"Zhong Qiu Jie", which is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. It is a time for family members and loved ones to congregate and enjoy the full moon - an auspicious symbol of abundance, harmony and luck. Adults will usually indulge in fragrant mooncakes of many varieties with a good cup of piping hot Chinese tea, while the little ones run around with their brightly-lit lanterns.
农历八月十五日是中国的传统节日——中秋节。在这天，每个家庭都团聚在一起，一家人共同观赏象征丰裕、和谐和幸运的圆月。此时，大人们吃着美味的月饼，品着热腾腾的香茗，而孩子们则在一旁拉着兔子灯尽情玩耍。
"Zhong Qiu Jie" probably began as a harvest festival. The festival was later given a mythological flavour with legends of Chang-E, the beautiful lady in the moon.
中秋节最早可能是一个庆祝丰收的节日。后来，月宫里美丽的仙女嫦娥的神话故事赋予了它神话色彩。
According to Chinese mythology, the earth once had 10 suns circling over it. One day, all 10 suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. The earth was saved when a strong archer, Hou Yi, succeeded in shooting down 9 of the suns. Yi stole the elixir of life to save the people from his tyrannical rule, but his wife, Chang-E drank it. Thus started the legend of the lady in the moon to whom young Chinese girls would pray at the Mid-Autumn Festival.
传说古时候，天空曾有10个太阳。一天，这10个太阳同时出现，酷热难挡。弓箭手后翌射下了其中9个太阳，拯救了地球上的生灵。他偷了长生不死药，却被妻子嫦娥偷偷喝下。此后，每年中秋月圆之时，少女们都要向月宫仙女嫦娥祈福的传说便流传开来。
In the 14th century, the eating of mooncakes at "Zhong Qiu Jie" was given a new significance. The story goes that when Zhu Yuan Zhang was plotting to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty started by the Mongolians, the rebels hid their messages in the Mid-Autumn mooncakes. Zhong Qiu Jie is hence also a commemoration of the overthrow of the Mongolians by the Han people.
在14世纪，中秋节吃月饼又被赋予了一层特殊的含义。传说在朱元璋带兵起义推翻元朝时，将士们曾把联络信藏在月饼里。因此，中秋节后来也成为汉人推翻蒙古人统治的纪念日。
During the Yuan Dynasty (A.D.1206-1368) China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung Dynasty (A.D.960-1279) were unhappy at submitting to foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without it being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Packed into each mooncake was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644). Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate this event.
在元朝，蒙古人统治中国。前朝统治者们不甘心政权落入外族之手，于是密谋策划联合起义。正值中秋将近，起义首领就命令部下制作一种特别的月饼，把起义计划藏在每个月饼里。到中秋那天，起义军获取胜利，推翻了元朝，建立明朝。今天，人们吃月饼纪念此事。
相关单词：celebrated
celebrated解释：adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
celebrated例句：
He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
相关单词：congregate
congregate解释：v.(使)集合，聚集
congregate例句：
Now they can offer a digital place for their readers to congregate and talk.现在他们可以为读者提供一个数字化空间，让读者可以聚集和交谈。
This is a place where swans congregate.这是个天鹅聚集地。
相关单词：auspicious
auspicious解释：adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的
auspicious例句：
The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。
相关单词：fragrant
fragrant解释：adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的
fragrant例句：
The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
相关单词：mythological
mythological解释：adj.神话的
mythological例句：
He is remembered for his historical and mythological works. 他以其带有历史感和神话色彩的作品而著称。
But even so, the cumulative process had for most Americans a deep, almost mythological significance. 不过即使如此，移民渐增的过程，对于大部分美国人，还是意味深长的，几乎有不可思议的影响。
相关单词：mythology
mythology解释：n.神话，神话学，神话集
mythology例句：
In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。
相关单词：scorching
scorching解释：adj. 灼热的
scorching例句：
a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评
相关单词：archer
archer解释：n.射手，弓箭手
archer例句：
The archer strung his bow and aimed an arrow at the target.弓箭手拉紧弓弦将箭瞄准靶子。
The archer's shot was a perfect bull's-eye.射手的那一箭正中靶心。
相关单词：elixir
elixir解释：n.长生不老药，万能药
elixir例句：
There is no elixir of life in the world.世界上没有长生不老药。
Keep your mind awake and active;that's the only youth elixir.保持头脑清醒和灵活便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹妙药。
相关单词：overthrow
overthrow解释：v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆
overthrow例句：
After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。
相关单词：coordinate
coordinate解释：adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调
coordinate例句：
You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。
相关单词：overthrew
overthrew解释：overthrow的过去式
overthrew例句：
The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime. 人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。
They overthrew their King. 他们推翻了国王。
相关单词：commemorate
commemorate解释：vt.纪念，庆祝
commemorate例句：
This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。
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