<p>一、 清明（Tomb Sweeping Day）---節(jié)氣</p><p>清明節(jié)是二十四節(jié)氣之一，也是中國(guó)最重要的祭祖掃墓傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日之一。</p><p>Qingming Festival of 2020 falls on April 4. The holiday from April 4 to 6,2020 is also a great time for spring outing.</p><p>Qingming Festival (also known as Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day), which falls on either April 4th or 5th of the gregorian/ɡr??ɡ??r??n/ 陽歷 calendar, is one of the Chinese Twenty-four Solar Terms, and also a very important festival for sweeping tombs and offering sacrifice to ancestors in China.</p> <p>二、The story of Tomb Sweeping Day. </p><p>Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zi Tui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring to lead a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains.</p><p>談到清明節(jié)，有點(diǎn)歷史知識(shí)的人，都會(huì)聯(lián)想到歷史人物介子推。據(jù)歷史記載，在兩千多年以前的春秋時(shí)代，晉國(guó)公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艱苦，跟隨他的介子推不惜從自己的腿上割下一塊肉讓他充饑。后來，重耳回到晉國(guó)，作了國(guó)君（即晉文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封賞所有跟隨他流亡在外的隨從，惟獨(dú)介子推拒絕接受封賞，他帶了母親隱居綿山。</p><p>Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.</p><p>晉文公無計(jì)可施，只好放火燒山，他想，介子推孝順母親，一定會(huì)帶著老母出來。誰知這場(chǎng)大火卻把介子推母子燒死了。為了紀(jì)念介子推，晉文公下令每年的這一天，禁止生火，家家戶戶只能吃生冷的食物，這就是寒食節(jié)的來源。</p><p>The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the "cold food" festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zi Tui who choose death over capitulation.</p><p>寒食節(jié)是在清明節(jié)的前一天，古人常把寒食節(jié)的活動(dòng)延續(xù)到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食節(jié)。拜介子推的習(xí)俗也變成了清明掃墓的習(xí)俗了。無論以何種形式紀(jì)念，為了使紀(jì)念祖先的儀式更有意義，我們應(yīng)該讓年輕一代的家庭成員了解先人過去的奮斗歷史，當(dāng)然，還要學(xué)習(xí)介子推寧死不屈的氣節(jié)。</p><p><br></p> <p>三、掃墓</p><p>清明節(jié)的主要習(xí)俗是掃墓。在這一天，人們都會(huì)前往他們的家族墓地進(jìn)行拜祭。他們會(huì)鏟除墓地周圍的雜草，擦拭墓碑，以及用鮮花裝飾墓碑。然后，放置貢品和燒紙錢。</p><p>The major custom in Qingming Festival is tomb sweeping. On this day, people visit their family graves to remove any underbrush草叢 that has grown. They would uproot weeds near the gravesites, wipe the tombstones and decorate the tombstones with fresh flowers. And then they will set out offerings of food and paper money/joss paper.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p> <p>為表達(dá)全國(guó)各族人民對(duì)抗擊新冠肺炎疫情斗爭(zhēng)犧牲烈士和逝世同胞的深切哀悼，國(guó)務(wù)院今天發(fā)布公告，決定2020年4月4日舉行全國(guó)性哀悼活動(dòng)。</p><p>在此期間，全國(guó)和駐外使領(lǐng)館下半旗志哀，全國(guó)停止公共娛樂活動(dòng)。4月4日10時(shí)起，全國(guó)人民默哀3分鐘，汽車、火車、艦船鳴笛，防空警報(bào)鳴響。</p><p>China will hold a national mourning /?m??n??/Saturday for martyrs/?mɑ?t?/ who died in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and compatriots /k?m?p?tr??t/ died of the disease, according to the State Council. 國(guó)務(wù)院/?ka?ns?l/</p><p>During the commemoration,[k??mem??re??n]紀(jì)念儀式 national flags will fly at half-mast across the country and in all Chinese embassies /??mb?s?