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温馨提示：10月7日“重阳”佳节



“重阳”故事知多少

英语点津 [ 2007-10-12 16:37 ]

农历九月初九，两阳相重，故叫“重阳”，重阳节又是“老人节”。“九月重阳，金风送爽”，重阳自然是登高远眺的好时节，在这一天，人们佩带茱萸，携酒登山，畅游欢饮。当然，“重阳登山”不仅仅是因为秋高气爽的好天气，做为重阳节一大重要习俗，“登山”源于一个“为民除害”的民间传说。关于这个因“民间英雄”而兴起的节日，虽然大部分人都可用汉语来讲述，但若想把它送出国门之外，讲给老外听，似乎还是难了那么一点点。来吧，阅读一下以下文字，相信会对您有所帮助。

   





烂漫菊花

The 9th day of September in the lunar calendar is "the Chinese Chong Yang Festival" and a happy occasion in autumn. According to the traditional theory of "Yin" and "Yang", both the 9th month and the 9th day of the month belong to "Yang", which means positive and masculine, and "Chong" means double, thus it is called "Chong Yang".  
People often gather for a party, appreciate chrysanthemums, pin the leaves of Cornus on clothes. And the custom of climbing mountains and eating a special cake also features the day.

This custom of climbing mountains can be dated back as early as West Han Dynasty. Some old travel notes have it that, people climbed to mountain peaks not only for beautiful scenes and poetic inspiration, but also the avoidance of evil spirits and disasters.

This practice came from an ancient folktale. It is said long ago there appeared a devil of plague in the Ruhe River. People lay down and died wherever it came up. A boy named Heng Jing swore to help his neighbors and fellow people to get rid of it. He visited many famous mountains to seek a powerful master. Finally an old Taoist took him in and taught him how to defeat the devil. Heng Jing put his whole heart into study and practice.

One day, the Taoist called him up and said, 'Heng Jing, tomorrow is the 9th day of September and the devil will reappear. It is time for you to go home and stop the devil.' The master also gave him a pack of leaves of Cornus and a jar of liquor soaked with chrysanthemums. Riding a crane, Heng Jing went a great distance back home in a day. As instructed by his master, he told his fellow villagers to climb up the nearby mountain with a Cornus leaf pinned on their clothes and a glass of chrysanthemum liquor in hand.

When the devil of plague came up from under the water, it got dizzy by the scent of Cornus and chrysanthemums. Heng Jing fought with his master's sword and killed the devil in a few rounds. People held parties, drank chrysanthemum liquor to celebrate it. And the next year, the custom of mountain climbing became popular among the villagers.

In the golden September, chrysanthemum blooms, reminding people of the folktale. And later a special cake with dates, chestnuts and meat was made to add more festivity to the special day.

（China Online）

Vocabulary:
  
Masculine: 有男子气的；阳性的

Chrysanthemum: 菊花

Plague: 瘟疫

（东华大学傅丽莉供稿　英语点津陈蓓编辑）

[ 本帖最后由 apple 于 2008-10-6 19:04 编辑 ]

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The Double Ninth Festival（重阳节）

英语点津 [ 2002-10-09 01:00 ]

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. 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. Climbing mountains:On the Double Ninth Festival, people customarily climb mountains, appreciate chrysanthemum flowers, drink chrysanthemum wine, and eat double-ninth cakes. 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 organised during which people search to renew their appreciation of nature and to reaffirm their love and concern for family members and close friends.

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The Double-Ninth Festival

  
2008年04月21日
  

　　重阳节

　　农历九月初九是重阳节。这是一个很古老的节日，距今已有1,700多年的历史。

　　在中国数字中，一、三、五、七、九为阳数，二、四、六、八为阴数。因此，九月初九被称作重阳或重九。中国古代，重阳节是一个重要的节日，这一天要举行各种活动，如：登高、赏菊、插茱萸、吃重阳糕等。

　　独在异乡为异客，
　　每逢佳节倍思亲。
　　遥知兄弟登高处，
　　遍插茱萸少一人。
　　——唐 王维
　　《九月九日忆山东兄弟》

　　登高是重阳节的主要习俗。古人认为，九九重阳，登高可以避祸免灾。后来，重阳节登高爬山，逐渐演变成了人们放松心情、锻炼身体的体育和旅游活动。

　　插茱萸和赏菊也是重阳节的传统习俗。茱萸是一种植物，果实可以吃，茎、叶都是药材。菊花在九月盛开，有“长寿花”的美称。为了避免瘟疫，驱除恶气，重阳节这天，人们就把茱萸和菊花插戴在身上，还要观赏菊花，饮菊花茶和菊花酒。

