2016年CRI Hong Kong celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival

 

Every mid-autumn festival, Victoria Park is lit up in a spectrum¹ of colors.

Numerous dazzling lanterns are put on display, telling the stories of ancient China, while at the same time, littering-in modern pop cultural references.

Young or old, local or visitor, everyone seems captivated by the glowing fantasy world.

"We came from Shanghai. The lantern display here is very interesting. My son is so excited. We are having a wonderful mid-autumn night in Hong Kong."

A traditional symbol of fertility, the lantern is a central element of the festival's visual presentation.

But it is not just the lanterns lighting² up the festival.

Hong Kong celebrations have also included spectacular fire dragon dances.

A 67-meter fire dragon has wound its way through the streets of Tai Hang, with more than 3 hundred performers, 70 thousand incense³ sticks, and a host of firecrackers in tow.

"It is very interesting. It is a kind of activity that only happens in Hong Kong. You really can't see this anywhere else in the world. If possible, I try to come every year."

Tradition holds that the dragon can bring good fortune, which is why the streets in Hong Kong are always so crowded with onlookers⁴ during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Legend has it that during the 19th century, villagers in Hong Kong used the Dragon Dance as a way to try to prevent tragic⁵ events, such as pestilence⁶ and typhoons.

Unfortunately, this year's dances weren't enough to stop Typhoon Meranti from putting a small damper on the celebration.

While the massive storm missed Hong Kong on Thursday, its effects did whip up clouds which blocked the moon from view.

Still, that didn't stop the party, with friends and families coming together as always to eat mooncake and celebrate their time together.

And even those in Hong Kong who are less-interested in tradition still made a day of it, with many finding their way outside the hustle-and-bustle of Hong Kong's busy streets to hit the beach and enjoy the water and the pleasant temperatures.

1 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

2 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

3 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

4 onlookers   

n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。
• The onlookers stood at a respectful distance. 旁观者站在一定的距离之外，以示尊敬。

5 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

6 pestilence   

n.瘟疫

参考例句：

• They were crazed by the famine and pestilence of that bitter winter.他们因那年严冬的饥饿与瘟疫而折磨得发狂。
• A pestilence was raging in that area. 瘟疫正在那一地区流行。