/ 大使館 and consulates /?k?nsj?l?t/ 領(lǐng)事館 abroad, and public recreational activities will be suspended across the country.</p><p>At 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Chinese people nationwide will observe three minutes of silence to mourn /m??n/哀悼 for the deceased, while air raid sirens and horns of automobiles, trains and ships will wail in grief.</p> <p>四、清明其它活動(dòng)</p><p>春游、踏青 Spring Outing</p><p>又叫春游。古時(shí)叫探春、尋春等。三月清明，春回大地，自然界到處呈現(xiàn)一派生機(jī)勃勃的景象，正是郊游的大好時(shí)光。我國(guó)民間長(zhǎng)期保持著清明踏青的習(xí)慣。</p><p>Not only is it a day for commemorating /k??m?m??re?t/紀(jì)念 the dead, is it also a time for people to enjoy themselves. During March, everything in nature takes on a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly. It is a fine time to go out and to appreciate the beautiful scenes of nature. </p><p>So visitors can be seen everywhere during the month of the festival.</p><p>Spring outings not only add joy to life but also promote a healthy body and mind.</p><p><br></p><p>Spring outings are good for health, and it is an excellent opportunity to embrace/?m?bre?s/ 擁抱 nature and communicate with relatives and friends. The ancient Chinese called it “Xun Chun”, to look for spring.</p><p>放風(fēng)箏 Flying Kites </p><p><br></p><p>每逢清明時(shí)節(jié)，人們不僅白天放，夜間也放。清明節(jié)放風(fēng)箏的特別之處，是當(dāng)風(fēng)箏被放飛到高空時(shí)，人們會(huì)將風(fēng)箏線剪段，讓它自由飛翔，據(jù)說這樣可以帶來好運(yùn)和消除疾病。</p><p>Flying kites is an attractive activity popularized /?p?pj?l??ra?z/ 推廣 in folk lore. It is not only a sports entertainment, but also an exorcism /??ks??s?z?m/. Exorcism is the removing of evil spirits from a person or place by the use of prayer. 驅(qū)魔 Kites can also be flown in the evening carrying little lanterns. People flying kites during the festival cut the string when the kite is in the sky instead of reeling it back in. It is believed that this practice can remove troubles and misfortune /m?s?f??t??n/ 不幸.</p><p><br></p><p>插柳 Planting Willow Trees</p><p>因?yàn)榻樽油扑赖臅r(shí)候抱著一棵柳樹，所以柳樹被認(rèn)為擁有一種可以對(duì)抗邪惡的神奇力量。清明時(shí)節(jié)，人們會(huì)將柳枝掛在門前，或拿柳枝進(jìn)行掃墓。</p><p>Because Jie Zitui died embracing/?m?bre?s/ 擁抱 a willow tree, the willow is believed to have miraculous/m??r?kj?l?s/ 超自然的 powers against evil. During the Qingming Festival, willow branches are hung on door fronts and used to sweep the tombs.</p><p><br></p><p>蕩秋千 Swinging</p><p>明朝期間，蕩秋千是清明節(jié)的一個(gè)指定的娛樂活動(dòng)。根據(jù)明朝的史冊(cè)記載，清明節(jié)也被稱為秋千節(jié)。蕩秋千不僅可以增進(jìn)健康，而且可以培養(yǎng)勇敢精神，至今為人們特別是兒童所喜愛。</p><p>During the Ming Dynasty, swinging was a designated recreation 娛樂 /?r?kr??e???n/ on Tomb Sweeping Festival. According to the Annals/??n?lz/編年史 of the Ming Court, this day was also called Swing Festival.Play not only improves the health swing, and can cultivate 培養(yǎng) the brave spirit, tonow is people, especially children's favorite.