中秋节探源

"Zhong Qiu Jie", which is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated¹ on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. It is a time for family members and loved ones to congregate² and enjoy the full moon - an auspicious³ symbol of abundance, harmony and luck. Adults will usually indulge in fragrant⁴ 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 mythological⁵ 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 mythology⁶, the earth once had 10 suns circling over it. One day, all 10 suns appeared together, scorching⁷ the earth with their heat. The earth was saved when a strong archer⁸, Hou Yi, succeeded in shooting down 9 of the suns. Yi stole the elixir⁹ 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 overthrow¹⁰ 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 coordinate¹¹ 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 overthrew¹² the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644). Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate¹³ 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 。

1 celebrated
adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
参考例句：
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。

2 congregate
v.(使)集合 ，聚集
参考例句：
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 。

3 auspicious
adj.吉利的；幸运的 ，吉兆的
参考例句：
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 。

4 fragrant
adj.芬香的 ，馥郁的 ，愉快的
参考例句：
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。

5 mythological
adj.神话的
参考例句：
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。

6 mythology
n.神话 ，神话学 ，神话集
参考例句：
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。

7 scorching
adj. 灼热的
参考例句：
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

8 archer
n.射手 ，弓箭手
参考例句：
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 。

9 elixir
n.长生不老药 ，万能药
参考例句：
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 。

10 overthrow
v.推翻，打倒 ，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解 ，颠覆
参考例句：
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。

11 coordinate
adj.同等的 ，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作 ，协调
参考例句：
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 。

12 overthrew
overthrow的过去式
参考例句：
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 。

13 commemorate
vt.纪念，庆祝
参考例句：
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。