中秋佳節(jié)，大家闔家歡聚的時(shí)候，餐桌上肯定少不了代表團(tuán)圓的月餅。

中秋節(jié)吃月餅的傳統(tǒng)在中國有著悠久的歷史，但關(guān)于它的起源有著不同的說法。
The tradition of eating mooncakes on this festival has a long history in China, yet there are different versions of statements about its origin.

最常見的版本是，在唐朝唐太宗的統(tǒng)治時(shí)期，太宗派出他最能干的將軍李靖迎戰(zhàn)中國北邊的突厥部落以壓制他們頻繁的入侵。而8月的第15天正好是將軍凱旋歸來的日子。為了慶祝他的勝利，長安城（唐朝的首都）放起了煙花和音樂。長安城的市民和士兵一起享受了一個(gè)狂歡的夜晚。那時(shí)，一個(gè)從吐蕃王國（西藏的古稱謂）來的商人呈給太宗一種圓形的蛋糕以慶祝他的勝利。
The most common version is that during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Taizong ordered his ablest general Li Jing to go for a battle against the Turkic clan in north ancient China to suppress their frequent invasions. The 15th day of the 8th month was exactly the day for the general's triumphant return. In order to celebrate his victory, fireworks were set off and music was played in and out of Chang'an City (the capital of the Tang Dynasty), and citizens were happily enjoying a riotous night together with warriors. At that time, a business man, coming from the Tubo Kingdom (the ancient name for Tibet), presented Taizong with a kind of round cakes to celebrate Tang's victory.

太宗愉悅地收下了那個(gè)精美裝飾的盒子，拿出了里面多色的圓蛋糕并分發(fā)給了他的官員和將軍。從那時(shí)起，就形成了在中秋節(jié)吃圓形的月餅的傳統(tǒng)。
Taizong gladly received the magnificently-decorated boxes and took the multi-colored round cakes out of the boxes and handed them out to his officials and generals. From then on, the tradition of eating round mooncakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival was formed.

除了吃月餅以外，秋天正當(dāng)季的一些美食也要在我們的餐桌上有一席之地。

螃 蟹
Crab

每逢中秋節(jié)，富含蛋白質(zhì)和氨基酸的大閘蟹大概是最受中國人歡迎的美食之一。中秋時(shí)節(jié)也是蟹子準(zhǔn)備產(chǎn)卵的季節(jié)，這就意味著這時(shí)的蟹子最鮮美。一盤清蒸大閘蟹，配上生姜和香醋，往往成就中秋團(tuán)圓宴上的點(diǎn)睛之筆。
During Mid-Autumn Festival, hairy crab -- rich in protein and amino acids -- is probably one of most sought-after delicacy among Chinese people. Crabs are ready to lay their eggs around the time of the festival, meaning they are at their tastiest right then. A plate of steamed hairy crabs dressed with ginger and vinegar always forms the highlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion dinner.

桂花酒
Osmanthus-flavored wine

中秋吃桂花糕、品桂花酒，自古有之。正因中秋時(shí)節(jié)桂花盛放，它們成了中秋時(shí)人們寵愛的佳肴。聞著陣陣甜香，品嘗桂花糕、桂花酒，也象征這合家團(tuán)圓、幸福美滿。
It's tradition in China to enjoy osmanthus-flavored cake and wine during Mid-Autumn Festival. They may be preferred because Mid-Autumn Festival is when the osmanthus flowers are in full bloom. Enjoying the sweet-scented osmanthus cake and wine also stands for family reunion and a happy life.

南 瓜
Pumpkin

中秋節(jié)吃南瓜的傳統(tǒng)起源于江南窮苦人家吃南瓜的習(xí)俗。傳說很久以前，有一名叫黃花的女孩，出生在一戶窮苦人家，與年老多病、生活無法自理的父母同住。有一年八月十五，黃花帶回家兩只南瓜，煮給父母吃，兩位老人吃了之后病體痊愈。從此，這個(gè)中秋吃南瓜的傳統(tǒng)便代代相傳，保佑人們健康平安。
The tradition of eating pumpkin during Mid-Autumn Festival started with poor people living south of the Yangtze River. Legend has it that a long time ago, a girl named Huang Hua who came from a poor family, lived with her gravely ill parents who were unable to feed and clothe themselves. On August 15 on the lunar calendar of one year, she took home two pumpkins and prepared them for her parents, whose health was fully restored after eating the pumpkin. The tradition has been handed down for generations and eating pumpkin on Mid-Autumn Festival night is believed to bring people good health.

芋 頭
Taro

中秋食芋艿的傳統(tǒng)可上溯至清朝。在江蘇和浙江省，“芋艿”這個(gè)詞的發(fā)音與“運(yùn)來”相同。人們就相信中秋食芋艿能讓這一整年能辟邪消災(zāi)，好運(yùn)連連，財(cái)運(yùn)亨通。
The tradition of eating Taro during Mid-Autumn Festival first started during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). In Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, the word "taro" has the same pronunciation as "luck is inside." Eating them during the festival is believed to dispel any bad luck and bring good luck and wealth throughout the year.

