农历八月十五，是我国传统的中秋节，也是我国仅次于春节的第二大传统节日。八月十五恰在秋季的中间，故谓之中秋节。我国古历法把处在秋季中间的八月，称为“仲秋”，所以中秋节又叫“仲秋节”。ThejoyousMid-AutumnFestivalwascelebratedonthefifteenthdayoftheeighthmoon,aroundthetimeoftheautumnequinox(秋分).Manyreferredtoitsimplyasthe"FifteenthoftheEighthMoon".Thisdaywasalsoconsideredasaharvestfestivalsincefruits,vegetablesandgrainhadbeenharvestedbythistimeandfoodwasabundant.Foodofferingswereplacedonanaltarsetupinthecourtyard.Apples,pears,peaches,grapes,pomegranates(石榴),melons,orangesandpomelos(柚子)mightbeseen.Specialfoodsforthefestivalincludedmooncakes,cookedtaro(芋头)andwatercaltrope(菱角),atypeofwaterchestnutresemblingblackbuffalohorns.Somepeopleinsistedthatcookedtarobeincludedbecauseatthetimeofcreation,tarowasthefirstfooddiscoveredatnightinthemoonlight.Ofallthesefoods,itcouldnotbeomittedfromtheMid-AutumnFestival.Theroundmooncakes,measuringaboutthreeinchesindiameterandoneandahalfinchesinthickness,resembledWesternfruitcakesintasteandconsistency.Thesecakesweremadewithmelonseeds(西瓜子),lotusseeds(莲籽),almonds(杏仁),mincedmeats,beanpaste,orangepeelsandlard(猪油).Agoldenyolk(蛋黄)fromasaltedduckeggwasplacedatthecenterofeachcake,andthegoldenbrowncrustwasdecoratedwithsymbolsofthefestival.Traditionally,thirteenmooncakeswerepiledinapyramidtosymbolizethethirteenmoonsofa"completeyear,"thatis,twelvemoonsplusoneintercalary(闰月的)moon.uUlsdaETheMid-AutumnFestivalisatraditionalfestivityforboththeHanandminoritynationalities.ThecustomofworshippingthemooncanbetracedbackasfarastheancientXiaandShangDynasties(2000B.C.-1066B.C.).IntheZhouDynasty(1066B.C.-221B.C.),peopleholdceremoniestogreetwinterandworshipthemoonwhenevertheMid-AutumnFestivalsetsin.ItbecomesveryprevalentintheTangDynasty(618-907A.D.)thatpeopleenjoyandworshipthefullmoon.IntheSouthernSongDynasty(1127-1279A.D.),however,peoplesendroundmooncakestotheirrelativesasgiftsinexpressionoftheirbestwishesoffamilyreunion.Whenitbecomesdark,theylookupatthefullsilvermoonorgosightseeingonlakestocelebratethefestival.SincetheMing(1368-1644A.D.)andQingDynasties(1644-1911A.D.),thecustomofMid-AutumnFestivalcelebrationbecomesunprecedentedpopular.Togetherwiththecelebrationthereappearsomespecialcustomsindifferentpartsofthecountry,suchasburningincense(熏香),plantingMid-Autumntrees,lightinglanternsontowersandfiredragondances.However,thecustomofplayingunderthemoonisnotsopopularasitusedtobenowadays,butitisnotlesspopulartoenjoythebrightsilvermoon.Wheneverthefestivalsetsin,peoplewilllookupatthefullsilvermoon,drinkingwinetocelebratetheirhappylifeorthinkingoftheirrelativesandfriendsfarfromhome,andextendingalloftheirbestwishestothem.MoonCakesThereisthisstoryaboutthemoon-cake.duringtheYuandynasty(A.D.1280-1368)ChinawasruledbytheMongolianpeople.LeadersfromtheprecedingSungdynasty(A.D.960-1280)wereunhappyatsubmittingtotheforeignrule,andsethowtocoordinatetherebellionwithoutbeingdiscovered.Theleadersoftherebellion,knowingthattheMo[]027ART范文网onFestivalwasdrawingnear,orderedthemakingofspecialcakes.Backedintoeachmooncakewasamessagewiththeoutlineoftheattack.OnthenightoftheMoonFestival,therebelssuccessfullyattachedandoverthrewthegovernment.Today,mooncakesareeatentocommemoratethislegendandwascalledtheMoonCake.Forgenerations,mooncakeshavebeenmadewithsweetfillingsofnuts,mashedredbeans,lotus-seedpasteorChinesedates(枣子),wrappedinapastry.Sometimesacookedeggyolkcanbefoundinthemiddleoftherichtastingdessert.PeoplecomparemooncakestotheplumpuddingandfruitcakeswhichareservedintheEnglishholidayseasons.中秋节的来历农历八月十五，是我国传统的中秋节，也是我国仅次于春节的第二大传统节日。八月十五恰在秋季的中间，故谓之中秋节。我国古历法把处在秋季中间的八月，称为“仲秋”，所以中秋节又叫“仲秋节”。中秋节是个古老的节日，祭月赏月是节日的重要习俗。古代帝王有春天祭日，秋天祭月的社制，民家也有中秋祭月之风，到了后来赏月重于祭月，严肃的祭祀变成了轻松的欢娱。中秋赏月的风俗在唐代极盛，许多诗人的名篇中都有咏月的诗句，宋代、明代、清代宫廷和民间的拜月赏月活动更具规模。我国各地至今遗存着许多“拜月坛”、“拜月亭”、“望月楼”的古迹。北京的“月坛”就是明嘉靖年间为皇家祭月修造的。每当中秋月亮升起，于露天设案，将月饼、石榴、枣子等瓜果供于桌案上，拜月后，全家人围桌而坐，边吃边谈，共赏明月。
