2024年2月26日发(作者：)

过去，中国人把从腊月初八开始的过年的准备过程，还编成了一个顺口溜：

In the past, Chinese people started the preparation at the 8th of the

last lunar month. There was even a piece of doggerel about the

preparation.

二十三，糖瓜粘；二十四，扫房日；二十五，碾白薯；二十六，炖牛肉；二十七，宰公鸡；二十八，把面发；发面，（就是）发酵嘛，二十九，蒸馒头；

On 23, make candies; on 24, make a thorough cleanup; on 25, make

sweet potatoes; on 26, brew beef; on 27, slaughter a rooster; on 28,

prepare dough (To prepare dough means to make fermented dough); on

29, steam Mantou.

当然，随着时代的变迁，人们的生活内容有了变化，所以现在人们过年准备内容与过程也变化了，但是一些传统还保留着。正月二十四，扫房日，实际上就是大搞家庭环境卫生，这一天，家家户户开始扫房、擦窗、清洗衣物、刷锅洗瓢，进行干净彻底地卫生大扫除。

Of course, there are many changes in people’s life with the time.

Therefore, the process and contents of the preparation for Spring Festival

also changed. However, some traditional customs are still kept. The 24th

day on the last lunar month is the day for cleanup. Every household will

do home cleaning, sweep their home, clean windows, wash clothes and

clean dishes and have a spring-cleaning.

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所以这个时候呢，年的活动都已经准备好了，新衣服做好了，吃的东西、年夜饭的东西，这些东西都做好了，然后开始贴春联，门口要贴对联，贴门神，贴窗花，这一切都准备好以后，才到了除夕这天晚上。

Therefore, at this moment all the preparations are done. New clothes

have been made. All the things for eat and the spring festival dinner are

ready. People begin to paste couplets and pictures of door gods, and paper

cuttings on door panels. When everything is ready, it is the eve of Spring

Festival.

持续半个多月的春节准备活动，说到底，其实就是两方面的事：一个是除旧，去除过去一年里脏的、旧的、不愉快的东西，另一个是为迎接新的一年而准备。

The half month continuous preparation for the Spring Festival is in

indeed preparation in two aspects. One is to get rid of the old things. To

get rid of the dirty, old and unpleasant things. The other is to prepare to

welcome the new year.

春节的前一天人们俗称为“大年三十”，这一天的晚上，称作除夕，也叫“大年夜”。大年三十这一天在过年的过程中是最最重要的，若是有谁没有赶上在这一天与家人一起吃年夜饭，会感到非常遗憾。

The Spring Festival Eve is called the 30th of the year. This evening is

called Chuxi, or the night of the year. The last day of the last lunar month

is the most important day in the whole Spring Festival. If one missed the

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dinner with his or her family in this day, he or she would feel very sorry.

特别是年三十，这一定要合家团聚

Especially on the last day of the last lunar month, the whole family must

get together.

跟父母一块儿团聚吃团圆饭

I am having a get reunion dinner with my parents.

这一天，所有的准备工作必须完成。这是大人孩子都兴奋的时刻，准备了大半个月，为的就是这一天的到来。

On this day, all the preparation must be completed. It is the moment of

joy for all adults and children. The more than half month preparation is

for this day.

哎哟，我小时候，盼着过年

Ouch, in my childhood, I was always looking forward to the Spring

Festival.

喜欢能放炮，吃好东西什么的

I like to fire crackers, eat delicious food and so on.

除夕最重要的仪式，就是祭祖和吃年夜饭，然后一家人团团圆圆的在一起“守岁”，守岁，就是一晚上不睡，这种习俗，有对逝去岁月的留恋，也有对新年的美好希望。

The most important ceremonies in the eve of the Spring Festival are the

ceremony of ancestor worship and the Spring Festival eve dinner.

According to custom, each family will stay up to “guard the year”, which

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means to stay up to see the New Year in. This custom contains the

nostalgic feelings for the past days and also good hopes for the new year.

我对春节印象最深厚感情的就是年三十晚上供饭，祭祀祖先。

The most impressive thing for me during the Spring festival is to provide

sacrifices in the Spring Festival eve to worship our ancestors.

第一个就是祭祖的仪式，不忘记祖先的意思。祖先在家里面一年四季都供着的，但是在过春节的这个时候，我们要准备贡献的东西，比如说吃的东西什么都在摆在祖先的这个牌位面前。

The first is a ceremony to worship ancestors, which means not to forget

ancestors. Ancestors are worshipped at the home all around the year. But

during the Spring Festival, we will prepare something to sacrifice. For

example, we will place some food in front of the name boards of our

ancestors.

大多数人在家中将祖先牌位摆在房内，供上食物供品，然后由长至幼依序上香跪拜。

Most people place the name boards of ancestors at home. After placing

food and other sacrifices, they will kneel down to worship ancestors

according to their position in the family hierarchy.

