2017 Chinese Mid-autumn Festival

“十五的月亮圆又圆<shí wǔ de yuè liɑnɡ yuán yòu yuán>”, as a Chinese traditional festival spreading for thousands of year, Chinese Mid-autumn Festival is usually celebrating at 15th August in Chinese lunar year, and it comes here on 4th October this year. The Mid-Autumn Festival is addressed as “中秋节” because of the mid-date of August and autumn as well.
There are so many ancient legends of Mid-autumn Festival. The most famous one is “嫦娥奔月”, which was introduced last year with some Chinese phrases about it. So, today this article is aimed to introduce some events on Mid-autumn day to you.
观潮：guān cháo
(Tidal Bore Watching)

With the observation of Chinese ancients, they believed in there will be grand and spectacular tide surfing to the beach between days of mid-autumn. Thus, people who lived near huge rivers joints to the sea would like to appreciate the scene of tidal bore. Until nowadays, lots of people tend to have a look of such grand scene in Qiantang River on these days.
树中秋:shù zhōng qiū
(Plant the Mid-autumn)

At that day, Chinese people will light the candles in paper lanterns, and hanging them to eaves tightened on bamboo sticks. And we call this kind of tradition as “树中秋”(Plant the Mid-autumn).
猜灯谜:cāi dēng mí
(Guess Lantern Riddles)

At the ancient times, it was a popular activity to make lantern riddles in some special days like the Mid-autumn Festival. Chinese young people preferred to express their affections to each other with riddles on lanterns.
赏月:shǎng yuè
(Moon Appreciation)

吃月饼:chī yuè bǐng
(Having Moon Cake)

“赏月”and “吃月饼” are Chinese traditions for Mid-autumn Festival with spreading for thousands of years. The full moon will be totally bright on that night placing Chinese people’s thoughts and missing to their families. Within some dynasties, the moon cake was produced as moon’s shape and people tended to eat them as a spiritual behaviors as well.

Chinese people always follow the tradition of Chinese cultures and would like to show their best wishes to their families and friends. Here we prepared some basic words and grateful expressions about Chinese Mid-autumn Festivals.

Basic Chinese words about Mid-autumn Festival:

中秋节<zhōng qiū jiē>：Mid-autumn Festival

中秋佳节<zhōng qiū jiā jiē>：Great Mid-autumn Festival

秋/秋天<qiū /qiū tiān>：Autumn

月/月亮<yuè /yuè liàng>：Moon

月饼<yuè bǐng>：Moon cake

桂花<guì huā>：Osmanthus flowers

桂花酒<guì huā jiǔ>：Osmanthus-flavored wine

团圆饭<tuán yuán fàn>：Family Reunion Dinner

Chinese blessing expressions about Mid-autumn Festival:

zhù nín zhōng qiū kuài lè!
祝您中秋快乐！
(Wish you happy Mid-autumn Day!)


zhōng xīn zhù yuàn nín hé jiā rén, tuán yuán měi mǎn, xìng fú ān kāng!
衷心祝愿您和家人，团圆美满，幸福安康！
(Sincerely wish you and your family reunion happy, and well-being.)


yuè'r zhào jiǔ zhōu, yuè bǐng jiě fán yōu, zhí cǐ jiā jiē, zhù nín xiào kǒu cháng kāi, hǎo yùn zì lái!
月儿照九州，月饼解烦忧，值此佳节，祝您笑口常开，好运自来！
(Full moon shines to the ground. Moon cake dispels worries. At such a great festival, we wish you grin all the time, good luck along with you. )


There are many great works about such a great day in everyone’s mouth, the most famous one of them is a Song Poem written by Su Shi, who was a well-known poet in China.
《水调歌头》 （宋）苏轼
míng yuè jǐ shí yǒu ？bǎ jiǔ wèn qīng tiān。
明月几时有？把酒问青天。
(How rare the moon, so round and clear! With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky.)
bú zhī tiān shàng gōng què, jīn xī shì hé nián?
不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年？
("I do not know in the celestial sphere,
What name this festive night goes by?")
wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù, yòu kǒng qióng lóu yù yǔ, gāo chù bú shèng hán!
我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒！
(I want to fly home, riding the air,
But fear the ethereal cold up there,
The jade and crystal mansions are so high!)
qǐ wǔ nòng qīng yǐng, hé sì zài rén jiān!
起舞弄清影，何似在人间!
(Dancing to my shadow,
I feel no longer the mortal tie.)
zhuǎn zhū gé, dī qǐ hù, zhào wú mián。
转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。
(She rounds the vermilion tower,
Stoops to silk-pad doors,
Shines on those who sleepless lie.)
bù yīng yǒu hèn, hé shì zhǎng xiàng bié shí yuán?
不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？
(Why does she, bearing us no grudge,
Shine upon our parting, reunion deny?)
rén yǒu bēi huān lí hé, yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē, cǐ shì gǔ nán quán。
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
(But rare is perfect happiness--
The moon does wax, the moon does wane,
And so men meet and say goodbye.)
dàn yuàn rén zhǎng jiǔ, qiān lǐ gòng chán juān。
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
(I only pray our life be long,
And our souls together heavenward fly!)
Wish all happy and healthy! Don’t forget to have some moon cakes! And welcome to book a free trial lesson and learn more about Chinese culture and traditions with us!