In the literary history of China, many poets penned praise to the pure moon of mid-autumn night and gave words to their feelings. The following are some of the best of those poems.
1. Thoughts in the Silent Night 静夜思
By Li Bai (李白)
Li Bai used four lines of five characters to express his homesickness at the Moon (Mid-Autumn) Festival.
床 前 明 月 光
疑 是 地 上 霜
举 头 望 明 月
低 头 思 故 乡
Chuáng qián míng yuèguāng
Yí shì dìshàng shuāng
Jǔ tóu wàng míngyuè
Dī tóu sī gùxiāng
Moonlight shining through the window
Makes me wonder if there is frost on the ground
Looking up to see the moon
Looking down I miss my hometown
2. The Moon Festival
By Su Shi (苏轼）
明月几时有
把酒问青天
不知天上宫阙
今夕是何年
我欲乘风归去
又恐琼楼玉宇
高处不胜寒
起舞弄清影
何似在人间
转朱阁
低绮户
照无眠
不应有恨
何事长向别时圆
人有悲欢离合
月有阴晴圆缺
此事古难全
但愿人长久
千里共婵娟
Míngyuè jǐshí yǒu
Bǎjiǔ wèn qīngtiān
Bùzhī tiānshàng gōngquè
Jīnxī shì hé nián
Wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù
Yòu kǒng qióng lóu yùyǔ
Gāo chù bùshèng hán
Qǐwǔ nòng qīng yǐng
Hé shì zài rénjiān
Zhuǎn zhū gé
Dī qǐ hù
Zhào wúmián
Bù yìng yǒu hèn
Héshì cháng xiàng bié shí yuán
Rén yǒu bēihuānlíhé
Yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē
Cǐ shì gǔ nán quán
Dàn yuàn rén chángjiǔ
Qiānlǐ gòng chánjuān
When is there moonlight?
Winecup in hand, I ask the deep blue sky
Not knowing in those celestial palaces on high
What year it is tonight
I long to fly on the wind
Yet dread those crystal towers, those courts of jade
Freezing to death among those icy heights
Instead I rise to dance with my pale shadow
Better off, after all, in the world of men
Rounding the red pavilion
Stooping to look through gauze windows
The moon shines on the sleepless
The moon should know no sadness
Why, then, is she always full when dear ones are parted?
As men's grief and joy, parting and union
So the moon is bright or dim, waxes and wanes
Always some flaw, and so it has been since of old
My one wish for you is long life
And to share in this loveliness far, far away
This is a famous Mid-Autumn lyric written for his brother Ziyou (1039–1112), when the poet was away from the imperial court. According to some commentators, "the palace on high" might allude to the imperial palace and therefore, after reading this lyric, Emperor Song Shenzong said that Su Shi was loyal.
Want to share the Mid-Autumn Festival story with your family? The 3-minute video below will show you all about it.
