漢英雙語中秋知識 — 高大上，值得收藏！

「但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。」馬上就是中秋節啦，大家對這個傳統的節日有多少認識呢？今天我們就一起邊學英文邊看看中秋節的相關知識吧！

The History of the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in the Chinese Han calender. It is a traditional festival celebrated by Chinese and people from East Asia and Southeast Asia, especially those Overseas chinese.

　每年農曆八月十五日，是傳統的中秋佳節。這時是一年秋季的中期，所以被稱為中秋。然而慶祝中秋節的不只是中國人，還有來自東亞、東南亞的人民，尤其是旅居在外的華人華僑。

The festival has a long history. In ancient China, emperors followed the rite of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn. Historical books of the Zhou Dynasty had had the word "Mid-Autumn". Later aristocrats and literary figures helped expand the ceremony to common people. They enjoyed the full, bright moon on that day, worshipped it and expressed their thoughts and feelings under it. By the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Mid-Autumn Festival had been fixed, which became even grander in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, it grew to be a major festival of China.

中秋節有悠久的歷史，和其它傳統節日一樣，也是慢慢發展形成的，古代帝王有春天祭日，秋天祭月的禮制，早在《周禮》一書中，已有「中秋」一詞的記載。後來貴族和文人學士也仿效起來，在中秋時節，對著天上又亮又圓一輪皓月，觀賞祭拜，寄託情懷，這種習俗就這樣傳到民間，形成一個傳統的活動，一直到了唐代，這種祭月的風俗更為人們重視，中秋節才成為固定的節日，《唐書·太宗記》記載有「八月十五中秋節」，這個節日盛行於宋朝，至明清時，已與元旦齊名，成為我國的主要節日之一。

The Meanings of the Festival中秋節的意義

The festival celebrates three fundamental concepts which are closely tied to one another.

中秋節蘊含著三點意義，每個意義又都是息息相關的。

1. Gathering， such as family and friends coming together.

2. Thanksgiving, to give thanks for the harvest, or for harmonious unions.

3. Praying, such as for babies, a spouse, beauty, longevity, or for a good future.

第一，慶祝團圓，中秋是家人朋友歡聚的好日子。

第二，感恩，如同西方的感恩節，中秋也是感恩豐收或和諧美滿生活的日子。

第三，祈禱，中秋節還是祝願自己或親朋好友收穫愛情、孩子、美麗、長壽或美好未來的日子。

The Customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival中秋節的習俗

There are a lot of customs during the festival, though some are different from others in different areas, there are still something in common.

中秋節有許多習俗，不同地區中間也許會有不同，但是有一些習俗卻是大致相同的。

1. Enjoying the full moon and moon worship. The Mid-Autumn moon has traditionally been a choice occasion to celebrate marriages. Girls would pray to Chang"e or the Moon Lord to help fulfill their romantic wishes.

2. Eating mooncakes. Making and sharing mooncakes is one of the hallmark traditions of this festival. In Chinese culture, a round shape symbolizes completeness and unity. Thus, the sharing and eating of round mooncakes among family members during the week of the festival signify the completeness and unity of families.

第一，賞月、拜月。中秋節自古以來就是人們祈求姻緣的好日子，那天，未婚女子會向嫦娥或月老祈禱，以求得一個如意郎君。

第二，吃月餅。 分享月餅是中秋節的傳統特色活動之一。在中國文化中，圓形代表著完整和統一。因此，中秋這天吃圓圓的月餅也有祝願家庭和和美美、團團圓圓之意。

Poetry Appreciation詩歌賞析

下面，我們來欣賞一首大家耳熟能詳的中秋古詩，蘇軾的《水調歌頭明月幾時有》。

明月幾時有？把酒問青天。

不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年。

我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。

起舞弄清影，何似在人間？

轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠。

不應有恨，何事長向別時圓？

人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。

但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。

The Midautumn FestivalTune: "Prelude to Water Melody"

How long will the full moon appear?Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky.I do not know what time of the yearIt would be tonight in the palace on high.Riding the wind, there I would fly,Yet I"m afraid the crystalline palace would beToo high and cold for me.I rise and dance, with my shadow I play.On high as on earth, would it be as gay?

The moon goes round the mansions redThrough gauze-draped window soft to shedHer light upon the sleepless bed.Why then when people part, is the oft full and bright?Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again;The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.There has been nothing perfect since the olden days.So let us wish that manWill live long as he can!Though miles apart, we"ll share the beauty she displays.(by Xu Yuanchong)

《水調歌頭》有眾多譯本，本文選編的是著名翻譯家許淵沖老先生的翻譯。許老先生一向強調以詩譯詩，十分注重詩歌的「音美」、「形美」、和「意美」。品一品，讀起來是不是朗朗上口呢？

最後，給大家帶來王菲的一首老歌——《水調歌頭》，歌詞改編自上述蘇軾的古詩。曲風為古香古色，旋律優美動人。

好了，今天的中秋特輯就要告一段落了，敬請期待下期精彩內容。在此，微譯學國際教育祝各位學生與家長幸福美滿，團團圓圓，中秋快樂！

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