把祖先的牌位都供和祖先的那个，我爷爷奶有的相片什么的，都供在那儿。然后给他们上上菜，什么的，完了我们这才能够吃团圆饭。

We will place the name boards of ancestors, and photos from my

grandparents there. Then we will place dishes and other sacrifices for

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them. After that, we can enjoy the family union dinner.

团圆饭就是人们常说的年夜饭，这一餐无论如何都一定是丰盛的，在每一种饭里都融进了人们对幸福和吉祥的憧憬。

The reunion dinner is the Spring Festival Eve dinner, which is luxurious

anyway. Every dish contains people’s wishes for auspiciousness and

happiness

传统上说，一般的必须得有饺子，有的家讲究点的还得有年糕啊什么的。

A traditional reunion dinner normally must have jiaozi. Some families

which pay more attention to tradition also have niangao (New Year cake

made of glutinous rice flour) on this occasion.

这个饺子呢，做出来像个元宝形，那么也预示着发财

The shape the shape of jiaozi is like a gold ingot from ancient China. So

people eat them and wish for money and treasure.

过年的时候，晚上包那个饺子呀，其中有一个两个饺子里头包上那个，北京叫钢蹦，实际上硬币，哪个小孩大人吃到了一咬，咬到了，今年他就有钱了，他有福。

In the Spring Festival, we make jiaozi in the evening and put coins into

one or two of them. Whoever gets one of these special pieces will be

especially lucky.

而在中国南方的有些地方，年夜饭多是吃汤圆，这是用糯米粉做成皮儿，里面包上各种馅，或糖的，或芝麻的，或豆沙的。

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In Southern China, people have Tangyuan for the dinner at the eve of

Spring Festival. Tangyuan are glutinous rice balls. It has different stuffing,

such as sugar, sesame or sweetened bean paste.

这个春节，它求吉祥，你比如说年糕，这年糕什么意思呢，是年年高。这年年高啊，不仅仅是指这个孩子一年比一年长得高，运也高，运气好。

The Spring Festival is also a time for people to pray for happiness and

auspiciousness. For example, as a homophone, niangao means higher and

higher, one year after another. To be higher does not only refer that a

child will grow higher each year. It also refers to better luck.

除了这几样，年夜饭还要有鱼，有肉，也差不多是一年中最丰盛的。

Except the above mentioned food, there are also fish and meat dishes in

the dinner. It might be the most sumptuous dinner in the whole year.

守岁就是从吃年夜饭开始的。这顿饭要慢慢地吃，从掌灯时分入席，有的人家一直要吃到深夜。然后，全家人围坐在一起，茶点瓜果放满一桌，一家老小，边吃边乐，说说笑笑。也有的人家聚在一起打扑克，搓麻将，喧哗笑闹之声持续整晚。

To guard the year starts with the Spring Festival eve dinner. This dinner

need to be enjoyed slowly. People start to take a seat in the evening.

Some people even eat till midnight. Then the whole family will sit

together. The whole table is full of refreshments and fruits. The whole

family will eat, talk and enjoy the time together. Some families like to

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play poker or majiang and chat the whole night.

当除夕夜的午夜12点，新年钟声敲响，孩子们纷纷跟随着大人跑出屋子，或到楼下空旷处或在自家院子里放着爆竹烟花，高兴地活蹦乱跳，用爆竹声迎接新的一年的到来。顿时，整个中华大地上空，爆竹声声，烟花灿烂。这时屋内是通明的灯火，庭前是灿烂的火花，屋外是震天的响声，夜空亮如白昼，把除夕的热闹气氛推向了最高潮。

At the midnight of the Spring Festival eve, when the new year bell rings.

Children will follow adults and run out of their home. They will fire

fireworks and crackers in an empty ground near their residence or in their

own yards. They are so happy. They want to welcome the new year with

the sounds of fireworks. Suddenly, thousands of fireworks give a

beautiful performance in the sky. The night looks like daytime. The

atmosphere of the Spring Festival reaches its climax.

