Mid-Autumn Festival

Hou Yi shoots down nine suns. 后羿射日

Chang’e flies to the moon. 嫦娥奔月

Wu Gang cuts the laurel. 吴刚伐桂 ['lɔ:əl] 4

玉兔捣药

Wuyan worships the moon. 无盐拜月

Zhu Yuanzhang and Mooncake 朱元璋与月饼

中秋传说之三——朱元璋与月饼起义中秋节吃月饼相传始于元代。当时，中原广大人民不堪忍受元朝统治阶级的残酷统治，纷纷起义抗元。朱元璋联合各路反抗力量准备起义。但朝庭官兵搜查的十分严密，传递消息十分困难。军师刘伯温便想出一计策，命令属下把藏有“八月十五夜起义”的纸条藏入饼子里面，再派人分头传送到各地起义军中，通知他们在八月十五日晚上起义响应。到了起义的那天，各路义军一齐响应，起义军如星火燎原。 很快，徐达就攻下元大都，起义成功了。消息传来，朱元璋高兴得连忙传下口谕，在即将来临的中秋节，让全体将士与民同乐，并将当年起兵时以秘密传递信息的“月饼”，作为节令糕点赏赐群臣。此后，“月饼”制作越发精细，品种更多，大者如圆盘，成为馈赠的佳品。以后中秋节吃月饼的习俗便在民间流传开来。

Customs

Reunion

Whorship the Moon

Eat the Mooncake

Play the grass dragon(舞草龙 )

fire Douxiang(烧斗香 )

put the sky lights (放天灯 )

plant the Mid-Autumn(树中秋 )

Rabbit Master

Pomelo Lantern

Fire-dragon Dance

The Name’s Origin Of Mid-Autumn Festival In China,Quarterly(每季) is divided into Meng(孟), Zhong(仲), Ji(季) three parts,so the Mid-Autumn Festival also calls Zhongqiu(仲秋).

August 15th, the moon is more circle , more bright than the other months, so called “Yue Xi(月夕)” .This night, people look up the bright moon, will naturally look forward to family reunion. People who are far away from home, also take this way to express their thoughts of home and family affection. Therefore, the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as “Reunion.“(团圆节)

Legend(传说) of Mid-Autumn Festival Chang'e Ben Yue According to legend(相传), ancient times a year, ten suns appeared in the sky, straight smoke roasted earth, the sea dried up, people can no longer live to watch.     It alerted(惊动) a hero named Hou Yi, who boarded the Kunlun Peak(登上昆仑山顶), transports enough god, God opened the bow, shot down a stretch of nine extra sun.(运足神力，拉开神弓，一气射下九个多余的太阳。)     Yi set a matchless magic（盖世神功）, respected and loved by the people, and many people come here to be his disciple(弟子). Feng Meng whose intention is not right(心术不正) was also get in.

Soon, Hou Yi married a beautiful and kind-hearted wife, named Chang‘e     Soon, Hou Yi married a beautiful and kind-hearted wife, named Chang‘e. Hou Yi, in addition to hunting for Traditional Arts,along with his wife all day, people admire this perfect match for happy couples.     One day, Hou Yi goes to the Kunlun Mountains, and obtain a Elixir of life(长生不死药) from Queen Mother(王母娘娘).Said, who take this medicine can live forever. However, Hou Yi could not bear to leave his wife, have had to put the elixir to Chang E. Chang E hid the treasure at her dressing table, only to be seen by Feng Meng.     Three days later, Hou Yi led his disciples(弟子) to go hunting, Feng Meng pretended illness and remained.(心怀鬼胎的蓬蒙假装生病，留了下来)   

After a while , Feng Meng, went into and the back yard with a sword(剑),forced Chang E to hand over the Elixir of life.     Chang‘e knew she was not to defeat Feng Meng, act decisively when crisis(危急之时她当机立断).She turned round to open the treasure box, took up the elixir swallowed(吞).     After Chang’e swallowed the medicine, the body immediately floated off the ground, out of the window and flew towards to the heaven. As Chang concerned about a husband, just fly to the moon with the nearest cent(由于嫦娥牵挂着丈夫，便飞落到离人间最近的月亮上).     

In the evening, Hou Yi returned home, the maid cried the day that happened. Looking up at the night sky and called the name of his beloved wife. With his surprise, he found that the moon was especially bright and clear(皎洁明亮), and there was a swaying shadow exactly like his wife(而且有个晃动的身影酷似嫦娥).

Hou Yi put the incense table(摆上香案), put her usual honey favorite fresh fruit, far to worship the moon as to the love of his own wife.     When people heard the story, have furnished the incense table in the moon(在月光下), pray for good luck and peace to Chang’e(向嫦娥祈求吉祥平安). Since then, customs--worship the moon spread in the folk(在民间) in the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Moon-cake Ancient moon cake was eaten by a sacrifice (祭品)in the Mid-Autumn Festival, due to the passage of time, the moon cake has been alienated(异化) into the Mid-Autumn Festival food and gifts. The custom of eating moon cake festival appeared in the Tang Dynasty.

When the Northern Song Dynasty, this kind of cake is called "Palace cake(宫饼)", popular in the palace, but also spread to the folk, then commonly known as "cookies(宫饼)" and "Moon mission(月团)“. Later evolved into a round, meaning a better reunion.

Customs From Parts Of China Fujian Pucheng, women have to walk through the Nanpu Bridge in order to live longer.

Guang Dong Chaoshan,people will worship the moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival, mainly women and children

In addition to eat moon-cake,Nanjin People must eat Guihuaya(桂花鸭)

Jiang xi:burn Jar with straw(用稻草少瓦罐) After the jar to be red-hot, add vinegar(醋) into it. At this time fragrance will be full of the village.

In addition to eat moon cake,Sichuan people also play cake(打粑), kill ducks, eating Ma Bing, honey cake(蜜饼).

In Zhejiang Shufang(书坊) area, Mid-Autumn Festival also known as flushing section(洗井节). On this day, people will washing each well in the village, and then put into the tea and fish, this custom has been passed down to the present.

Enjoy the moon Enjoy the moon is the most popular activity in the Mid-autumn Festival.

Qiantang Tide

The Poems 但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。 May the people live forever, and share the moon shine across vast distances together.

The Poems As the moon rises above the sea, we share the same time though we are far apart.

The Poems 春江潮水连海平，海上明月共潮生。 In spring, the river rises as high as the sea. And with the river’s rise the moon uprises bright.

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