The Moon in Mid-Autumn Day

中秋节的月亮

In the Chinese cosmology, the moon—not the sun—is the dominant¹ orb,and not only has its radiance inspired countless² poets, priests, andpeasants alike,but its waxings and waning³ have inspired the calendar according to which most of Asia plots yearly events. It’s only natural that a lunar year should include a holiday set aside for appreciation⁴ of the moon. The Mid-Autumn Festival，aka Moon Festival， a Chinese staple⁵ since the Song dynasty, is just that. The moon is said to be at its loveliest on this night；its roundest,brightest,and most magical.

在中国的宇宙观中，月亮而不是太阳占天体的主导地位，不仅是其光辉鼓舞了无数诗人，牧师，和农民，但其盈亏也启发日历将亚洲大部分地区的每年事件记入历法中。这是很自然的，一个农历年应包括有假期来欣赏月亮。在中秋，又称月亮节，自宋代以来是中国的主题，就是这样。月亮被认为在这个夜晚是最美丽的;它在这晚最圆，最亮，最神奇。