中秋节

　　农历八月十五，是中国的传统节日中秋节。

　　按照中国的历法，农历七八九三个月是秋季。八月是秋季中间的一个月，八月十五又是八月中间的一天，所以这个节日叫“中秋节”。中秋节这天，中国人有赏月和吃月饼的习俗。

　　秋季，天气晴朗、凉爽，天上很少出现浮云，夜空中的月亮也显得特别明亮。八月十五的晚上，是月圆之夜，成了人们赏月的最好时光。人们把圆月看作团圆美满的象征，所以中秋节又叫“团圆节”。

　　按照传统习惯，中国人在赏月时，还要摆出瓜果和月饼等食品，一边赏月一边品尝。因为月饼是圆的，象征团圆，所以有的地方也叫它“团圆饼”。中国月饼的品种很多，各地的制法也不相同。月饼馅有甜的、咸的、荤的、素的，月饼上面还印各种花纹和字样，真是又好看、又好吃。

　　秋天，人们一年的劳动有了收获。中秋节的晚上，全家人坐在一起赏月、吃月饼，心里充满了丰收的喜悦和团聚的欢乐。这时，远离家乡的人，也会仰望明月，思念故乡和亲人。

　　自古以来，中国就有很多关于月亮的神话传说，其中最有名的是“嫦娥奔月”。嫦娥是中国古代神话传说中后羿的妻子。据说她偷吃了从西王母那里得到的长生不老之药，成了仙，飞上了月宫。

　　The Mid-Autumn Festival

　　The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival.

　　According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the lunar eighth, ninth and 10th months make up autumn. The eighth month falls in mid-autumn, and the 15th day is in the middle of the month, hence the name "Mid-Autumn Festival". On that day, the Chinese have the custom to admire the moon and eat moon cakes.

　　In autumn, it is fine and cool, there are few floating clouds in the sky and the moon at night seems particularly bright. This is especially true on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Since people consider the full moon as the symbol of reunion and satisfaction, the festival is also called "the Festival for Reunion".

　　According to traditional custom, Chinese people enjoy fruits and moon cakes while admiring the moon. As the moon cake is round, symbolizing reunion, it is sometimes called "Reunion Cake". The Chinese moon cake has many varieties and production methods differ from place to place. There are sweet, salty, meat and vegetable fillings. It has various decorative patterns and words.

　　In autumn, people reap the results of their year's labor. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole family will sit together to admire the moon and eat moon cakes, filled with happiness for the bumper harvest and a family reunion. At that time, people far away from hometown will also look up at the moon and miss their hometown and family members.

　　Since ancient times, China has had many fairy tales and legends about the moon, among which the most famous is "Chang'e Flying to the Moon". Chang'e was the wife of Houyi in ancient Chinese myths. Legend has it that she swallowed an elixir stolen from the Grand Old Lady of the West, became an immortal and flew to the moon palace.