happy mid-autumn festival

Today is the autumnal equinox.  In China and Taiwan this past week has seen celebrations of the mid-autumn festival, but the autumnal equinox has been commemorated for centuries.

Chinese poet Li Bai (李白) (701-762) wrote this thirteen hundred years ago:


Quiet Night Thoughts (靜夜思)

床前明月光。 Before my bed there is bright moonlight,
疑是地上霜。 So that it seems like frost on the ground:
舉頭望明月。 Lifting my head I watch the bright moon,
低頭思故鄉。 Lowering my head I dream that I’m home.

photo: bruce behnke

poem translation: arthur cooper