between the couple—Shui Qing and the moon.
Rabbit Figurine
A rabbit figurine is a popular Mid-Autumn Festival toy in old Beijing.The figurine is an artistic image of a personified or even deified rabbit based on the legendary jade rabbit on the moon.The figurines are made of clay and come in various shapes,but all are white-faced,wearing golden helmets and armors,with flags or canopies on the back.They ride such animals as lions,tigers,deer and elephants etc.
Moon Cakes
A moon cake is a delicately-stuffed round cake that is delicious and nice to look at.The cake is often given as a gift between family and friends during the festival to show greetings.A small cake is a carrier of good wishes between family members,the eagerness to join family reunion of those away from home and people’s praying for happiness.
Watch the full Moon
Watching the full moon on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the best activity for the whole family.It is a custom for people to ascend towers and terraces and have a good chat in the full-moon night while drinking wine and eating delicacies.The scene of “blooming flowers,full moon and family reunion” is poetic and charming.
Words & Expressions
1.symbol['simbəl] n.象征；符号；标志
2.togetherness[tə'ɡeðənis] n.相聚；家庭聚会；团结精神；归属感
3.reunion[，riː'juːnjən] n.重聚
4.goddess['ɡɔdis] n.女神
5.ethnic['eθnik] adj.种族的；人种的
6.minority[mai'nɔrəti，mi-] n.少数民族
7.pagoda[pə'ɡəudə] n.（东方寺院的）宝塔
8.lament[lə'ment] n.挽歌；恸哭
v.哀悼；悲叹；悔恨
9.laurel['lɔrəl，'lɔː-] n.月桂树；桂冠
10.chop[tʃɔp] vt.剁碎；砍
11.bay[bei] n.海湾；狗吠声
vt.向……吠叫
vi.吠叫；大声叫嚷
12.fantastic[fæn'tæstik] adj.奇异的；空想的；极好的；不可思议的
n.古怪的人
13.represent[，repri'zent] vt.表现；描绘；代表；回忆；再赠送
vi.提出异议；代表
14.banner['bænə] n.旗帜；横幅；标语
15.figurine['fiɡjuriːn] n.小雕塑；小雕像
Notes
1.Full Moon（满月）：Full moon is a lunar phase that occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.More precisely，a full moon occurs when the geocentric apparent （ecliptic） longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees； the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun.Lunar eclipses can only occur at full moon，where the moon’s orbit allows it to pass through the earth’s shadow.Lunar eclipses do not occur every month because the moon sometimes passes above or below the earth’s shadow.Lunar eclipses can occur only when the full moon occurs near two nodes of the orbit，either the ascending or descending nodes.This causes eclipses to only occur about every 6 months，and often 2 weeks before or after a solar eclipse at new moon at the opposite node.As seen from Earth，the hemisphere of the Moon that is facing the earth （the near side） is almost fully illuminated by the Sun and appears round.Only during a full moon is the opposite hemisphere of the Moon，which is not visible from Earth （the far side），completely unilluminated.The time interval between similar lunar phases—the synodic month—averages about 29.53 days.Therefore，in those lunar calendars in which each month begins on the new moon，the full moon falls on either the 14th or 15th of the lunar month.Because lunar months have a whole number of days，lunar months may be either 29 or 30 days long.
2.Chang’e（嫦娥）：Chang’e or Chang-O （嫦娥），originally known as Heng’e or Heng-O （姮娥； changed to avoid name conflict with Emperor Wen of Han），is the Chinese goddess of the Moon.
Exercises
I.Match each of the words on the left with its meaning on the right.
1.ethnic a.to show respect and love for a god
2.worship b.a special occasion when people celebrate something
3.terrace c.to move to a higher position
4.ascend d.a flat outdoor area
5.festival e.relate to a particular race or tribe
II.Translate the following the sentences into Chinese.
1.The 15th day of every 8th lunar month is the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
2.Those unable to get home to join the get-together miss their family even more on the festival.
3.Generally speaking,eating moon cakes,enjoying the moon and lighting up lanterns are common traditions on the festival.
4.In addition,various parts of the country and all ethnic minorities have different Mid-Autumn Festival customs.
5.The fire dragon is more than 70 meters long with its body divided into 32 segments,all of which are stuffed with straw and stuck full of incense sticks.
III.Comprehension Questions.
1.Is the Mid-Autumn Festival the same as “Reunion Festival”? Why?
2.What will the people living in Hong Kong do on the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival?
3.According to the legend,why was the rabbit sent to the moon?
4.What’s moon cake?
5.Where does the rabbit figurine come from?