中秋佳节之际，我们来聊聊月饼。

 

中文名：月饼

英文名：mooncake

(The 15th day of the 8th lunar month)

中秋节=月饼节（农历八月十五）

星座：Virgo（处女座）

国籍：中国

外表：crust（酥皮）

内在：

five kernel=五仁

lotus seed paste=莲蓉

red bean paste=红豆沙

mung bean paste=绿豆沙

jujube paste=枣泥

salted egg yolk=咸蛋黄

salt and pepper=椒盐

taro paste=芋泥

sweet potato=红薯

pineapple=菠萝

durian=榴莲

chocolate=巧克力

coffee=咖啡

mango=芒果

green tea=绿茶

 

月饼虽小，种类极多。除了传统月饼（Traditional styles），还有   “广式月饼”（Cantonese-style mooncake）、“苏式月饼”（Suzhou-style mooncake），“京式月饼”（Beijing-style mooncake）、“滇式月饼”（Yunnan-style mooncake）、潮汕式月饼（Chaoshan-style mooncakes）、宁波式月饼（Ningbo-style mooncakes）等。

 

如果按馅或外形来分的话，估计根本停不下来。

 

鲜肉月饼：fresh pork mooncake

素月饼：vegetarian mooncake

冰淇淋月饼：ice-cream mooncake

水晶月饼：jelly mooncake

冰皮月饼：Snow skin mooncake

低糖月饼：Low-sugar mooncake

无脂月饼：fat-free mooncake

豆沙：Sweet bean paste mooncake

枣泥：Jujube paste mooncake

五仁：Five kernel mooncake

莲蓉：Lotus seed paste mooncake

蛋黄白莲蓉月饼 egg-yolk white lotus seed paste Mooncake 

蛋黄莲蓉月饼 egg-yolk lotus seed paste Mooncake 

精品凤梨月饼 pineapple Mooncake 

纯正豆沙月饼 red bean paste Mooncake

蛋黄白莲蓉月饼 egg-yolk white lotus seed paste Mooncake

精品凤梨月饼 pineapple

纯正豆沙月饼 red bean paste

绿豆蓉月饼 mung bean lotus

木瓜蓉月饼 pawpaw lotus mooncake

果蔬月饼：Fruit and vegetable mooncakes

海鲜月饼：Seafood mooncakes

...

 

理论上，能吃的东西都可以成为月饼的馅料，这点在广式月饼里体现的尤为明显。广式月饼是甜味的，主要在广东，馅料成分极多，最常见的馅料包括莲子，西瓜籽，火腿，鸡肉，鸭肉，叉烧，蘑菇和蛋黄（lotus seed paste, melon seed paste, ham, chicken, duck, roast pork, mushrooms, and egg yolks）。广东人的吃本领绝对是一大特色，为了不影响胃口就不一一枚举，总而言之广东人在吃上绝对具有冒险天性（adventurous nature in eating）。

 

苏式月饼，既有甜味，也有咸味，历史非常悠久，已有一千多年的历史。苏式月饼皮层酥松，馅料肥而不腻（layers of flaky dough and generous allotment of sugar and lard），苏式月饼的调性和苏州的文化底蕴可谓相得益彰。

 

京式月饼源于京津，有股细腻的甜味，适度配比的饼皮和馅料，以及精致的雕花（moderate allotment of skin and fillings, and meticulous decoration），饼皮和馅料的配比通常是4：6，非常讲究。

 

传统的月饼馅料（Mooncake Fillings），虽然有地域差异，但是最常见的还是莲蓉（Lotus seed paste）、豆沙 (Sweet bean paste)、五仁（Five kernel）、蛋黄（Egg yolk）、枣泥（Jujube paste）等。

 

莲蓉（Lotus seed paste），由干莲子制作而成，被认为是最美味，也最奢侈的馅料（most delicious and luxurious filling ）之一。

 

Lotus seed paste is a Chinese dessert ingredient made from dried lotus seeds. It is traditionally considered as a luxurious ingredient.

 

可将莲子浸透加水煮，熟后隔水搗碎，再放入镬中加砂糖和油炒、再加入麦芽糖拌匀即成莲蓉。

 

First, the dried seeds are stewed in water until soft and then mashed into a fine paste. The paste is then watered down to a thin slurry and passed through a sieve and into cheesecloth, with which it is squeezed dry. This produces a fine crumbly paste, which is then mixed with sugar or other sweeteners and often oil to produce a smooth, sweet paste.

 

豆沙 (Sweet bean paste)，豆沙馅分为绿豆沙，红豆沙和黑豆沙等类别。

 

中国北方的豆沙馅的做法是将红豆去掉豆皮，弄碎煮烂，加糖，再用油炒一炒。

 

The beans are usually boiled without sugar, mashed, and diluted into a slurry. The slurry is then strained through a sieve to remove the husks. The resulting liquid is then filtered and squeezed dry using cheesecloth, and then finally sweetened. Oil in the form of either vegetable oil or lard is usually added to the relatively dry paste to improve its texture and mouthfeel.

