Mid-Autumn Festival, as a significant traditional festival in East Asian cultural circle, originated in China. It falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month every year, usually from early September to early October in the Gregorian calendar.
significant：重要的，重大的。 traditional festival：传统节日。
originate：起源。 lunar month：农历月。
Gregorian calendar：公历。
This festival is not only highly regarded in China but also a traditional festival for local Chinese people in some countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The eighth lunar month is the second month of autumn. In ancient China, it was called Zhongqiu or Mid-Autumn. The reason why the Mid-Autumn Festival is named so may be that it is both in the second month of the three autumn months and the date is on the 15th day of this month. The Mid-Autumn Festival also has many nicknames, such as August Festival, Mid-August, Moonlit Night, Moon Festival, and 15th Night.
nicknames：别称，昵称。
Moonlit Night：月夕。 Moon Festival：月节。
这一节日不仅在中国备受重视，也是东亚和东南亚一些国家尤其是当地华人的传统佳节。农历八月是秋季的第二个月，在中国古代被称作仲秋或中秋。中秋节之所以叫这个名字，可能是因为它既处在秋三月的第二个月，日期又在该月十五日。中秋节还有很多别称，比如八月节、八月半、月夕、月节、十五夜等。
The word 'Mid-Autumn' first appeared in 'Rites of Zhou' and is read as 'Zhongqiu', referring to the eighth lunar month. According to the book, in the eighth lunar month, musicians would beat earthen drums and play the poem 'Bin' at night to welcome the colder weather.
appeared：出现。 Rites of Zhou：《周礼》。
musicians：乐官。 earthen drums：土鼓。
“中秋” 一词最早在《周礼》中出现，读作 “仲秋”，指的就是农历八月。书中记载，在农历八月，乐官会在晚上击土鼓、吹奏《豳》（bīn）诗，以此迎接天气转寒。
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a time for harvesting crops. Some folklorists believe that the Mid-Autumn Festival moon worship originated from celebrating the autumn harvest. At the same time, people would worship the god of the land. It is a festival to thank the grace of the gods, so it belongs to the harvest festival. In addition, there are many legends about the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival, such as the legend of the moon rabbit that exists everywhere in East Asia, Chang'e flying to the moon, and the legend of A Gui in Vietnam.
folklorists：民俗学家。 moon worship：祭月。
grace of the gods：神恩。 legends：传说。
中秋节还是农作物收获的时节呢。有民俗学家认为，中秋祭月源于庆祝秋季丰收，同时也会祭拜土地神，是个感谢神恩的节日，所以它属于丰收节。此外，关于中秋节由来的传说可不少，像东亚各地都有的月兔传说、嫦娥奔月，还有越南的阿贵传说等等。
Although different customs have developed for the Mid-Autumn Festival in different places, some customs are common everywhere. Admiring the moon is one of them. Records of admiring the moon date back to the Liu Song Dynasty (420 - 479), but it seems that there was no fixed date at that time. By the Tang and Song Dynasties, the custom of admiring the moon in Mid-Autumn became very popular.
developed：发展。 fixed date：固定日期。
虽然中秋节在各地发展出了不同习俗，但有些习俗却是各地共有的。赏月就是其中之一，关于赏月的记载早在刘宋（420 年 - 479 年）就有了，不过那时似乎还没形成固定日期。到了唐宋时期，中秋赏月之风盛行起来。
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also a day for family reunion. Everyone will return home to have meals and reunite. They will also offer sacrifices to ancestors to thank them for their blessings. At the same time, people will eat specific foods, many of which are related to the moon and reunion. These foods are also offerings for moon worship, such as mooncakes.
offer sacrifices：祭祖。 blessings：庇佑。
offerings：祭品。
中秋节也是一家人团圆的日子，大家都会回到家中一起吃饭、团聚，还会祭祖，以感谢祖先的庇佑。同时，人们还会吃特定的食品，很多都与月亮、团圆有关，这些食品也是祭月的祭品，比如月饼。
In southern China and Vietnam, there is also the custom of carrying lanterns. Some areas even hold large lantern fairs. This custom has also spread to Southeast Asian Chinese regions such as Singapore and Malaysia with the early immigrants moving south.
carrying lanterns：提灯笼。 lantern fairs：彩灯会。
在中国南方和越南，还有提灯笼的习俗呢。有些地区甚至会举办大型彩灯会。这个习俗也随着早期移民南下，流传到了新加坡、马来西亚等东南亚华人地区。
Since 2008, the Mid-Autumn Festival has been listed as a statutory holiday. There is one day off on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. If it coincides with the weekend, there will be a make-up day on the next Monday. If the Mid-Autumn Festival is connected or close to the National Day, generally there will be an eight-day holiday for the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
statutory holiday：法定假期。 make-up day：补休日。
connected：相连。
从 2008 年起，中秋节被列为法定假期，农历八月十五日休假一天。如果当天与周末重合，那就在下周一补休一天。要是中秋节与国庆节相连或者挨得很近，一般国庆节和中秋节就会连休八天。