WU

从农历正月初一开始的节庆活动可谓丰富多彩，多种多样。

春节过了以后，就是在过去中国的农村里边，文艺的活动逐渐地展开了，有各种的文艺节目，像我们现在看到的北京花会一样，高跷呐，旱船呐，另外就是唱戏。

不管是城里人，还是在农村，人们都要做的一件事就是拜年。民间流行的拜年活动先是从家里开始的。

一般是我们晚辈要给长辈拜年，比如给我的父母和父母的兄弟姐妹，大爷、大妈等拜年。

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亲戚之间在春节期间走动，有互拜平安的意思。

给亲戚拜年，出门之后就作揖、问安，说点吉祥话，恭喜过年呐，恭喜发财呀，说点吉祥话，预示着第二年有个好的，这就是新一年来了以后有好运。

中国全景初级汉语三第30课

杨丽：雪芹，过年好！

方雪芹：过年好！

田、赵：恭喜发财

方雪芹：同喜、同喜！快请进。

身体非常重要，所以春节的问候往往加上“身体健康”。

万事如意，心想事成。

事业有成！

原来拜年呐，亲戚朋友互相串门，就是坐一会儿，各家都摆一点糖果、瓜子，让大家尝尝，就走。这种人际的交往吧，初一初二这家里边闲不住，老是人来人往，这和现代化这个手段还是有区别的。

除了以往的到家里拜年，或寄贺年卡，近年来，人们也开始通过电话、电子邮件和手机短信拜年。

虽然拜年的方式变化了，但对孩子们来讲，有一件事是不变的，那就是拜年时长辈们会给压岁钱，因为压岁钱多是放在红纸袋里的，所以人们也称之为“红包”。

一般是这样，家里给压岁钱就是给我们这小孩子。磕头拜年，父母给压岁钱。

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递一个小红包，就很少一点钱，那时候小孩就很高兴了。

其实这个“岁”呢，就是那个鬼鬼祟祟的“祟”，原来不是这个年岁的岁，它是一个谐音，就是祛除这个“鬼祟之气”、“晦气”，是吧，“霉运”。于是就给点压岁钱。实际上最早不是钱，它是一些象征性的物，那么后来呢，就给点钱，不管多少，有那么个意思。

春节的时候，能收好多压岁钱。嗯，就是差不多大概一千多，两千元，我在外面课外班上课，然后就是用压岁钱，要交学费。

农历正月初十过后，人们便开始准备庆祝元宵节的活动。元宵节是正月十五，是过年的另一个高潮。赏灯和吃元宵是元宵节活动的两个主要内容。这一天，人们在夜里悬挂彩灯猜灯谜，一起吃顿丰富的晚餐来庆祝。元宵节赏灯活动中的猜谜游戏，充满了智慧和趣味。

十五观灯很热闹，外国朋友可以从灯里了解什么是年年有余，可以了解许多文化。很多传说和民间故事都在灯里，吉祥的谚语也都在灯里。

过年时，言行要特别谨慎，因为中国人希望一年的开始能够事事顺利，有个好兆头。所以春节时期有许多禁忌。有些话、有些事是不能说，不能做的。

春节里边有很多禁忌，你初一这一天最好不要扫地，要扫地的话，你要从门口往门里扫，从外往里扫啊，因为这些垃圾（被人们认为）都是财富啊。在一个呢就是如果这一天打碎了东西，你不能责备孩子们，你得说“岁岁平安”。打碎了嘛，“碎”跟那个年岁的“岁”不正好谐音，岁岁平安。如果小孩子不注意说了这种骂人的话啊什么，叫做“童言无忌”。

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说实在的不知道。以前老人好像说过一些，像那个，正月里不能剃头啊。这些。现在反正在也都不在乎了年轻人。

许多禁忌，年轻人都已淡漠了，实际上，春节的许多习俗也都在变化。

Many young people pay less and less attention to taboos during the

Spring Festival. In fact, many customs during the Spring Festival have

also changed.

原来到过年啊，蒸馒头，包包子，现在不是，什么也不做，如果来了人，都想好了，上大街上，楼下就有饭馆，到那儿点几个菜。

In the past, people would steam Mangtou and make baozi for the Spring

Festival. But now people do not make them anymore. If a guest comes,

they will go out and have a nice meal in a restaurant.

小时候就是吃好吃的，放鞭炮，穿新衣服。现在呢，也无所谓了吧，这个好吃的也老能吃，新衣服想什么时候穿什么时候穿。

In my childhood, we can enjoy delicious food, fire crackers and wear new

dresses during Spring Festival. Nowadays, these things are not so special.

We can always eat delicious food and wear new clothes anytime we want.

现在过年其实也就是图个团圆，图个热闹。

Now to celebrate the Spring Festival is to get together and have a great

time.

以前八十代初，到年末，一定要看春节晚会，这个是我们过春节的一个很重要的一项，可现在呢，这个春节晚会，电视台的，有时也看，

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看挑挑，有时候就不看了。

In 1980s, at the eve of the Spring Festival, one must watch Spring

Festival Party by CCTV. It was a very important part of our celebration.

But now, sometimes we watch it on television. Sometimes, we don’t.

1983年中央电视台第一次播出了“春节联欢晚会”，汇聚了国内最知名的艺术家，代表着最高的节目水平。从那以后，除夕夜全家人吃着年夜饭，看春节联欢晚会，成了一个新的习俗。春节联欢晚会也成了每年电视台最重视的节目之一。

In 1983, Spring Festival Party was broadcast on CCTV for the first time.

