"May weall be blessed with longevity. Though miles apart, we are still Able to sharethe beauty of the moon together (但愿人长久，千里共婵娟)."wrote Su Shi, a poet during the SongDynasty, in his well-known poem to his younger brother Su Zhe.
The moon is at itsbrightest on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar (阴历). On this day, people celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival. It has beenenjoying great popularity all over the country.
In ancient China, that daywas a harvest festival because crops were harvested during that period. ①It was a time for relaxation and celebration.
Just like Thanksgiving inWestern countries, families also try to get together for the Mid-AutumnFestival in China. Usually, no matter how far away or how busy they are, peoplewill try to return home for the celebration.
②中秋节有自己的特殊食物，就像其他中国传统节日一样。People eat mooncakes withfillings such as sugar and eggs. The round shape of the cake makes it look likethe full moon. The full moon and mooncakes stand for family reunion(团聚).
With the beautiful moon upin the sky, people sit together, enjoy the full moon, eat mooncakes and fruit,share the stories, and express the best wishes for the family members andfriends who live afar.
