Autumn. The air is light and summer`s humid heat is fading. Pomegranates in the courtyards are bursting their vermillion skins to show off their jeweled kernels. In the parks and gardens, chrysanthemums are on stand-by for their seasonal display.
秋天，空气使人神清气爽，夏季的湿热正渐渐退去。院子里，饱满的石榴撑破了朱红色的外衣，展示着宝石般的果粒。公园里、花圃中，迎来花期的菊花正含苞待放。
Stars are finally struggling through the cool dusk, and the moon will shine its brightest with Mid-Autumn around the corner. This is a time to celebrate both revolution and romance.
在凉爽的傍晚，星星终于探出夜幕，时值中秋来临，月亮也散发出前所未有的光华。这是一个庆贺历史革新以及浪漫传说的时刻。
There are many legends linked to Zhongqiujie or Mid-Autumn Festival, but the most commonly quoted are about secret messages that galvanized a change of government, and a romantic, if convoluted, story of the archer Hou Yi and his wife Chang`e, the lady in the moon.
关于中秋节的由来，存在着许多传说，其中流传最广的，一段是朱元璋通过“月饼”来秘密传递信息，最终得以起义成功，改朝换代的故事；另外一段浪漫一点的，也要复杂一点，就是射手后羿与他那生活在月亮上的妻子嫦娥的故事。
Let`s talk about revolution first. Although the festival is long established in Chinese folklore, the eating of the mandatory moon cakes did not start until late, relative to culinary chronology. In 1368, chaffing under the Mongolian yoke after 88 years, an adviser to rebel chief Zhu Yuanzhang came up with a plot to send out rallying messages hidden in sweet pastries - much like fortune cookies.
让我们先来说说关于中秋节的革新吧。尽管这个节日在中国民间由来已久，但回顾饮食发展史，中秋吃月饼的习俗到很晚才形成。公元1368年，在蒙古人残暴执政88年后，义军首领朱元璋的军师想出了一个计策：将号召起义的信息藏入一种甜馅饼中——就像西餐里的占卜饼干一样。
Although there are no documented records to show how the rebels actually gathered, we can safely say the way to a revolutionary heart, must have been through the stomach since Zhu Yuanzhang successfully overthrew the Yuan emperors and founded the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
尽管召集起义的真实过程并无文献记录可查，但我们可以确定的是——想要抓住革命者的心，就要先抓住他们的胃（在革命起义中要想取得成功，就要审时度势，顺应民心），朱元璋由此成功地推翻了元朝统治，建立了大明王朝（1368年—1644年）。
Moon cakes are now sold in elaborate packaging that jack up the prices of the pastries to hundreds of yuan. All sorts of pastries and fillings imaginable are available, even moon cakes made from icecream and chocolate. In the south, the favorite traditional filling is lotus seed paste, while northerners like everything from red bean and date paste to ham and nuts.
今天，市面上在卖的月饼都包装精美，售价动辄数百元人民币。所有人们能够想到的口味，甚至夹着巧克力的冰激凌月饼，都应有尽有。在南方，人们喜欢莲蓉这种传统馅料；而在北方，各种馅料——从豆沙、枣泥到火腿、果仁，无不受到人们的喜爱。
A much earlier myth associated with the festival is the rather melancholic romance between the archer Hou Yi and his wife, Chang`e. There many versions but here are the most common threads.
关于中秋节，还有另一个更为远久的的传说，那就是是发生在射手后羿和妻子嫦娥之间的凄美爱情故事。这个传说有许多版本，但我们这里提到的是其中最流传最广的一些。
In those times when gods and men had a less remote relationship, 10 blazing suns shone relentlessly, scorching the earth. Hou Yi was a fine marksman, so he took his bow and arrows and shot down nine, wisely leaving one to bless the day.
在那个人神尚可相通的时代，10个炙热的太阳无情地灼烧着大地，后羿是一位神箭手，于是他用弓箭射下了9个太阳，明智地留下一个，让它在白天为人类造福。
For his great common sense, he was rewarded with an elixir for immortality enough for him and his wife, whom he loved dearly. He kept the elixir in a box while he went hunting and told his wife not to open it. That was the last thing he should have said.
由于他的英明神武，后羿得到了长生不老的丹药，这些丹药足够他和他深爱的妻子嫦娥两个人服用。当他外出狩猎的时候，他把仙丹放在一个盒子里并且叮嘱嫦娥不要打开它。这也是他最不应该说的话。
Just like Pandora, Chang`e was into the box as soon as hubby was out of the door. Unfortunately, he came back unexpectedly and surprised her holding the elixir. In her panic, Chang`e drank it all up.
就像潘多拉一样，丈夫刚离开，嫦娥就迫不及待地打开了盒子。不巧地是，后羿突然返回家中，意外撞见妻子手拿仙丹的情景。嫦娥慌乱中服下了所有的仙丹。
The potion was so strong she started floating and didn`t stop till she reached the moon. And there she has remained since, looking down in eternal regret, accompanied only by a little rabbit she managed to grab on the way up.
丹药的药性如此强烈，她开始飘离地面，最后飞落在月亮上面。嫦娥俯瞰人间，心中懊悔不已。自此她就留在了那里，只有一只飞天时捉到的小兔子陪伴着她。
Both stories are often retold as people gather under the autumn moon, feasting on moon cakes and sipping fine tea. This is an occasion for the family to get together, second only to the Lunar New Year reunion dinner that every Chinese rushes home for.
每当中秋之夜，人们相聚一堂，共食月饼、品茶啜茗之时，这两个故事还是会被一再讲起。这是一个举家团圆的时刻，若要再次团聚，只有等到农历春节，大家奔波返家吃年夜饭的时候了。
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