馬上就是一年一度的中秋節，在這個特殊的節日，如果你周圍的老外朋友們問你中秋節的起源、傳說和習俗，你該怎麼說？
今天的英文（雙語）影片，可以讓你完整了解我們中華民族的傳統節日——中秋節，也希望你可以讓外國朋友們全面瞭解這個傳統節日。
中秋節是什麼？
What is Mid-Autumn Festival？
To the Chinese， Mid-Autumn Festival means family reunion and peace。 The festival is celebrated when the moon is believed to be the biggest and fullest。 To the Chinese， a full moon is a symbol of prosperity， happiness， and family reunion。
對中國人來說，中秋節意味著團聚、平安。人們覺得，中秋節的月亮最大、最圓。滿月象徵著繁榮、幸福和團圓。
中國人怎麼過中秋？
How the Chinese Celebrate Mid-Autumn？
Many traditional and meaningful celebrations are held in most households in China， and China\\\\\\‘s neighboring countries。 The main traditions and celebrations include eating mooncakes， having dinner with family， gazing at and worshipping the moon， and lighting lanterns。
大部分中國家庭以及中國的鄰國都會舉行許多傳統的慶祝活動，主要慶祝方式包括吃月餅，吃團圓飯，賞月和點燈籠。
中秋節起源版本一
中秋節起源
Why Mid-Autumn Festival is Celebrated and How it Started？
Mid-Autumn Festival has a history of over 3，000 years， dating back to moon worship in the Shang Dynasty （1600–1046 BC）。 It\\\\\\’s such an important festival that many poems were written about it， stories and legends about the festival are widespread， and its origins have been guessed at and explained by generations of Chinese。
中秋節有三千多年曆史，可以追溯到商代時對月亮的崇拜。因為中秋節的重要地位，歷代詩人都會為中秋節寫詩，關於中秋節的故事、傳奇在民間廣為流傳，中秋節的起源也被歷代中國人探究。
The term “Mid-Autumn” first appeared in the book Rites of Zhou （周禮）， written in the Warring States Period （475–221 BC）。 But the term only related to the time and season； the festival didn\\\\\\‘t exist at that point。
“中秋”一詞最早出現在戰國時期《周禮》一書中，但是該詞只和時間和季節有關，當時還沒有中秋節。
In the Tang Dynasty （618–907 AD）， it was popular to appreciate the moon。 Many poets liked to create poems related to the moon when appreciating it。 There is a legend that Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty visited the Moon Palace in his dream and heard a wonderful song。
唐代時賞月風靡，詩人在賞月之時佳作連連。據傳，唐玄宗曾在夢中去往月宮並聽到優美的歌聲。
In the Northern Song Dynasty （960–1127 AD）， the 15th day of the 8th lunar month was established as the “Mid-Autumn Festival”。 From then on， sacrificing to the moon was very popular， and has become a custom ever since。
北宋時期，農曆八月十五才被正式確立為中秋節，從那以後，為月亮獻祭盛行，從那以後便成為風俗。
中秋英文繪本故事
中秋節起源版本二
The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month， usually in early September to early October of the Gregorian calendar with full moon at night。 It is a time for family members and loved ones to congregate and enjoy the full moon - an auspicious symbol of abundance，harmony and luck。 Adults will usually indulge in fragrant mooncakes of many varieties with a good cup of piping hot Chinese tea， while the little ones run around with their brightly-lit lanterns。
每年農曆八月十五日，是傳統的中秋佳節。這時是一年秋季的中期，所以被稱為中秋。在這天，每個家庭都團聚在一起，一家人共同觀賞象徵豐裕、和諧和幸運的圓月。此時，大人們吃著美味的月餅，品著熱騰騰的香茗，而孩子們則在一旁拉著兔子燈盡情玩耍。
The festival has a long history。 In ancient China， emperors followed the rite of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn。 Historical books of the Zhou Dynasty had had the word “Mid-Autumn”。 Later aristocrats and literary figures helped expand the ceremony to common people。 They enjoyed the full， bright moon on that day， worshipped it and expressed their thoughts and feelings under it。 By the Tang Dynasty （618-907）， the Mid-Autumn Festival had been fixed， which became even grander in the Song Dynasty （960-1279）。 In the Ming （1368-1644） and Qing （1644-1911） dynasties， it grew to be a major festival of China。
中秋節有悠久的歷史，和其它傳統節日一樣，也是慢慢發展形成的，古代帝王有春天祭日，秋天祭月的禮制，早在《周禮》一書中，已有“中秋”一詞的記載。後來貴族和文人學士也仿效起來，在中秋時節，對著天上又亮又圓一輪皓月，觀賞祭拜，寄託情懷，這種習俗就這樣傳到民間，形成一個傳統的活動，一直到了唐代，這種祭月的風俗更為人們重視，中秋節才成為固定的節日，《唐書·太宗記》記載有“八月十五中秋節”，這個節日盛行於宋朝，至明清時，已與元旦齊名，成為我國的主要節日之一。