田 螺
River Snails

中秋食田螺是廣州地區(qū)的獨(dú)特習(xí)俗。田螺未烹飪時(shí)色相不佳，味道難聞，但是經(jīng)過烹飪，與多種草藥、香料炒制，田螺腐爛的氣味消失，成為廣州人民中秋餐桌上一道不可或缺的佳肴。中秋時(shí)節(jié)是食田螺最佳時(shí)節(jié)，而且民間認(rèn)為食田螺可明目。
River Snails are the Mid-Autumn Festival specialty of Guangzhou City. They might look unappetizing and smell unpleasant when raw, but after being cooked with several herbs and spices to drive out the putrid odor, the delicacy is an indispensable food on the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner table for the people in Guangzhou. The festival is the best season to eat snails and eating them is believed to help brighten the eyesight.

梨
Pear

在普通話中，“梨”的發(fā)音與“離”相同。正因如此，中秋佳節(jié)吃梨代表著人們不愿分離、渴望團(tuán)聚的愿望。
In Mandarin, "pear" is homophonous with "separate," both pronounced as "li." For this reason, eating a pear during Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes the people's wish to avoid separation and implies their desire for reunion.

鴨
Duck

中秋時(shí)節(jié)鴨肥味美，使得鴨子在餐桌上非常受歡迎。節(jié)日期間，福建人有將鴨子和當(dāng)?shù)厥a(chǎn)的檳榔芋一起燒制的傳統(tǒng)。在江蘇，“桂花鴨”于桂花飄香之時(shí)出現(xiàn)在節(jié)日晚宴的餐桌。在四川，煙熏鴨子則是一道受歡迎的主菜。
Eating duck is popular during Mid-Autumn Festival because the taste of the duck is very rich during this season. During the festival, people in Fujian Province have the tradition to cook the duck with a type of taro widely found across the area. The duck is seasoned with osmanthus flowers for the festival dinner table in Jiangsu Province, since osmanthus flowers are in full bloom during the season. In Sichuan Province, people enjoy smoked and baked duck as a popular main course.

這些國家也慶祝中秋節(jié)

除了中國之外，亞洲其他一些國家也有類似的節(jié)日歡慶秋季收獲時(shí)節(jié)。

越南
Vietnam

在越南，農(nóng)歷八月十五的中秋節(jié)（越南語：Têt-Trung-Thu）是廣受歡迎的家庭節(jié)日。
In Vietnam, Têt-Trung-Thu (tet-troong-thoo) or the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most popular family holidays.

這一天，孩子們是當(dāng)之無愧的主角。據(jù)說在過去，越南家長因?yàn)榍锸辙r(nóng)忙，能陪伴孩子的時(shí)間很少，只得在中秋節(jié)做出些補(bǔ)償。中秋慶祝活動(dòng)都以孩子為中心，以彌補(bǔ)大人們?nèi)笔У年P(guān)愛。
Vietnamese families plan their activities around their children on this special day. In a Vietnamese folklore, parents were working so hard to prepare for the harvest that they left the children playing by themselves. To make up for lost time, parents would use the Mid-Autumn festival as an opportunity to show their love and appreciation for their children.

因此，中秋節(jié)在越南也被稱作“兒童節(jié)”。美國的許多美籍越南人社區(qū)仍舊遵循著傳統(tǒng)，在這一天舉行各式各樣與兒童和教育有關(guān)的活動(dòng)。家長買來象征光明的花燈，讓孩子們?cè)诶杳鼽c(diǎn)亮，以祈愿學(xué)業(yè)順利。越南市集上，各式花燈千姿百態(tài)，其中星型花燈最受孩子們歡迎。孩子們參加各式各樣的文體活動(dòng)，畫面具，做花燈，為大人們表演越南傳統(tǒng)舞蹈，參加競(jìng)賽，贏取禮物和獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金。在中秋節(jié)，舞獅人也極受歡迎。
Appropriately, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Children’s Festival. In the United States, this tradition continues in many Vietnamese-American communities. Trung-Thu activities are often centered around children and education. Parents buy lanterns for their children so that they can participate in a candlelit lantern procession at dawn. Lanterns represent brightness while the procession symbolizes success in school. Vietnamese markets sell a variety of lanterns, but the most popular children’s lantern is the star lantern. Other children’s activities include arts and crafts in which children make face masks and lanterns. Children also perform traditional Vietnamese dances for adults and participate in contests for prizes and scholarships. Unicorn dancers are also very popular in Trung-Thu festivities.

