中秋节 · The Mid-Autumn Festival
Zhōngqiū Jié — Mooncakes, the Chang'e legend, and why the same moon is a comfort.
Read the story
Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.
农历八月十五是中秋节,是中国人很重视的节日。
The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month is Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday Chinese people take seriously.
这一天的月亮最圆,也最亮。
On this day the moon is at its roundest and brightest.
中秋节最重要的事情,就是一家人团圆。
The most important thing about Mid-Autumn is the family being together.
不管走得多远,很多人都会想办法回家。
No matter how far away they are, many people find a way to go home.
晚饭以后,大家把桌子搬到院子里或者阳台上。
After dinner, everyone moves the table out to the courtyard or the balcony.
桌上放着月饼、水果和热茶。
On the table sit mooncakes, fruit and hot tea.
月饼的味道很多,有豆沙的,有莲蓉的,还有咸蛋黄的。
Mooncakes come in many flavors: red bean paste, lotus seed paste, and salted egg yolk.
现在还出现了冰淇淋月饼和巧克力月饼。
These days there are even ice cream mooncakes and chocolate mooncakes.
老人常常一边看月亮,一边讲嫦娥的故事。
The old people often watch the moon while telling the story of Chang'e.
传说嫦娥吃了长生不老药,飞到了月亮上。
Legend says Chang'e swallowed the elixir of immortality and flew up to the moon.
从此她就住在广寒宫里,再也回不来了。
From then on she lived in the Cold Palace and could never come back.
所以中秋的月亮里,总有一点点寂寞。
So in the Mid-Autumn moon there is always a little loneliness.
如果那天你在外地,也不要难过。
If you are away from home that day, don't be sad.
因为你和家人看到的,是同一个月亮。
Because what you and your family see is one and the same moon.
Vocabulary in this story (95 words)
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 农历 | nónglì | the lunar calendar |
| 八月 | bā yuè | eighth month |
| 十五 | shíwǔ | the fifteenth |
| 是 | shì | is |
| 中秋节 | Zhōngqiū Jié | Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 中国人 | Zhōngguó rén | Chinese people |
| 很 | hěn | very much |
| 重视 | zhòngshì | value |
| 的 | de | (that) |
| 节日 | jiérì | a holiday |
| 这一天 | zhè yì tiān | this day |
| 月亮 | yuèliang | the moon |
| 最圆 | zuì yuán | is roundest |
| 也 | yě | and also |
| 最亮 | zuì liàng | brightest |
| 最 | zuì | the most |
| 重要 | zhòngyào | important |
| 事情 | shìqing | thing |
| 就是 | jiùshì | is |
| 一家人 | yì jiā rén | the whole family |
| 团圆 | tuányuán | reuniting |
| 不管 | bùguǎn | no matter |
| 走 | zǒu | they have gone |
| 得 | de | (manner) |
| 多远 | duō yuǎn | how far |
| 很多人 | hěn duō rén | many people |
| 都会 | dōu huì | will |
| 想办法 | xiǎng bànfǎ | find a way |
| 回家 | huí jiā | to go home |
| 晚饭 | wǎnfàn | dinner |
| 以后 | yǐhòu | after |
| 大家 | dàjiā | everyone |
| 把 | bǎ | (object marker) |
| 桌子 | zhuōzi | the table |
| 搬到 | bān dào | moves out to |
| 院子里 | yuànzi lǐ | the courtyard |
| 或者 | huòzhě | or |
| 阳台上 | yángtái shàng | the balcony |
| 桌上 | zhuō shàng | on the table |
| 放 | fàng | sit |
| 着 | zhe | (ongoing) |
| 月饼 | yuèbǐng | mooncakes |
| 水果 | shuǐguǒ | fruit |
| 和 | hé | and |
| 热茶 | rè chá | hot tea |
| 味道 | wèidào | flavors |
| 很多 | hěn duō | are many |
| 有 | yǒu | there are |
| 豆沙的 | dòushā de | red bean paste ones |
| 莲蓉的 | liánróng de | lotus seed paste ones |
| 还有 | hái yǒu | and also |
| 咸蛋黄的 | xián dànhuáng de | salted egg yolk ones |
| 现在 | xiànzài | these days |
| 还 | hái | even |
| 出现 | chūxiàn | have appeared |
| 了 | le | (past) |
| 冰淇淋 | bīngqílín | ice cream |
| 巧克力 | qiǎokèlì | chocolate |
| 老人 | lǎorén | the old people |
| 常常 | chángcháng | often |
| 一边 | yìbiān | while |
| 看 | kàn | watching |
| 讲 | jiǎng | telling |
| 嫦娥 | Cháng'é | Chang'e |
| 故事 | gùshi | the story |
| 传说 | chuánshuō | legend says |
| 吃 | chī | swallowed |
| 长生不老药 | chángshēng bù lǎo yào | the elixir of immortality |
| 飞 | fēi | flew |
| 到 | dào | up to |
| 月亮上 | yuèliang shàng | the moon |
| 从此 | cóngcǐ | from then on |
| 她 | tā | she |
| 就 | jiù | then |
| 住 | zhù | lived |
| 在 | zài | in |
| 广寒宫里 | Guǎnghán Gōng lǐ | the Cold Palace |
| 再也 | zài yě | never again |
| 回不来了 | huí bù lái le | could come back |
| 所以 | suǒyǐ | so |
| 中秋 | Zhōngqiū | Mid-Autumn |
| 月亮里 | yuèliang lǐ | in the moon |
| 总 | zǒng | always |
| 一点点 | yìdiǎndiǎn | a little |
| 寂寞 | jìmò | loneliness |
| 如果 | rúguǒ | if |
| 那天 | nà tiān | that day |
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 外地 | wàidì | another place |
| 不要 | búyào | don't |
| 难过 | nánguò | be sad |
| 因为 | yīnwèi | because |
| 家人 | jiārén | your family |
| 看到 | kàndào | see |
| 同一个 | tóng yí ge | one and the same |