</p><p><br></p> <p>五、清明節(jié)傳統(tǒng)食物</p><p>青團(tuán) Green rice ball</p><p>People in the Jiangnan region often eat this kind of green colored balls made from glutinous rice on Tomb Sweeping Day. The green color is from the juice of wormwood 艾草grass that is added in the rice.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p> <p>馓子 San zi</p><p><br></p><p>我國(guó)南北各地清明節(jié)有吃馓子的食俗。“馓子”為一油炸食品，香脆精美，古時(shí)叫“寒食”。</p><p>Eating Sanzi (or deep-fried dough twist)on Qingming Festival is a convention習(xí)俗 throughout China. Sanzi is a kind of fried food. People called it cold food in the old days。</p> <p>薄餅 Thin pancake</p><p><br></p><p>福建省廈門民諺有云“清明吃薄餅”。餅里通常會(huì)加上海苔、蛋卷、蔬菜、辣醬等讓其口感更好。</p><p>People in Xiamen in Fujian province often have thin pancakes on Tomb Sweeping Day. Dried seaweed, omelette, veggies and chili sauce are added in the pancakes to enhance /?n?hɑ?ns/ 提高 the flavor.</p> <p>芥菜飯 Steamed rice with leaf mustard</p><p><br></p><p>在福建省東部的許多地方，人們通常在清明節(jié)用芥菜蒸米飯，以預(yù)防疥瘡和其他皮膚病。</p><p>In many places in eastern Fujian province, people often steamed rice with leaf mustard on Tomb Sweeping Day to prevent scabies /?ske?bi?z/ 疥瘡 and other skin diseases.</p> <p>六、與死亡和紀(jì)念相關(guān)的詩(shī)詞</p><p>《清明》The Mourning Day</p><p>杜牧 By Dumu</p><p><br></p><p>清明時(shí)節(jié)雨紛紛，</p><p>A drizzling rain falls on the Mourning Day.</p><p><br></p><p>路上行人欲斷魂。</p><p>Pedestrians are broken-hearted on the way.</p><p><br></p><p>借問酒家何處有？</p><p>Where can a tavern /?t?v?n/酒吧 be found to drown their sorrows?</p><p><br></p><p>牧童遙指杏花村。</p><p>There a cowboy points to a hamlet /?h?ml?t/小村莊 amid apricot flowers.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p> <p>外國(guó)詩(shī)詞</p><p>When I am dead, my dearest </p><p>by Christina Georgina Rossetti </p><p><br></p><p>When I am dead, my dearest, </p><p>Sing no sad songs for me; </p><p>Plant thou no roses at my head, </p><p>Nor shady cypress tree; </p><p>Be the green grass above me </p><p>With showers and dewdrops wet; </p><p>And if thou wilt, remember, </p><p>And if thou wilt,forget. </p><p>當(dāng)我死去的時(shí)候 親愛的 </p><p>你別為我唱悲傷的歌 </p><p>我墳上不必安插薔薇 </p><p>也無需濃蔭的柏樹 </p><p>讓蓋著我的青青的草 </p><p>淋著雨也沾著露珠 </p><p>假如你愿意 請(qǐng)記著我 </p><p>要是你甘心 忘了我 </p><p>I shall not see the shadows, </p><p>I shall not feel the rain; </p><p>I shall not hear the nightingale </p><p>Sing on as if in pain; </p><p>And dreaming through the twilight </p><p>that doth not rise nor set, </p><p>Haply I may remember, </p><p>And haply may forget. </p><p>在悠久的昏暮中迷惘 </p><p>陽光不升起 也不消翳 </p><p>我也許 也許我還記得你 </p><p>我也許把你忘記 </p><p>我再見不到地面的青蔭 </p><p>覺不到雨露的甜蜜 </p><p>我再聽不到夜鶯的歌喉 </p><p>在黑夜里傾訴悲啼</p> <p>總結(jié)：今天跟棠棠普及清明節(jié)的知識(shí)，她未必能懂，但是媽媽是學(xué)習(xí)到了，跟著孩子一起學(xué)習(xí)，真不錯(cuò)。</p>