像中國人一樣，越南家長在中秋月圓之時(shí)，也會(huì)準(zhǔn)備好月餅與各色點(diǎn)心，邊欣賞皎潔的月色，邊給孩子們講故事。越南有個(gè)家喻戶曉的傳說，說的是一條想要變成龍的鯉魚，通過自己不懈的努力，最終得償所愿。這也是越南神話意象“魚化龍”（Cá hóa(chǎn) R?ng）的由來。家長們用這個(gè)故事激勵(lì)孩子們刻苦學(xué)習(xí)，像鯉魚“躍龍門”一樣，成為自己想要成為的人。
Like the Chinese, Vietnamese parents tell their children fairy tales and serve mooncakes and other special treats under the silvery moon. A favorite folklore is about a carp that wanted to become a dragon. The carp worked and worked and eventually transformed itself into a dragon. This is the story behind the mythical symbol, Cá hóa(chǎn) R?ng. Parents use this story to encourage their children to work hard so that they can become whatever they want to be.

在越南的神話中，也有一個(gè)類似于“嫦娥奔月”的故事。傳說阿貴的丈夫?qū)さ搅艘豢孟蓸?，有著奇特的治愈力量。貴為仙樹，人們不能在樹下小便，不然會(huì)受到懲罰，然而阿貴卻忘了這件事。一日，她在樹下小解完，坐在樹枝上歇息，卻不料神樹突然開始拔高，一直長到了月亮上。她只好永世在月亮上生活，作為她以污水濯樹的懲罰。
There’s also a story about how the Moon Lady ascended to the moon. A man named Chu Coi found a lucky tree that had special healing powers. Because this tree was sacred, people were forbidden to urinate at the foot of this tree. Unfortunately, Chu Coi’s wife, Chi Hang forgot the rule and urinated on the tree. On day, while she was sitting on the tree’s branch, the tree started to grow and grow. Eventually, it reached the moon, Since then, Chi Hang lived on the moon for the rest of her life as a punishment for desecrating the sacred tree.

韓 國
South Korea

韓國農(nóng)歷的八月十五被稱為“秋夕”，是韓國的感恩節(jié)，亦是中國的中秋節(jié)，被韓國人視作八月中旬重要的日子。秋夕是韓國一年中最重要的節(jié)日之一。臨近豐收，韓國家庭會(huì)在這一天祭奠先人，感謝他們賜予糧食和水果。2014年的秋夕節(jié)在9月8日，慶典在秋夕前夜就開始舉行，一直到秋夕結(jié)束后的第二天才落下帷幕。因?yàn)橛腥旒倨?，韓國家庭利用這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)走親訪友，同親友團(tuán)聚。
Chusok, also known as the Korean Thanksgiving or Mid-Autumn Festival, is one of the most celebrated Korean holidays. Held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, Chusok is often called a great day in the middle of August. It occurs during the harvest season. Thus, Korean families take this time to thank their ancestors for providing them with rice and fruits. Chusok will be held on September 8, 2014. The celebration starts on the night before Chusok and ends on the day after the holiday. Thus, many Korean families take three days off from work to get together with family and friends.

在秋夕，家人們聚在一起，享用一種叫“松餅”的米糕。這種特殊的糕點(diǎn)由大米，黃豆，芝麻和栗子做成。除了祭拜祖先外，韓國家庭還有“省墓”的習(xí)俗，祭奠祖墳，為先人奉上米飯和水果。在晚上，孩子們穿著韓服，在明亮的月光下，圍著大圈跳舞，唱歌，玩游戲。像美國感恩節(jié)一樣，秋夕是家人們團(tuán)圓感恩的日子。
The celebration starts with a family get-together at which rice cakes called "Songphyun" are served. These special rice cakes are made of rice, beans, sesame seeds, and chestnuts. Then the family pays respect to ancestors by visiting their tombs and offering them rice and fruits. In the evening, children wear their favorite hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and dance under the bright moon in a large circle. They play games and sing songs. Like the American Thanksgiving, Chusok is the time to celebrate the family and give thanks for their blessings.

日 本
Japan

日本傳統(tǒng)中秋節(jié)在日本農(nóng)歷八月十五（一般是陽歷九月份），在日語里被稱為“月見”（即賞月之意）。
The Mid-Autumn Festival is named Tsukimi (月見) or Otsukimi (literally means moon-viewing) in Japan. Celebrations of the festival take place on the 15th day of the eight month of the traditional Japanese Lunisor calendar (usually takes place in September of the solar calendar).

日本的賞月習(xí)俗源自中國。1000多年前傳到日本后，當(dāng)?shù)亻_始出現(xiàn)邊賞月邊舉行宴會(huì)的風(fēng)俗。
The Tsukimi custom or moon-viewing custom originated from the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Custom of viewing the moon and holding festival parties appeared over 1000 years ago when tradition of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival was introduced to Japan.

與中國不同，日本人過中秋并不吃月餅，而是吃一種叫“月見團(tuán)子”的米糕。賞月活動(dòng)如今在日本相當(dāng)盛行。在中秋滿月后的幾夜，有些人仍會(huì)欣賞月景，舉辦宴會(huì)。
Unlike the Chinese, who eat mooncakes to celebrate the festival, the Japanese usually eat eating rice dumplings called Tsukimi dango. The tradition is now so popular in Japan that some people repeat the activities for several evenings following the appearance of the full moon during the eighth lunisolar month.