<p>一、 清明（Tomb Sweeping Day）---节气</p><p>清明节是二十四节气之一，也是中国最重要的祭祖扫墓传统节日之一。</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/ɡrɪˈɡɔːrɪən/ 阳历 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>谈到清明节，有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子推。据历史记载，在两千多年以前的春秋时代，晋国公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艰苦，跟随他的介子推不惜从自己的腿上割下一块肉让他充饥。后来，重耳回到晋国，作了国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子推拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山。</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>晋文公无计可施，只好放火烧山，他想，介子推孝顺母亲，一定会带着老母出来。谁知这场大火却把介子推母子烧死了。为了纪念介子推，晋文公下令每年的这一天，禁止生火，家家户户只能吃生冷的食物，这就是寒食节的来源。</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>寒食节是在清明节的前一天，古人常把寒食节的活动延续到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食节。拜介子推的习俗也变成了清明扫墓的习俗了。无论以何种形式纪念，为了使纪念祖先的仪式更有意义，我们应该让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先人过去的奋斗历史，当然，还要学习介子推宁死不屈的气节。</p><p><br></p> <p>三、扫墓</p><p>清明节的主要习俗是扫墓。在这一天，人们都会前往他们的家族墓地进行拜祭。他们会铲除墓地周围的杂草，擦拭墓碑，以及用鲜花装饰墓碑。然后，放置贡品和烧纸钱。</p><p>The major custom in Qingming Festival is tomb sweeping. On this day, people visit their family graves to remove any underbrush草丛 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>为表达全国各族人民对抗击新冠肺炎疫情斗争牺牲烈士和逝世同胞的深切哀悼，国务院今天发布公告，决定2020年4月4日举行全国性哀悼活动。</p><p>在此期间，全国和驻外使领馆下半旗志哀，全国停止公共娱乐活动。4月4日10时起，全国人民默哀3分钟，汽车、火车、舰船鸣笛，防空警报鸣响。</p><p>China will hold a national mourning /ˈmɔːnɪŋ/Saturday for martyrs/ˈmɑːtə/ who died in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and compatriots /kəmˈpætrɪət/ died of the disease, according to the State Council. 国务院/ˈkaʊnsəl/</p><p>During the commemoration,[kəˌmeməˈreɪʃn]纪念仪式 national flags will fly at half-mast across the country and in all Chinese embassies /ˈɛmbəsɪ/ 大使馆 and consulates /ˈkɒnsjʊlɪt/ 领事馆 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 /mɔːn/哀悼 for the deceased, while air raid sirens and horns of automobiles, trains and ships will wail in grief.</p> <p>四、清明其它活动</p><p>春游、踏青 Spring Outing</p><p>又叫春游。古时叫探春、寻春等。三月清明，春回大地，自然界到处呈现一派生机勃勃的景象，正是郊游的大好时光。我国民间长期保持着清明踏青的习惯。</p><p>Not only is it a day for commemorating /kəˈmɛməˌreɪt/纪念 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/ɪmˈbreɪs/ 拥抱 nature and communicate with relatives and friends. The ancient Chinese called it “Xun Chun”, to look for spring.</p><p>放风筝 Flying Kites </p><p><br></p><p>每逢清明时节，人们不仅白天放，夜间也放。清明节放风筝的特别之处，是当风筝被放飞到高空时，人们会将风筝线剪段，让它自由飞翔，据说这样可以带来好运和消除疾病。</p><p>Flying kites is an attractive activity popularized /ˈpɒpjʊləˌraɪz/ 推广 in folk lore. It is not only a sports entertainment, but also an exorcism /ˈɛksɔːsɪzəm/. Exorcism is the removing of evil spirits from a person or place by the use of prayer. 驱魔 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 /mɪsˈfɔːtʃən/ 不幸.</p><p><br></p><p>插柳 Planting Willow Trees</p><p>因为介子推死的时候抱着一棵柳树，所以柳树被认为拥有一种可以对抗邪恶的神奇力量。清明时节，人们会将柳枝挂在门前，或拿柳枝进行扫墓。</p><p>Because Jie Zitui died embracing/ɪmˈbreɪs/ 拥抱 a willow tree, the willow is believed to have miraculous/mɪˈrækjʊləs/ 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>荡秋千 Swinging</p><p>明朝期间，荡秋千是清明节的一个指定的娱乐活动。根据明朝的史册记载，清明节也被称为秋千节。荡秋千不仅可以增进健康，而且可以培养勇敢精神，至今为人们特别是儿童所喜爱。</p><p>During the Ming Dynasty, swinging was a designated recreation 娱乐 /ˌrɛkrɪˈeɪʃən/ on Tomb Sweeping Festival. According to the Annals/ˈænəlz/编年史 of the Ming Court, this day was also called Swing Festival.Play not only improves the health swing, and can cultivate 培养 the brave spirit, tonow is people, especially children's favorite.</p><p><br></p> <p>五、清明节传统食物</p><p>青团 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>我国南北各地清明节有吃馓子的食俗。“馓子”为一油炸食品，香脆精美，古时叫“寒食”。</p><p>Eating Sanzi (or deep-fried dough twist)on Qingming Festival is a convention习俗 throughout China. Sanzi is a kind of fried food. People called it cold food in the old days。</p> <p>薄饼 Thin pancake</p><p><br></p><p>福建省厦门民谚有云“清明吃薄饼”。饼里通常会加上海苔、蛋卷、蔬菜、辣酱等让其口感更好。</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 /ɪnˈhɑːns/ 提高 the flavor.</p> <p>芥菜饭 Steamed rice with leaf mustard</p><p><br></p><p>在福建省东部的许多地方，人们通常在清明节用芥菜蒸米饭，以预防疥疮和其他皮肤病。</p><p>In many places in eastern Fujian province, people often steamed rice with leaf mustard on Tomb Sweeping Day to prevent scabies /ˈskeɪbiːz/ 疥疮 and other skin diseases.</p> <p>六、与死亡和纪念相关的诗词</p><p>《清明》The Mourning Day</p><p>杜牧 By Dumu</p><p><br></p><p>清明时节雨纷纷，</p><p>A drizzling rain falls on the Mourning Day.</p><p><br></p><p>路上行人欲断魂。</p><p>Pedestrians are broken-hearted on the way.</p><p><br></p><p>借问酒家何处有？</p><p>Where can a tavern /ˈtævən/酒吧 be found to drown their sorrows?</p><p><br></p><p>牧童遥指杏花村。</p><p>There a cowboy points to a hamlet /ˈhæmlɪt/小村庄 amid apricot flowers.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p> <p>外国诗词</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>当我死去的时候 亲爱的 </p><p>你别为我唱悲伤的歌 </p><p>我坟上不必安插蔷薇 </p><p>也无需浓荫的柏树 </p><p>让盖着我的青青的草 </p><p>淋着雨也沾着露珠 </p><p>假如你愿意 请记着我 </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>阳光不升起 也不消翳 </p><p>我也许 也许我还记得你 </p><p>我也许把你忘记 </p><p>我再见不到地面的青荫 </p><p>觉不到雨露的甜蜜 </p><p>我再听不到夜莺的歌喉 </p><p>在黑夜里倾诉悲啼</p> <p>总结：今天跟棠棠普及清明节的知识，她未必能懂，但是妈妈是学习到了，跟着孩子一起学习，真不错。</p>