重陽(yáng)節(jié),秋高氣爽,登高遠(yuǎn)望,暢飲菊花酒,遍插茱萸頭……這個(gè)古老節(jié)日的起源和傳說(shuō),你還記得嗎?

The Double Ninth Festival - the ninth day of the ninth lunar month

The "Chong Yang Festival" is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, and it is as such known as the Double Ninth Festival.

起源:重陽(yáng)節(jié)是九月初九,略懂周易的同學(xué)肯定知道,9是陽(yáng)數(shù)中最大的一個(gè),九月初九,自然就“重陽(yáng)”了么。

Origins: The festival began as early as the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC). According to the yin/yang dichotomy that forms a basis to the Chinese world view, yin represents the elements of darkness and yang represents life and brightness. The number nine is regarded as yang. The ninth day of the ninth month is a double yang day, hence the name "Chong Yang Festival". (Chong means "repeat" in Chinese.) The ninth month also heralds the approach of winter. It is a time when the living need warm clothing, and filial Chinese sons and daughters extended this to make the festival a time for providing winter clothes for their ancestors. The Double Ninth Festival, therefore, also became an occasion to visit the graves of dead family members. Clothes made of paper would then be burnt as offerings.

習(xí)俗:登高、賞菊花、差茱萸……這些古老的習(xí)俗,你體驗(yàn)過(guò)嗎?

Climbing mountains: On the Double Ninth Festival, people customarily climb mountains, appreciate chrysanthemum flowers, drink chrysanthemum wine, eat double-ninth cakes, and wear the zhuyu (茱萸) plant, Cornus officinalis. (Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are considered to have cleansing qualities and are used on other occasions to air out houses and cure illnesses.). The Double Ninth Festival is also the "Old Men Festival". Old people are especially meant to improve their health by taking part in the activities on the day of the festival.

Family get-togethers: The Double Ninth Festival is also a time for family get-togethers. It is an occasion to remember one's ancestors, the sacrifices they made and the hardships they underwent. Often, family outings are organized during which people search to renew their appreciation of nature and to reaffirm their love and concern for family members and close friends.

注釋:

1、提到表示某個(gè)傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日時(shí),一定不能用英語(yǔ)單詞中現(xiàn)成的月份,比如今天的重陽(yáng)節(jié)就不說(shuō)September 9。所以這里用的是the ninth day of the ninth lunar month。

2、The Warring States Period就是中國(guó)的戰(zhàn)國(guó)時(shí)期了,春秋時(shí)期就是The Spring and Autumn Period。

3、yin和yang這兩個(gè)詞很多外國(guó)人是懂的,別以為他們不懂。在CSI的一集里,Gil和Catherine調(diào)查一樁用鈍器(猜測(cè)是錘子)謀殺的案件,他們?cè)诒容^死者頭部的傷口和在現(xiàn)場(chǎng)發(fā)現(xiàn)的錘子的時(shí)候需要做模型,Gil沖著Catherine說(shuō):"I've got the yang, and you've got the yin."

4中國(guó)有句話叫"百善孝為先,"英語(yǔ)可以粗略的翻譯成Among all the virtues, filial piety is the best.