Happy Moon Cake Festival
No class today! Long Weekend! Today is Autumn Festival.
I just received a WeChat card that reminds me that classes are cancelled on Friday for Mid-Autumn festival. Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates family reunion and peace. The festival is celebrated when the moon is the biggest and fullest. A full moon is a symbol of prosperity, happiness and family. The festival celebrates by viewing the moon with your family and lighting lanterns
The festival has a history of over 3000 years. It dates back to the moon worship in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC). Countless poems, stories and legends are written about it. One famous poet, Su Sui, wrote the following poem, expressing his longing for his relatives and friends far away. That is fitting for us, today!
Prelude to the Water Melody
--Su Shi
"When will the bright moon appear?"
I raise a cup of wine and ask the dark blue sky.
I wonder in the palace of the heavens, this night is which year?
I wish to soar with the wind and return the the heavenly palace,
yet I am afraid of the jade pagoda and crystalline palace.
Lofty heaven will be too bitterly cold.
Rising to a dance, and casting shadows,
it doesn't seem like the mundane world at all.
The moon is turning its beams toward the red chamber,
descending its light through latticed window,
and shining on the sleepless.
We should not bear any resentment.
Why at times of parting, does the moon get so bright and full?
People have their own sorrow, joy, parting and reunion.
The moon has its dimness, brightness, waning and waxing.
Since ancient times, life has never been perfect.
May we be blessed with longevity.
Although a thousand miles apart we can still share the beautiful moon together.
Or, for those of you who want a more modern version:
(I hope this works -- I'm not great at the sharing of videos yet! Let me know if it doesn't, and I'll see if I can do it some other way!... Actually, Dave has shared it in the next post. Technology is such fun.)
In celebration, the English department left a moon cake package in our office.
I just received a WeChat card that reminds me that classes are cancelled on Friday for Mid-Autumn festival. Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates family reunion and peace. The festival is celebrated when the moon is the biggest and fullest. A full moon is a symbol of prosperity, happiness and family. The festival celebrates by viewing the moon with your family and lighting lanterns
The festival has a history of over 3000 years. It dates back to the moon worship in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC). Countless poems, stories and legends are written about it. One famous poet, Su Sui, wrote the following poem, expressing his longing for his relatives and friends far away. That is fitting for us, today!
Prelude to the Water Melody
--Su Shi
"When will the bright moon appear?"
I raise a cup of wine and ask the dark blue sky.
I wonder in the palace of the heavens, this night is which year?
I wish to soar with the wind and return the the heavenly palace,
yet I am afraid of the jade pagoda and crystalline palace.
Lofty heaven will be too bitterly cold.
Rising to a dance, and casting shadows,
it doesn't seem like the mundane world at all.
The moon is turning its beams toward the red chamber,
descending its light through latticed window,
and shining on the sleepless.
We should not bear any resentment.
Why at times of parting, does the moon get so bright and full?
People have their own sorrow, joy, parting and reunion.
The moon has its dimness, brightness, waning and waxing.
Since ancient times, life has never been perfect.
May we be blessed with longevity.
Although a thousand miles apart we can still share the beautiful moon together.
Or, for those of you who want a more modern version:
(I hope this works -- I'm not great at the sharing of videos yet! Let me know if it doesn't, and I'll see if I can do it some other way!... Actually, Dave has shared it in the next post. Technology is such fun.)
In celebration, the English department left a moon cake package in our office.
Can you post pics of the bathroom? Sounds like I'm kidding but I'm not... I want to see :)
ReplyDeleteI'm actually planning an entire blog on the bathrooms, so stay tuned!!
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