How is the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated across Asia

 

来源：中国日报网 

      

Better known by its more imaginative moniker of the Mooncake Festival, for millions of Chinese across Asia the Mid-Autumn Festival is a big deal, second only to Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations.

中秋节绰号“月饼节”，在亚洲各地的华人眼中，中秋节是一个很盛大的节日，其重要性仅次于春节。

 

Throughout the continent, households celebrate in style in a variety of ways, with the releasing of sky lanterns, dragon dancing and the age old tradition of eating mountains of moon cakes. These ubiquitous bite-sized chunks of pastry are filled with everything from red bean paste, lotus seeds, almonds, egg yolk, minced meat, candied fruits or chocolate.

在亚洲，每个家庭庆祝中秋的方式各有千秋，有放孔明灯的，有舞龙的，还有流传已久的吃月饼的传统。在中秋佳节，这种小巧的点心随处可见，其馅料从红豆沙、莲子、杏仁、蛋黄、肉末、果脯到巧克力，无所不包。

 

There are literally hundreds of varieties found throughout the region and in cosmopolitan areas such as Hong Kong and Shanghai, well-to-do folk can even munch on moon cakes of black truffle, caviar and foie gras.

亚洲各地的月饼多达数百种，而类似香港和上海这种国际大都市，有钱人家甚至能享用黑松露、鱼子酱和鹅肝酱月饼。

 

Throughout continental Asia, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for families to reunite and spend time together. Celebrations kick off with a special meal at home, akin to a western Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner before everyone steps out together, often in traditional dress, to enjoy local festivities such as dancing, music and bright lantern displays. Each nation and region has its own peculiar customs for moon worship with many quaint customs still going strong.

在亚洲大陆的各个地方，中秋节都是一个家人团聚及相互陪伴的节日。庆祝活动往往从一桌特别的家宴开始，类似于西方的圣诞节或感恩节晚餐，之后全家人一起外出活动，通常都会身着传统服饰，让自己置身于当地的节日氛围中，观赏舞蹈、音乐以及漂亮的灯会。每个国家和地区都有各自独特的拜月风俗，许多稀奇古怪的习俗在当地仍影响深远。

 

 

In Chinese mainland the strong scent of incense wafts through the air and twinkling lanterns can be seen for miles around. Unsurprisingly it is in the rural heartland where the most colorful traditions still hold true.

在中国大陆，中秋那天，空气中飘散着浓烈的熏香味道，隔着几公里远也可以看到空中闪烁的灯笼。不用意外，在农村中心地区，那些丰富多样的传统习俗仍被尊崇。

 

In parts of Southern China the full moon is time for a little romance. Masquerades are held at Festival time to pair up single guys and girls from neighboring villages with the quaint yet symbolic dropping of a handkerchief.

在中国南方的部分地区，月圆之夜被认为是一个浪漫的时刻。节日当天会举办假面舞会，用丢手绢的方式撮合邻村的单身男女，这看似不可思议却极具象征意味。

 

One of the most spectacular aspects of Mid-Autumn Festival is the building of huge bamboo and stone towers, often rising over 50 feet high, which are then set ablaze after dark in order to ensure a good harvest.

最壮观的一种中秋庆祝活动是用竹子和石头垒成巨塔，高度通常超过50英尺，等到天黑后再将巨塔点燃，以求来年的好收成。

 

 

Hong Kong is arguably the best place of all to be for the Festival. The teeming city goes mad for moon cakes and the famous city skyline is even more dramatic among thousands of shimmering lanterns and the glow of the full moon.

香港也许是欢庆中秋的最佳地区。这座闹市的人们疯狂地爱着月饼，那闪闪发亮的灯笼和满月的光辉让这座著名城市的天际线显得格外壮丽。

 

Seemingly every household in the city takes the kids up to Victoria Peak to see the cityscape and harbor view in all its glory. From here you can see a flotilla of boats ferrying couples around the harbor on romantic moonlight cruises. Throughout Kowloon there are special street markets, extravagant lantern processions (including the world’s largest structure made entirely of lanterns) and the famous fire dragon dances shows.

在香港，似乎家家户户都会带着孩子到太平山顶观赏城市全貌以及维港的华美夜景。在这里你会看到一队小艇载着佳偶们在浪漫的月光下徐行。整个九龙区遍布着特别的街边市场，还会上演华美的彩灯游行（包括世界最大的造型灯）和著名的舞火龙表演。

 

 

Although not a designated public holiday in Singapore, the city celebrates in typically over-the-top fashion which is as ever, well stage-managed.

虽然中秋节并非新加坡的法定公共节假日，但这座城市的庆祝方式不仅极尽时尚，而且表演也很壮观。

 

All the action takes place in Chinatown with an official opening ceremony and light up of shimmering lanterns. There are numerous troupes of lion dancers all jostling for position to the sound of deafening firecrackers and cheesy Mandarin pop songs.

在唐人街所有的庆祝活动都有一个正式的开幕仪式，并会点亮灯笼。许多舞狮表演队和着震耳欲聋的鞭炮声与并不正宗的国语流行歌曲，你来我往，你争我夺。

 

This being Singapore, there is a huge moon-inspired street bazaar with the usual mix of tacky Chinese souvenirs and fabulous street food.

在新加坡还设有中秋主题大型夜市，可以买到一些廉价的中国纪念品和美味的街头小吃。

 

 

Falling on the same date as the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, Chuseok is a big deal; hands down the most celebrated holiday on Korea’s calendar. For outsiders, it’s sometimes difficult to grasp the significance of this three-day event, as it is extremely family-oriented. If you have an in with a kind Korean family, this would be a great opportunity for an in depth look at Confucianism in action.

韩国的秋夕节是个大日子，正好与中国的中秋节在同一天；它毫无疑问是韩国最盛大的节日。由于该节日完全以家庭为单位庆祝，因此外来者很难领会到这个为期三天的节日的重要性。你若能与一个和善的韩国家庭同住，这几天将是深入观察儒家做派的绝佳机会。

 

 

Due in part to the creeping westernization of Taiwan society, there is a modern trend of spending Mid-Autumn Festival with a barbecue and a few beers under the light of the full moon. It is usually a small family affair but some towns and villages do organize large scale versions where the whole community gets together under twinkling lanterns to eat mountains of sizzling meat and moon cakes.

某种程度上是因为台湾社会日渐西化，现在中秋节越来越流行在满月下露天吃烧烤喝啤酒。虽然中秋节通常在小家庭里庆祝，但有些城镇或乡村会组织大型烧烤活动，让整个社区的人都聚到一起，大家在闪烁的灯笼下一边大口吃烤肉，一边品尝月饼。

 

 

The Vietnamese version of Mid-Autumn Festival has taken on a life of its own, including its very own unique and bizarre legend. It recounts the story of a woman who accidentally urinated on a sacred banyan tree and for her sins was transported to the moon to be stranded there for eternity. During festivities in Vietnam, lion dances are the main attraction with small dance troupes performing on street corners or going from house to house collecting ‘good luck’ money in exchange for a private show.

越南版本的中秋节别具一格，尤其是那独特而离奇的传说。传说一个女人无意中尿到了一棵神圣的榕树上，因为这个罪过她被遣送到月亮上，永生永世被困在那里。越南过节期间，小舞蹈团的舞狮表演是最吸引人的，他们会在街角表演，或者一家一家收取红包进行私人表演。

 

Vocabulary

 

moniker: 绰号

ubiquitous: 无所不在的

hold true: 适用；有效

masquerade: 化妆舞会

teeming: 热闹的

jostle: 争夺

tacky: 俗气的

hands down: 无疑地