春节介绍(英文)图文.doc

SpringFestivalTheNewMoononthefirstdayofthenewyear--thefullmoon15dayslaterClickhereformorewordsabouttheSpringFestivalChineseNewYearstartswiththeNewMoon（新月）onthefirstdayofthenewyearandendsonthefullmoon（满月）15dayslater.The15thdayofthenewyeariscalledtheLanternFestival（元宵节）,whichiscelebratedatnightwithlanterndisplaysandchildrencarryinglanternsinaparade.Inorderto"catchonceeveryfewTheChinesecalendarisbasedonacombinationoflunarandsolarmovements.Thelunarcycle（月运周期）isabout29.5days.up"withthesolarcalendartheChineseinsertanextramonthyears(sevenyearsoutofa19-yearcycle).Thisisthesameasaddinganextradayonleapyear（闰年）.Thisiswhy,accordingtothesolarcalendar,theChineseNewYearfallsonadifferentdateeachyear.NewYear'sEveandNewYear'sDayarecelebratedasafamilyaffair,atimeofreunionandthanksgiving.ThecelebrationwastraditionallyhighlightedwithareligiousceremonygiveninhonorofHeavenandEarth（万物）,thegodsofthehouseholdandthefamilyancestors.Thesacrificetotheancestors,themostvitalofalltherituals（仪式）,unitedthelivingmemberswiththosewhohadpassedaway.Departedrelativesarerememberedwithgreatrespectbecausetheywereresponsibleforlayingthefoundationsforthefortuneandgloryofthefamily.ThepresenceoftheancestorsisacknowledgedonNewYear'sEvewithadinnerarrangedforthematthefamilybanquettable.Thespiritsoftheancestors,togetherwiththeliving,celebratetheonsetoftheNewYearasonegreatcommunity.Thecommunalfeastcalled"surroundingthestove"orweilu.Itsymbolizesfamilyunityandhonorsthepastandpresentgenerations.TheOriginofChineseNewYearTheChineseNewYearisnowpopularlyknownastheSpringFestivalbecauseitstartsfromtheBeginingofSpring(thefirstofthetwenty-fourtermsincoodinationwiththechangesofNature).Itsoriginistoooldtobetraced.Severalexplanationsarehangingaround.Allagree,however,thatthewordNian,whichinmodernChinesesolelymeans"year",wasoriginallythenameofamonsterbeastthatstartedtopreyonpeoplethenightbeforethebeginningofanewyear.OnelegendgoesthatthebeastNianhadaverybigmouththatwouldswallowagreatmanypeoplewithonebite.Peoplewereveryscared.Oneday,anoldmancametotheirrescue,offeringtosubdueNian.ToNianhesaid,"Ihearsaythatyouareverycapable,butcanyouswallowtheotherbeastsofpreyonearthinsteadofpeoplewhoarebynomeansofyourworthyopponents?"So,itdidswallowmanyofthebeastsofpreyonearththatalsoharrassedpeopleandtheirdomesticanimalsfromtimetotime.Afterthat,theoldmandisappearedridingthebeastNian.Heturnedouttobeanimmortalgod.NowthatNianisgoneandotherbeastsofpreyarealsoscaredintoforests,peoplebegintoenjoytheirpeacefullife.Beforetheoldmanleft,hehadtoldpeopletoputupredpaperdecorationsontheirwindowsanddoorsateachyear'sendtoscareawayNianincaseitsneakedbackagain,becauseredisthecolorthebeastfearedthemost.Fromthenon,thetraditionofobservingtheconquestofNianiscarriedonfromgenerationtogeneration.Theterm"GuoNian",whichmaymean"SurvivetheNian"becomestoday"Celebratethe(New)Year"astheword"guo"inChinesehavingboththemeaningof"pass-over"and"observe".Thecustomofputtingupredpaperandfiringfire-crackerstoscareawayNianshouldithaveachancetorunlooseisstillaround.However,peopletodayhavelongforgottenwhytheyaredoingallthis,exceptthattheyfeelthecolorandthesoundaddtotheexcitementofthecelebration.TraditionalNewYearFoodsProbablymorefoodisconsumedduringtheNewYearcelebrationsthananyothertimeoftheyear.Vastamountsoftraditionalfoodispreparedforfamilyandfriends,aswellasthoseclosetouswhohavedied.OnNewYear'sDay,theChinesefamilywilleatavegetariandishcalledjai.Althoughthevariousingredientsinjaiarerootvegetablesorfibrousvegetables,manypeopleattributevarioussuperstitiousaspectstothem.Otherfoodsincludeawholefish,torepresenttogethernessandabundance,andachickenforprosperity.Thechickenmustbepresentedwithahead,tailandfeettosymbolizecompleteness.Noodlesshouldbeuncut,astheyrepresentlonglife.InsouthChina,thefavoriteandmosttypicaldisheswereniangao,sweetsteamedglutinousriceandzongzi(glutinousricewrappedupinreed（芦苇）leaves),anotherpopulardelicacy.（糯米）puddingInthenorth,steamed-wheatbread(mantou)andsmallmeatdumplingswerethepreferredfood.Thetremendousamountoffoodpreparedatthistimewasmeanttosymbolizeabundanceandwealthforthehousehold.The15-DayCelebrationofChineseNewYearThefirstdayoftheLunarNewYearis"thewelcomingofthegodsoftheheavensandearth."Manypeopleabstainfrommeatonthefirstdayofthenewyearbecauseitisbelievedthatthiswillensurelongandhappylivesforthem.Onthesecondday,theChinesepraytotheirancestorsaswellastoallthegods.Theyareextrakindtodogsandfeedthemwellasitisbelievedthattheseconddayisthebirthdayofalldogs.Thethirdandfourthdaysareforthesons-in-lawstopayrespecttotheirparents-in-law.ThefifthdayiscalledPoWoo.OnthatdaypeoplestayhometowelcometheGodofWealth.Noonevisitsfamiliesandfriendsonthefifthdaybecauseitwillbringbothpartiesbadluck.Onthesixthtothe10thday,theChinesevisittheirrelativesandf。