　　重阳糕是一种用面粉做的食品，可以加枣、银杏、松子、杏仁做成甜的，也可以加肉做成咸的，讲究的还要做成九层，再在上面做两只小羊，以谐“重阳(羊)”之音。

　　现在过重阳节，已经见不到插茱萸等风俗了，但是很多人仍然会在这一天登高赏菊，观赏秋天的美景。近年来，这个古老的节日又增加了新的内容，成为一年一度的“敬老节”。每当佳节来临，人们都要举办各种敬老活动，祝愿老年人步步登高，健康长寿。

　　The Double-Ninth Festival

　　The Double-Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month and has a history of more than 1,700 years.

　　Among Chinese numbers, one, three, five, seven and nine are positive numbers and two, four, six and eight are negative ones. Thus, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is called Double-Positive or Double-Nine. The Double-Ninth Festival sees various activities such as climbing a mountain, admiring chrysanthemums, wearing cornel (Cornus officinalis) and eating Double-Ninth cake, etc.

　　As an alien visitor in a strange land all by myself,
　　I think all the more of my loved ones on every festive occasion.
　　I know in the far away that when my brothers climb the mountain,
　　All wear cornel but one person is absent.
　　-- Tang Dynasty  Wang Wei
　　Missing Brothers in Shandong on the Double-Ninth Day

　　Ancient people thought climbing a mountain on this day could help them avoid misfortune and prevent disasters, and this gradually evolved into a relaxation and exercise.

　　It is also the traditional custom to wear cornel and admire chrysanthemums. Cornel is a kind of plant with edible fruit, while its stem and leaves have medicinal value. Chrysanthemum blooms in September, and enjoys the reputation of a "flower of Longevity". To prevent plague and drive off foul smells, people wear cornel and chrysanthemum on the Double-Ninth Festival, and drink tea and wine made from the flowers.

　　Made of flour, the Double-Ninth cake can be sweet if jujube, ginkgo, pine nuts and apricot kernel are added, or salty if meat is added. Some exquisite cakes are made into nine layers with a pattern of two sheep above, which is homophonic of "Double Ninth".

　　There is no longer any custom of wearing cornel on the Double-Ninth Festival, but many people will climb a mountain, admire chrysanthemums and appreciate the beautiful scenery of autumn. In recent years, new contents have been added into this ancient festival, which has become a time to show respect for the elderly. People hold various activities in honor of senior citizens, wishing them good health and a long life.


  
【来源：中国华文教育网】

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Double Ninth Festival

The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival. It usually falls in October in the Gregorian calendar. In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing, or The Book of Changes, number "6" was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number "9" was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. So the number nine in both month and day create the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival. Chong in Chinese means "double." Also, as double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify "forever", both are "Jiu Jiu," the Chinese ancestors considered it an auspicious day worth celebration. That's why ancient Chinese began to celebrate this festival long time ago.

The custom of ascending a height to avoid epidemics was passed down from long time ago. Therefore, the Double Ninth Festival is also called "Height Ascending Festival". The height people will reach is usually a mountain or a tower. Ancient literary figures have left many poems depicting the activity. Even today, people still swarm to famous or little known mountains on this day.

On this day, people will eat Double Ninth Gao (or Cake). In Chinese, gao (cake) has the same pronunciation with gao (height). People do so just to hope progress in everything they are engaged in. There is no fixed ways for the Double Ninth Cake, but super cakes will have as many as nine layers, looking like a tower.


The Double Ninth Festival is also a time when chrysanthemum blooms. China boasts diversified species of chrysanthemum and people have loved them since ancient times. So enjoying the flourishing chrysanthemum also becomes a key activity on this festival. Also, people will drink chrysanthemum wine. Women used to stick such a flower into their hair or hang its branches on windows or doors to avoid evilness.

In 1989, the Chinese government decided the Double Ninth Festival as Seniors' Day. Since then, all government units, organizations and streets communities will organize an autumn trip each year for those who have retired from their posts. At the waterside or on the mountains, the seniors will find themselves merged into nature. Younger generations will bring elder ones to suburban areas or send gifts to them on this day.