 

五仁（Five kernel），一般人并不知道五仁馅月饼的五仁是什么，其实是指花生（peanut），核桃（walnut seed），瓜子（watermelon seed），杏仁（almond），松子（pine nut）。取名五仁，有圆满和谐的寓意。

 

蛋黄（Egg yolk），一般把整个咸鸭蛋黄放在月饼中央，这个蛋黄代表着月亮，象征着满月（full moon）。

 

枣泥（Jujube paste），由成熟的红枣制成，呈暗红色。

 

中秋吃月饼，这已经是华人根深蒂固的一种观念了，那为何在中秋这天吃月饼呢？

 

中秋一词，最早见于《礼记·月令》上说：“仲秋之月养衰老，行糜粥饮食。”，也提到中秋有拜月的活动，但并没有说明是八月的哪一天。中秋之时传递着丰收、感恩、祈祷、团聚的含义。

 

中秋节起源的神话传说，最广为人知的是嫦娥奔月的故事。

 

不过据历史学家研究，中秋节起源应为隋末唐军于大业十三年八月十五日，唐军裴寂以圆月作为构思，成功发明月饼，并广发军中作为军饷，并成功解决因大量吸收反隋义军而衍生之军粮问题。唐朝以后，中秋节用于赏赐群臣。

 

于是沿袭下拉的传统节日中秋节，人们吃月饼、看满月、猜灯谜。圆圆的月饼好似满月一般，象征着团圆。

 

Traditional celebrations include sharing mooncakes, admiring the full moon, and playing riddles, a highly engaged word game written on paper lanterns. The perfectly round mooncakes resemble the full moon and are symbols of unity.

 

随着中国国力不断增强，月饼也被国际社会广为人知了，最后来看看10国小伙伴吃月饼的体验吧！

最后再来学习一下中秋相关古典诗词翻译。

 

静夜思
唐·李白

床前明月光，疑是地上霜。   

举头望明月，低头思故乡。    

Thoughts in the Still of the Night    

A pool of moonlight before the bed,    

Took it to be frost on the ground.    

Raised my head to gaze at the moon,    

And lowered it to think of home.   

 

十五夜望月
唐·王建

中庭地白树栖鸦，    

冷露无声湿桂花。   

今夜月明人尽望，    

不知秋思落谁家？     

Moon-Gazing on the Fifteenth

 

Center court, pale ground and crows nestling in the trees,  Cold dews quietly wetting the osmanthus blooms.    

Tonight's full moon gazed at by everyone,    

Wonder whose home is hit by the falling gloom.  

 

月下独酌
唐·李白

花间一壶酒，独酌无相亲。   

举杯邀明月，对影成三人。   

月既不解饮，影徒随我身。   

暂伴月将影，行乐须及春。   

我歌月徘徊，我舞影零乱。   

醒时同交欢，醉后各分散。   

永结无情游，相期邈云汉。   

Drinking Alone Under the Moon   

 

A pot of wine amidst the flowers,    

Toasting alone with no other tipplers.    

Raising the cup to invite the moon,    

Facing my shadow a threesome makes.    

The moon knows little about drinking,    

My shadow follows me wherever I go.    

Let's make do with the moon and shadow,    

And have fun as long as there is spring.    

I sing, and the moon moves around,    

I dance, and my shadow runs pell-mell.    

Sober, we enjoy one another,    

Drunk, we part company.    

Bonding on an eternal loveless trip,    

We promise to meet beyond the Milky Way.  

 

念奴娇 · 过洞庭

宋·张孝祥

洞庭青草，近中秋、更无一点风色。玉鉴琼田三万顷，着我扁舟一叶。素月分辉，明河共影，表里俱澄澈。悠然心会，妙处难与君说。   

应念岭表经年，孤光自照，肝胆皆冰雪。短发萧疏襟袖冷，稳泛沧溟空阔。尽吸西江，细斟北斗，万象为宾客。扣舷独啸，不知今夕何夕。 

  

Nian Nu Jiao    

Passing Dongting Lake    

Dongting and Qingcao lakes,   

Mid-autumn near,    

And never a semblance of wind.    

Across thousands of hectares of jade-mirror field,    

Just my leaf of a small boat.    

Pale moon spreads its glories,    

Brilliant Milky Way shares its reflection,    

Inside and out, crystal clear.    

Sublimely I ship into awareness,    

Too subtle for words.    

Almost one year out of mountains  

I shine a solitary beam on the self,    

Heart and soul, clean as ice and snow.    

Hair short and sparse, and sleeves cold,    

An even keel in an infinite spatial emptiness.    

Scooping up the west river,    

Politely, with the Dipper for ladle, I toast    

Constellations as guests.    

Banging on the gunwale with a singular howl,    

I wonder what eve is this eve.

 

苏轼《水调歌头》

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。

 

许渊冲译作

How long will the full moon appear?

Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky.

I do not know what time of the year

’Twould be tonight in the palace on high.

Riding the wind, there I would fly,

Yet I’m afraid the crystalline palace would be

Too high and cold for me.

I rise and dance, with my shadow I play.

On high as on earth, would it be as gay?

The moon goes round the mansions red

Through gauze-draped window soft to shed

Her light upon the sleepless bed.

Why then when people part, is the oft full and bright?

Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again;

The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.

There has been nothing perfect since the olden days.

So let us wish that man

Will live long as he can!

Though miles apart, we’ll share the beauty she displays.

 

林语堂译作

How rare the moon, so round and clear!

With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky,

"I do not know in the celestial sphere

What name this festive night goes by?"

I want to fly home, riding the air,

But fear the ethereal cold up there,

The jade and crystal mansions are so high!

Dancing to my shadow,

I feel no longer the mortal tie.

She rounds the vermilion tower,

Stoops to silk-pad doors,

Shines on those who sleepless lie.

Why does she, bearing us no grudge,

Shine upon our parting, reunion deny?

But rare is perfect happiness--

The moon does wax, the moon does wane,

And so men meet and say goodbye.

I only pray our life be long,

And our souls together heavenward fly!