The Mid-Autumn Festival probably began as a harvest festival。 The festival was later given a mythological flavour with legends of Chang-E， the beautiful lady in the moon。
中秋節最早可能是一個慶祝豐收的節日。後來，月宮裡美麗的仙女嫦娥的神話故事賦予了它神話色彩。
中秋節
還有哪些習俗呢？
賞月
admire the full moon /
watch the full moon to celebrate the festival
碧空如洗，圓月如盤。人們在盡情賞月之際，會情不自禁地想念遠遊在外、客居異鄉的親人。中國人歷來把家人團圓、親友團聚，共享天倫之樂看得極其珍貴，歷來有“花好月圓人團聚”之謂。
點燈籠
light lanterns
中秋之夜，天清如水，月明如鏡，可謂良辰之美景，然而對此人們並未滿足，於是便有燃燈以助月色的風俗。
玩花燈
play with lanterns / scaldfish
中秋玩花燈主要只是在家庭、兒童之間進行的，多集中在南方。
祭月
offering sacrifice to the moon
中秋祭月儀式是一種古老的祭祀禮儀，表達人們祈求月神降福人間的一種美好心願。
一個英文影片讓你看懂各種常見月餅
中國節—— Mid-Autumn Festival （中秋節）
The 15th day of the eighth lunar month is the Mid-Autumn Festival， a celebration that focuses on the moon。 From ancient times， it has been customary for Chinese to reunite with family members and enjoy a sweet mooncake while observing the beautiful moon。
其他關於中秋節的精彩影片
《Hello， China》中秋節022
嫦娥奔月的故事
04：18
Long， long time ago，10 suns appeared in the sky。 They looked like 10 fireballs，which scorched the entire earth。
There was a sharp shooter named Hou Yi who attempted to help people to shoot down the excess suns。 Hou Yi shot down nine suns at one time， and left the last one。 Hou Yi commanded that the sun should rise and fall on time each day to benefit the people。
Because of his contribution in shooting down the suns and saving the world，the queen Wang Mu gave Hou Yi a magic pill which could make him a god and became immortal。
Hou Yi was reluctant to leave his wife Chang-e alone and became immortal。 So he gave the elixir to her and asked her to keep it。 This sense was seen by an evil minded man whose name was Pang Meng。
After Hou Yi became famous， many people came to learn the archery from him。 Peng Meng was one of them。 One day Hou Yi went out for hunting with his disciples leaving chang-e at home alone。 Peng Meng pretended to be ill， and did not go with them。
After Hou Yi left，Pang Meng broke into Hou Yi\\\\\\’s house with a sword。 And forced Chang-e to give him the pill。 Chang-e worried that Pang Meng will bring disasters to human being after he got the magic。
So she swallowed the pill。 After swallowing the pill， Chang-e felt that her body became very light immediately。 And she flew to the heaven。 Chang-e worried about Hou Yi。 So she only flew to the moon which was nearest to the earth and became the moon goddess。
Chang-e was accompanied by a jade rabbit in the moon every day。 She missed her husband very much。 So did her husband Hou Yi。 He also wanted to meet Chang-e again。
A god taught Hou Yi a method： Using flour to make a cake which looked like the full moon on August 15th。 And placing it on the Northwest of the house。 Then calling Chang-e\\\\\\‘s name continuously。 Then Chang-e would come back and reunite with him。
Hou Yi made many cakes according to the god\\\\\\’s method on August 15th。 And Chang-e really came back home from the moon。 Later on， people called this round flour-made cake “moon cake” and passed it on from generation to generation。
從古至今，都流傳著很多關於中秋節的美麗傳說，比如“嫦娥奔月”“吳剛砍桂”以及“玉兔搗藥”等傳說。今天說一說“嫦娥奔月”這個小故事吧。
相傳，遠古時候天上同時有十個太陽出現，曬得莊稼枯死，河流乾涸，百姓們都快要生存不下去了。
這時，有一個叫做后羿的人，力大無窮，他看見老百姓們的生活很是同情，於是就登上了崑崙山頂，運足神力，拉滿神弓，將天上的太陽射下來9個，並命令最後一個太陽朝升暮落，造福人間。
后羿因此成為了百姓們尊敬的人，後來后羿娶了一位善良美麗的妻子，名叫嫦娥，兩個人的感情非常好。
后羿在射下了太陽之後，有很多人慕名前來拜師學藝，有一個叫做蓬蒙的心術不正的人混了進來，跟著后羿拜師學藝。
一天，后羿到崑崙山拜訪朋友，巧遇王母娘娘，就向王母娘娘求了一包不死藥。據說，服下此藥就能昇天成仙。可是后羿不願意撇下自己的妻子，就把不死藥交給了嫦娥保管。嫦娥將不死藥放進了梳妝檯的百寶匣裡，不料卻被心術不正的蓬蒙看見了，於是就起了歹心。
幾天後，后羿帶領徒弟外出打獵的時候，蓬蒙藉口生病留了下來。后羿走後不久，蓬蒙就手持寶劍闖入了後宅內院，威逼嫦娥交出不死藥。嫦娥知道自己不是蓬蒙對手，情急之下就拿出不死藥一口吞了下去。嫦娥吞下藥之後，身子立馬就飄向了天空，嫦娥牽掛自己的丈夫，於是就落在了離人間最近的月亮上成了仙。
等到后羿回到家，知道出事之後，拿起劍去殺惡徒，蓬蒙卻早已逃走，后羿只能對著天空呼喚嫦娥的名字。不久，他發現月亮上有一個人影很像嫦娥，於是就經常對著月亮思念自己的妻子，拿出嫦娥平時喜愛吃的鮮果蜜食，遙寄相思之情。
百姓們在得知嫦娥奔月成仙的訊息之後，紛紛在月下襬設香案，向善良的嫦娥祈求吉祥平安。從此中秋賞月拜月的風俗就這樣傳開了。
這個老外，比你還了解中秋節！