Chang-E in her moon palace; mid-autumn festival 2003

Mid-autumn festival, sipping osmanthus tea and nibbling on lotus mooncake.

The Song poet Li Qingzhao 李清照 (c.1083-aft.1149) posed a riddle:

Naturally, it ranks first among flowers.
The plum surely is jealous,
The chrysanthemum should be ashamed;
It opens by the painted railing, capping the mid-autumn.

自是花中第一流．
梅定妒，
菊應羞，
畫欄開處冠中秋．

(from “Partridge Sky” 鷓鴣天, 暗淡輕黃體性柔)

Another Song poet Su Shi 蘇軾 (1037-1101) raised his wine cup, and, thinking of his brother far away, sang to the full moon:

We can only hope to live long,
And across a thousand li, together cling to its beauty.

但願人長久
千里共嬋娟

(from “Prelude to the Water Melody” 水調歌頭, 明月幾時有, written in 1076 )

Translations by Lena Tan