中秋博狀元餅8日正式啟動

The Year 2010 Kinmen Mid-Autumn Moon-cake Gambling Game will begin on September 8th. It will then be followed by a series of preliminary (1) competitions among various townships with the finale (2) taking place at the "Qing Dynasty's Quemoy Troops Headquarters" on September 22nd. Both locals and visitors are welcome to join and try their luck in this great event.
「2010金門中秋博狀元餅」活動，將於九月八日正式啟動，並陸續在鄉鎮展開鄉鎮賽，九月二十二日則在總兵署進行最後總決賽，歡迎鄉親和觀光客共襄盛舉試手氣。

So, during Mid-Autumn festival, what are the unique traditional events in Kinmen that are different from other places? Wishing to enjoy the Mid-Autumn festival in a whole new way? A visit to Kinmen will guarantee you an eye-opening experience!
在金門，中秋節不同於其他地區的傳統活動有哪些？想要在中秋節這天有著和以往不一樣的體驗，來金門一定會讓你有耳目一新的感受。

This Moon-cake (also named "Zhuang-yuan Cake") gambling custom has been a part of Kinmen culture for at least 300 years now. This unique custom tacitly (3) transforms a simple dice game into a game which encourages people to pursue a higher rank in the ancient imperial (4) examination.
　 博狀元餅的歷史，在金門至少已經流傳了三百多年。它巧妙的將骰子戲轉化成鼓勵進取功名的遊戲。

In ancient time, Kinmen, which was subordinate to (5) Tongan county, had been a place that was well-known for its great achievement in tackling (6) the imperial examination. "There would be no Tongan without Kinmen; there would be no ground where Kinmenese cannot stand steady," says an old proverb. The barren (7) soil in Kinmen had been a motivator which pushed Kinmenese to eagerly participate in the imperial examination in the desire of a better life. It is alleged that in order to introduce the imperial examination system more properly to the fellow folks, the inventor of this gambling game had then named the six combinations of six die based on the six ranks in the examination system including Zhuang-yuan, Bang-yan, Tan-hua, Jin-shi, Ju-ren, and Xiu-cai. During every Mid-Autumn festival, family members and friends would gather in circle eager to play this game. The strategy of getting Zhuan-gyuan, the highest among all six ranks, on the very first roll of the die, is both entertaining and educational. This is also one of the Moon-cake gambling legendary events during Mid-Autumn festival.
　 金門自古隸屬在同安縣的時代，就以科甲功名傳世，有所謂「無金不成同，無地不開花」的俗諺流傳，金門的土地貧瘠，使得金門子孫勇往科舉謀取功名以改善生活，為了讓家鄉的人們都能熟識科舉制度，於是將六個骰子分別代表古代科舉制度中的狀元、榜眼、探花、進士、舉人、秀才等六階級。每凡中秋節，家人朋友團團圍坐，不免摩拳擦掌玩上一把，一舉「狀元」的趣味，既有趣又富寓教於樂。這也是中秋「博狀元餅」的傳說之一。

This year, the grand opening ceremony of Moon-cake Gambling Game is set for 6:00 pm on September 8th at the front road of BeiZhen Temple. There will be 99 tables prepared, corresponding to the 99th anniversary of this nation, with an estimated one-thousand participants to join the fun. From September 11th to 21st, the preliminary competitions will take place in various townships for locals and visitors who wish to participate. And to close the festival on September 22nd, a grand finale will be held at the "Qing Dynasty's Quemoy Troops Headquarters." The first place winner, also known as "Zhuang-yuan prize", will receive a car; the second place winner (Bang-yan) a laptop; and the third place winner an electric scooter (Tan-hua). Besides playing the actual game, CISA(Information Service Industry Association of R.O.C. has also designed an online game, named "Moon-cake Gambling in Kinmen", which would bring all the Taiwanese citizens together to experience the fun and try their luck in Kinmen Moon-cake Gambling via the world-wide-web (http://www.kinwar.com.tw/fighting/).
　 今年博餅賽程定於9月8日下午6時假「北鎮廟」前街道舉辦盛大開幕賽，配合民國99年，將於現場安排99桌，預計有上千民眾可參與體驗。9月11日至21日為鄉鎮賽，提供鄉親及觀光客登記參加資格賽。壓軸好戲總決賽於9月22日在總兵署舉行。最大獎是「狀元獎」，轎車一輛；第二名榜眼筆記型電腦；第三名探花環保電動車。除了實體博餅賽，中華民國資訊軟體協會還特別設計「絕讚金門、博餅大賽」網路博餅賽，全台灣的遊客即日起可透過網路（http://www.kinwar.com.tw/fighting/）小試身手，一同感受金門博餅樂趣。

【註解】
●1. preliminary-(adj.)初步的、開端的；預備的。此處preliminary competitions指「預賽」。
●2. finale-(n)結尾；終場。此處指「決賽」。
●3. tacitly-(adv.)默默地。
●4. imperial-(adj.)帝國的。此處imperial examination指古代的「科舉考試」。
●5. subordinate to-隸屬於、從屬於。
●6. tackle-(vt.)對付、應付～。
●7. barren-(adj.)指人無法生育的；植物不結果實的；亦指土地貧瘠。

本文摘譯、改寫自《金門日報》2010年9月4日報導