中秋節是中國傳統節日之一，為每年的農歷八月十五，此時正值秋季過半，故名中秋。中秋節的晚上，人們舉家歡聚，點花燈、品月餅、賞明月，中秋夜的月亮是一年中最圓、最亮的，亦稱滿月，象征著家人的團聚，因此中秋節也被人們視為團圓的節日。

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important festivities in China, According to Chinese lunar calendar, the 15th day of the 8th month is the exact midst of autumn, so it's called the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an evening celebration when families gather together to light lanterns, eat moon cakes and appreciate the round moon. On that night, the moon appears to be at its roundest and brightest. The full moon is a symbol for family reunion, which is why that day is also known as the Festival of Reunion.

中秋節的歷史可以追溯到2000多年前，在古老的封建時代，中國帝王要向上天祈求一年風調雨順、國泰民安，他們在每年農歷二月十五的早晨，及八月十五的晚上進行祈福活動。歷代帝王每年都會前往位于北京西城的月壇公園祭奉月亮。

The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations date back to more than 2,000 years ago. In feudal times, Chinese emperors prayed to Heaven for a prosperous year. They chose the morning of the 15th day of the second lunar month to worship the sun and the night of the 15th day of the eighth lunar month to hold a ceremony in praise of the moon. In the western district of Beijing is the Yuetan Park, which originally was the Temple of Moon, and every year the emperor would go there to offer a sacrifice to the moon.

唐朝時期（618-907年），在中秋節祭奉月亮已經于百姓間十分流行。到了南宋時期（1127-1279年），人們開始互贈月餅來表達對家人、好友的美好祝愿，到了晚上，他們會聚在一起賞月，或泛舟河邊，共度節日良宵。

This ancient custom became prevalent in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) that people enjoyed and worshipped the full moon. In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), however, people sent round moon cakes to their relatives as gifts in expression of their best wishes of family reunion. When it turned dark, they gazed up at the full silver moon or went sightseeing by lakes, to celebrate the festival.

到了明代（1368-1644年）、清代（1644-1911年），中秋節更是有了空前的發展，在各地出現了諸多不同的節日習俗，如燒香、樹中秋、點花燈、舞火龍等。人們在月下飲酒歡慶，或思念遠方的家人、摯友，并向月亮許平安。

Since the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration has become unprecedentedly popular. Together with the celebration appeared some special customs in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting Mid-Autumn trees, lighting lanterns on towers and fire dragon dances, etc. Whenever the festival sets in, people would look up at the full silver moon, drinking wine to celebrate their happy life, or thinking of their relatives and friends far from home and extending all of their best wishes to them.

中秋時節，農民們剛剛收獲了莊稼、果實，辛勞一年后的豐收讓他們倍感喜悅，因此這些普通老百姓也特別喜歡中秋。

In mid-autumn, farmers have just finished gathering their crops and bringing in fruits from the orchards. They are overwhelmed with joy when they have a bumper harvest and at the same time, they feel quite relaxed after a year of hard work. So the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (the Mid-Autumn Festival) has gradually evolved as a widely celebrated festival for ordinary people.

當夜幕降臨，大地沐浴在皎潔月光下，每家每戶都在庭院里圍桌而坐，孩子們則在院子里嬉戲，一家人共享節日的美好時光。

Night falls. The land is bathed in silver moonlight. Families set up tables in their courtyards or sit together on their balconies, chatting and sharing offerings to the moon. Together, they enjoy the enchanting spell of night. Naturally, they are reminded of beautiful legends about the moon.