The Mid-autumn Festival Reporter: yan wei tao Major: Surveying and Mapping Engineering

Today,we will introduce you a Chinese traditional festival -- the Mid- Autumn Festival, maybe you have known it for so long time,but do you really know it well? Let us approaching our coming festival -- the Mid-Autumn Festival.I hope you like it.

Appreciate the Moon

“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. Mid-Autumn Day is a traditional festival in China. Almost everyone likes to eat mooncakes on that day. Most families have a dinner together to celebrate the festival. A saying goes, "The moon in your hometown is almost always the brightest and roundest". Many people who live far away from homes want to go back to have a family reunion. How happy it is to enjoy the mooncakes while watching the full moon with your family members.

The August Moon Festival is often called the Women's Festival. The moon (Chinese character on right) symbolizes elegance and beauty. While Westerners worship the sun (yang or male) for its power, people in the Far East admire the moon. The moon is the 'yin' or female principle and it is a trusted friend. Chinese parents often name their daughters after the moon, in hope that they will be as lovely as the moon.

characters Wu Gang Hou Yi Moon 'Chang Er Jade Rabbit

The Moon FairyLady – 'Chang Er'

Hou Yi shoots down nine suns.

In fact, many ancient August Moon folktales are about a moon maiden. On the 15th night of the 8th lunar moon, little children on earth can see a lady on the moon. The story about the lady took place around 2170 B.C. At that time, the earth had ten suns circling it, each taking its turn to illuminate to the earth. But one day all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. The earth was saved by a strong archer named Hou Yi. He succeeded in shooting down nine of the suns. One day, Hou Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However, his beautiful wife Chang E drank the elixir of life in order to save the people from her husband's tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating and flew all the way to the moon. Hou Yi loved his beautiful wife so much, he refused to shoot down the moon.elixir

The wood cutter - Wu Gang

According to legend, there is a tall five hundred Zhang laurel on the moon. There was a man named Wu Gang during the Han Dynasty.He addicted to Immortal and did not concentrate on his study, so the emperor's wrath, detained him in the palace of the moon, made him to cut down the tree, and said: “if you cut down the tree, may obtain magic arts.”Wu Gang began cutting,but each one ax, the tree healing wounds immediately.Day by day, his desire has not reached.

Jade Rabbit

It is said that there are three immortals, as the embodiment of the three poor old man. They beg for food towards foxes, monkeys and rabbits. the fox and the monkey gave up food and relief to the old, but only the rabbit is not. Then the rabbit said to the old man: "you eat me.“ and jumped into the fire. The gods were moved by him, and sent him to the Moon Palace. Later, rabbit in the Moon Palace in ramming ever-young pill.

但愿人长久，千里共婵 娟。 May the people live forever, and share the moon shine across vast distances together. Poems on the Mid- Autumn day

I raised my head, the splendid moon I see; Then droop my head and sink to dreams of my hometown. 举头望明月，低头思故乡。 --Libai

The moon, grown full now over the sea, Brightening the whole of heaven, 海上生明月， 天涯共此时。 Looking at the Moon and Thinking of One Far Away （望月怀 远） --Zhang Jiuling （张九龄 ）