中国人自古以来就在中秋节庆祝丰收,这与北美地区庆祝感恩节的风俗十分相似。过中秋节的习俗于唐代早期在中国各地开始流行。中秋节在农历八月十五,是人们拜月的节日,这天夜晚皓月当空,人们合家团聚,共赏明月。2006年,中秋节被列为中国的文化遗产,2008年又被定为公共假日。月饼被视为中秋节不可或缺的美食,人们将月饼作为礼物馈赠亲友或家庭聚会上享用。传统的月饼带有“寿(longevity)、“福”或“和”等字样。
译文:
Since ancient times, the Chinese people usually celebrate harvest in the Mid-Autumn, which is similar to the custom of celebrating Thanksgiving in the North America. The Mid-Autumn has become popular all over China in the Early Tang Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, is a day for worshiping the moon. At that day, family members get together and enjoy the bright moon in the sky at night. In 2006, the Mid-Autumn was listed as a China cultural heritage, and in 2008 designated as a public holiday. The moon cake, an indispensable food of the Festival, is often used as a gift for relatives and friends or enjoyed in the family party. Traditional moon cakes are imprinted with Chinese characters with such meanings as “longevity”, “happiness” or “harmony”.