中秋節的應景文來囉！Everything you need to know about the Moon Festival (in English)

中秋節來個應景的英文介紹，這篇短文簡單介紹中秋佳節，祝大家佳節愉快！

The Chinese Moon Festival

The Chinese Moon Festival is on the 15th of the 8th lunar month農曆(陰曆). It's also known as the Mid-autumn Festival中秋節. Chinese culture is deeply embedded in 深植/埋藏在 traditional festivals. Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving in the West, the Moon Festival is one of the most important traditional events for the Chinese.

The Moon Festival is full of legendary stories. Legend says that Chang Er嫦娥 flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. She is not alone because according to Chinese folk legend, the Jade Rabbit玉兔 also lived on the moon in a palace. The Moon Festival is also an occasion for family reunions. When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes and sing moon poems. With the full moon, the legend, the family and the poems, you can't help thinking that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Chinese are so fond of the Moon Festival.

The Moon Festival is also a romantic one. A perfect night for the festival is if it is a quiet night without a silk of cloud and with a little mild breeze from the sea. Lovers spend such a romantic night together tasting the delicious moon cake with some wine while watching or gazing at the full moon賞月. Even for a couple who can't be together, they can still enjoy the night by watching the moon at the same time so it seems that they are together at that hour. A great number of poetries has been devoted to this romantic festival.

The mooncake is the food for the Moon Festival. The Chinese eat the moon cake at night with the full moon in the sky. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching when mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy不可或缺的美食. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.

Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, most are about the size of a palm. A rich thick filling內餡非常厚實 usually made from red bean紅豆(豆沙) or lotus seed paste(蓮蓉) is surrounded by a thin crust 薄皮and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs鹹鴨蛋. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges長三角形狀(楔型) accompanied by Chinese tea.

實用字彙

Fillings內餡

  Lotus seed paste (蓮蓉):

 Sweet bean paste(豆沙)

 Jujube paste(棗泥)

 Five kernels (五仁): A filling consisting of 5 types of nuts and seeds, coarsely chopped, is held together with maltose syrup. Recipes differ from region to region, but commonly used nuts and seeds

Crusts餅皮

   Many mooncakes use lard 豬油in their recipes for a better taste. Three types of mooncake crust are    used in Chinese cuisine:

Chewy皮Q的,
 Flaky薄皮的(一層一層的，吃了會掉屑的),

* Tender軟皮(類似廣式月餅)