TheMid-AutumnFestivalfallsonthe15thdayofthe8thlunarmonth,whenthemoonisthefullestandbrightestofthewholeyear.Thisfestivalhasaverylonghistory.InancientChina,emperorsfollowedthetraditionofofferingsacrificestothesuninspringandtothemooninautumn.BytheTangDynasty,theMid-AutumnFestivalhadbeenfixedasaholiday,whichbecameevengranderintheSongDynasty.IntheMingandQingdynasties,itgrewtobeamajorfestivalofChinatogetherwiththeSpringFestival,theQingmingFestivalandDragonBoatFestival.Onthisday,peopleenjoythefull,brightmoon,worshipitandexpresstheirthoughtsandfeelingsinthemoonlight.
1.最圆:可直译为roundest,但译为fullest为最佳,月亮最圆的时候,即为满月。
2.遵循着…传统:常用followthetradition来表达。
3.祭:指祭祀,sacrifice不仅有牺牲的意思,还可以表示祭品,因此祭日、祭月、祭祖都可以用offersacrificestothesun/moon/ancestor表达。
4.到唐代,中秋节…这一节日更为盛行:这两句话主语都为“中秋节”,故可以用连接词which将两句话连接起来,从而避免重复。
5.寄托个人情怀:按照汉语的语义,“寄托”表达的意境比较深刻,翻译时,可理解为“表达”,即express;“情怀”可译为thoughtsandfeelings。