中英双语讲中国故事《春节》 思仪

春节，即农历新年，俗称过年，一般指除夕和正月初一。但在民间，传统意义上的春节是指从腊月初八的腊祭或腊月二十三或二十四的祭灶，一直到正月十五，其中以除夕和正月初一为高潮。春节历史悠久，起源于殷商时期年头年尾的祭神祭祖活动。在春节期间，中国的汉族和很多少数民族都要举行各种活动以示庆祝。这些活动均以祭祀神佛、祭奠祖先、除旧布新、迎禧接福、祈求丰年为主要内容。活动丰富多彩，带有浓郁的民族特色。

The Spring Festival, the most Important Traditional Festival in China (春节)

Chinese New Year is often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar. It is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration. In China it is known as the "Spring Festival", the literal translation of the Chinese name春节, owing to the difference between Western and traditional Chinese methods for computing the seasons. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western carnival. The festival begins on the first day of the first month(正月) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day when Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chú Xi(除夕) or "Eve of the New Year."

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how the people behaved and what they believed in the most.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the new year celebrations of its geographic neighbors, as well as cultures with whom the Chinese have had extensive interaction. These include Koreans, and Bhutanese, Mongolians, Vietnamese, and the Japanese before 1873.

In countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States, although Chinese New Year is not an official holiday, many ethnic Chinese hold large celebrations and Australia Post, Canada Post, and the US Postal Service issue New Year's themed stamps.

Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely. People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also a tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hope of making way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity". On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes. The Chinese New Year tradition is to reconcile, forget all grudges and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone.