As one of the most important traditional Chinese festivals, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, September 24 this year.

中秋節是中國最重要的傳統節日之一，今年農歷8月15日，對應公歷9月24日。

It takes its name from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middle of the autumn season. The day is also known as the Moon Festival, as at that time of the year the moon is at its roundest and brightest.

中秋的名字來源于秋季中期時節，每年的這個時候月亮是最圓最亮的。

This day is also considered a harvest festival since fruit, vegetables and grain have been harvested by this time.

這一天也被認為是收獲的節日，人們在這個時候收獲了水果、蔬菜和谷物。

It is an evening celebration where families gather together to light lanterns, eat moon cakes and appreciate the round moon. The full moon is a symbol for family reunion, which is why that day is also known as the Festival of Reunion.

中秋節一般在晚上舉行慶祝活動，家人聚在一起點亮燈籠、吃月餅、欣賞圓圓的月亮。滿月是家庭團聚的象征，這就是為什么這一天也被稱為團圓的節日。

The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations date back more than 2,000 years. The word "Mid-Autumn" first appeared in the famous ancient book Zhou Li (The Zhou Rituals, a book telling the rituals in the Zhou Dynasty). However, it was not until the early Tang Dynasty (618-907) that the day was officially celebrated as a traditional festival. It became an established festival during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and has become as popular as the Spring Festival since the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Celebrations have continued ever since and more customs for marking this occasion have been formed.

中秋節的慶祝活動可以追溯到兩千多年前。“中秋”一詞最早出現在著名古籍《周禮》(《周禮》，講述周朝禮儀的書)中。然而，直到初唐(公元618年-907年)，這一天才被正式作為一個傳統節日來慶祝。它在宋朝(公元960年-1279年)成為一個固定的節日，從明清(公元1368年-1911年)開始就和春節一樣流行。從那以后，中秋節慶祝活動一直在繼續，并形成了相關習俗。

In feudal times, Chinese emperors prayed to Heaven for a prosperous year. They chose the morning of the 15th day of the second lunar month to worship the sun and the night of the 15th day of the eighth lunar month to hold a ceremony in praise of the moon. In the Xicheng district of Beijing is the Yuetan Park, which originally was the Temple of Moon, and every year the emperor would go there to offer a sacrifice to the moon.

在封建時代，中國皇帝祈求天年興旺。他們選擇了在正月十五的早晨祭拜太陽，在八月十五的晚上祭拜月亮。在北京西城區有一個月壇公園，它原本是月亮廟，古時候皇帝每年都會去那里祭祀月亮。

The Chinese government listed the festival as intangible cultural heritage in 2006. It was made a public holiday in 2008.

2006年，中國政府將中秋節列為非物質文化遺產，在2008年被定為公共假日。