Etymology

From a line in Magnolia Flowers (木蘭花), an ode composed by Song Dynasty poet Zhang Xian (張先):

人意共憐花月滿。花好月圓人又散。歡情去逐遠雲空，往事過如幽夢斷。

草樹爭春紅影亂。一唱雞聲千萬怨。任教遲日更添長，能得幾時抬眼看。

Whenever the flowers are in bloom and the moon is full, sad thoughts enter our minds. After the flowers are no longer in bloom and the moon is no longer full, the people begin to disperse. The festive atmosphere departs for the distant cloudy skies, and we are cut off from the past as if from a hazy dream that we cannot recall. The vibrant spring colors of the grass and trees succumb to the chaotic red shadows of fall. As they begin to chirp, the chickens' songs become melancholy. We wish we could make the long days of spring longer. When we will be able to look up and once again gaze at the full moon?

Pronunciation