昨天聊了讓人歡喜的愚人節(jié)（April Fool's Day）玻熙，今天聊聊讓人有種淡淡的憂傷的清明節(jié)（Tomb-sweeping Day）
1否彩、Introduction: 總體介紹
The Chinese Qingming Festivalfalls on either April 4 or 5. Also known as Tomb Sweeping Festival, it is atime for families to remember and pay respects to the ancestors.
清明節(jié)也叫掃幕節(jié)，一般在每年的四月四號(hào)或四月五號(hào)嗦随。這天一家人紛紛紀(jì)念或緬懷先人列荔。
2、Origin: 清明之源
The origin of the festival datesback to the spring and autumn period, 770 to 476 B.C. It was to honor JieZhi-Tui, a loyal follower of the Duke Wen of Jin state. Before he became theking, Jie cut a slice of meat from his own thigh to make soup for the starvingduke. A gratified Wen promised to reward Jie, but when he became king, heforgot about Jie. Jie, seeking no gain or reward, quietly left to live in aforest with his elderly mother.
清明節(jié)可以追溯到春秋時(shí)期称杨，相傳是為了紀(jì)念晉文公的忠臣介之推肌毅。在晉文公成為皇帝之前，一次逃亡途中姑原，介之推曾割肉熬湯給他充饑悬而。晉文公感激涕零，立誓報(bào)答锭汛。但是笨奠，晉文公成皇以后，卻忘了介之推唤殴。介之推帶著年邁的母親默默歸隱山林般婆。
When Wen realized his mistake, hetried to persuade Jie to return to the court by setting fire to the forest. ButJie and his mother died in the fire. A saddened Wen declared that no firescould be lit on that day. Thus, people would only eat cold food, and thefestival was originally called Cold Food Day.
晉文公知道后，悔不當(dāng)初朵逝，于是蔚袍，想親自請(qǐng)介之推回朝。但林海茫茫配名，要找到介之推談何容易啤咽？于是，晉文公下令一把火燒了山林渠脉，逼介之推出來宇整。大火燒了三天三夜，介之推硬是沒有出來芋膘。大火熄滅以后才發(fā)現(xiàn)介之推及其年邁母親已經(jīng)葬身火海鳞青。晉文公悲痛交加霸饲，當(dāng)場(chǎng)下令，那天不得生火臂拓。因此厚脉，人們只能吃冷冰冰的食物，這也是“寒食節(jié)”的由來埃儿。
During the Tang Dynasty, thefestival evolved into a tomb-sweeping event. By the time of the Song Dynasty,candles were also used. Today, Chinese families visit the tombs of theirancestors to pay respects. They sweep the tomb area and clear the weeds. Thenthey offer food, flowers, light candles, or burn incense and paper gifts fortheir ancestors. The one-day festival is also known as Clear Bright Festival orAncestor's Day.
在唐朝器仗，“寒食節(jié)”慢慢演變成掃墓的活動(dòng)融涣。宋朝時(shí)童番，蠟燭也被使用了。到今天威鹿，已經(jīng)演變成一家人來到先人墳?zāi)骨疤旮拺押椭戮聪热恕Ｋ麄儼褖災(zāi)怪苓叴驋吒蓛艉瞿悖宄s草幼东，給先人們供奉食品，獻(xiàn)上鮮花科雳，點(diǎn)燃蠟燭根蟹，焚燒紙錢。這為期一天的節(jié)日也叫清明節(jié)或祭祖節(jié)糟秘。
On Qingming, people go on familyoutings, start the spring plowing, sing, and dance. Qingming is also a timewhen young couples traditionally start courting. Another popular thing to do isto fly kites in the shapes of animals or characters from Chinese opera. Anothercommon practice is to carry flowers instead of burning paper, incense, orfirecrackers.
3简逮、Food: 清明食物
The sweet green rice ball （Qingtuan in Chinese）is very popular in southern China. It is also a must offering at ancestral rituals in the south of the Yangtze River.
清明節(jié)在江南有吃青團(tuán)（青粄）的習(xí)慣，它也是祭祀先人的必備食物尿赚。
Qingtuan is made from glutinous rice and stuffed with red bean paste. The squeezed wormwood or brome grass is used in the making of wrapper.
青團(tuán)由糯米做成散庶，餡心一般為紅豆沙。糯米粉加上艾葉搗爛后擠壓出的汁凌净，拌勻揉和悲龟，就可以制作成青團(tuán)了。
4冰寻、Celebrations:慶仔虢蹋活動(dòng)
In addition to ban fire,tomb-sweeping, there are other celebrations such as spring outing, swinging, Cuju, playing polo, Liu inserted and so on. Since the fire was banned, and in order to fight the coldness, people had to take part in lots of activities to buildup their body.
除了禁火、掃墓以外斩芭，清明活動(dòng)還包括踏青轻腺、蕩秋千、蹴鞠秒旋、打馬球约计、插柳等。相傳這是因?yàn)榍迕鞴?jié)要寒食禁火迁筛，為了防止寒食冷藏傷身煤蚌，所以大家來參加一些體育活動(dòng)耕挨，以鍛煉身體。
Lots of warm-hearted people alsogo to the orphanage or the home for the elderly to help those who are in need. Theyspread their love to more people.
此外尉桩，許多愛心人士也在清明節(jié)去孤兒院或者敬老院等地方去幫助這些需要幫助的人筒占，把對(duì)先人的這份愛傳播給更多的人。
5蜘犁、小結(jié)
清明時(shí)節(jié)雨紛紛翰苫，路上行人欲斷魂。
借問酒家何處有这橙？牧童遙指杏花村奏窑。
唐代杜牧的這首《清明》想必大家都耳熟能詳，但是這首詩的英文版該如何表達(dá)呢屈扎？本文結(jié)尾處提供了著名翻譯家吳鈞陶的譯文供大家參考埃唯，賞析。
It drizzles thick and fast on the Pure Brightness Day,
I travel with my heart lost in dismay.
Is there a public house somewhere, cowboy?
He points at Apricot Village faraway.