It gathered the most renowned artists all over China and represented the

highest level of a TV program. Since then, a new tradition came into

Beijing. At Spring Festival Eve, the whole family will have dinner

together and watch Spring Festival Party. Spring Festival Evening also

becomes one of the most important TV program for CCTV.

为什么会形成这个习俗，很多专家也在研究。也许是因为它可以通过电波把全国甚至全世界的华人联系在一起，营造一个“举国同庆”的时刻，让每个电视机前的人分享共同的快乐吧。

Why this new custom came into being? Many experts carry research on it.

Maybe it can connect Chinese people all over the world together and

create a moment of nationwide celebration, and let everyone in front of

TV share this moment of joy.

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现在孩子们，不怎么愿意在家过年。三十弄完了，初一就踮了，就跑了，就跟朋友旅游去了，去玩去了。

Nowadays, children do not like to celebrate the Spring Festival at home.

When the Spring Festival eve is over, they will get out and go travelling

with friends.

过年的那个内容吧，它好多是亲情吧，（大家）凑在一起。现在啊，好多人，我周围好多人，都觉得现在过年的味儿怎么越来越淡呢？

The celebration of the Spring Festival in the past contains a lot of family

affection. People would get together. Now many people, many people

around me all feel that, why the flavor of Spring Festival is not as strong

as before?

城市的人呢，这种无论是这种工作的节奏、生活的水平有很大的提高，所以这种感觉只是说城市的人感觉到。这个年的味道越来越少了，那么另一方面就要看农村，中国的城乡差别还是比较大的，所以我们看到农村里边去过年呢，你就不感到那个年味好像是有多淡了。

This feeling is only sensed by urban citizens, no matter how fast working

pace goes and how good the life condition improves. On the other hand,

we should look at the countryside. There are a lot of differences between

rural area and urban area in China. If we look at the celebration of the

Spring Festival in the countryside, you will not feel the flavor of the

Spring Festival is weakened.

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不管形式怎么变化，春节的意义对于中国人来说都始终没有改变。对于幸福生活和美好生活的憧憬也是不会变的。春节假期过后，人们在各自忙碌的生活中，期盼着下一个春节的到来，再次挤入返乡的人流，回家过年。

Now matter how the forms change, the meaning of the Spring Festival for

Chinese people still remains unchanged. Their wishes for happy life are

also unchanged. After the Spring Festival holiday, people will go back to

their busy life. They are looking forward to the next Spring Festival. They

will join the returnees to go back to their hometown and celebrate it with

their family.

每年农历的一月十五日是中国人的元宵节，它正好在春节之后。

The Lantern Festival is celebrated everywhere on January 15th of the lunar calendar, right after

the Spring Festival.

传统意义上元宵节也是春节活动的一部分。

Traditionally, the Lantern Festival is a part of the Spring Festival.

这天是农历新年里第一个月圆的日子。

This day is always the first full moon in the lunar New Year.

中国各地张灯结彩，家家户户歌舞游乐，人们做元宵、放烟火。

Across China, people celebrate by hanging up lanterns and festoons, attending dancing and

singing performances, making “Yuan Xiao” or sweet rice dumplings and lighting fireworks.

这也是庆祝春节的延续。

This is also a continuation of the Spring Festival celebration.

在元宵节之夜，天上明月高照，地上彩灯万盏。

On the Lantern Festival night, the moon illuminates the dark sky while many lanterns shine bright

colors on the earth.

元宵夜观花灯的习俗开始于两千多年前的西汉时期。

The traditions of viewing decorative lanterns on this night began more than two thousand years

ago in the Western Han Dynasty.

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最早只是在皇宫中点灯祈福。

In the earlier times, those beautiful lanterns were only seen in the imperial palaces.

慢慢地演变成民间最盛大的灯节。

Slowly it evolved into a celebration on the grand scale for ordinary folks everywhere.

在元宵节前许多天，人们就开始忙着用油纸、绸布、竹子和花朵等材料制作各式各样的灯笼。

A few days before the lantern festival, people begin gathering oiled paper, silk cloths, bamboo

sticks and flower to make all types of lanterns.

或者到热闹的灯市上挑选自己喜爱的灯笼。

Some people go to the lively streets to pick a personal favorite.

花灯的主题既有民间传说，又有节日习俗和各种吉祥物等。

The lanterns sometimes come in a series about certain folklore, holiday customs, or lucky

mascots.

元宵节也是一个浪漫的节日。

The Lantern Festival is also a romantic holiday.

在封建社会时，年轻女孩不允许出外自由活动。

In feudal society, young girls were not allowed to go out freely.

但在元宵节晚上，她们却可以结伴出游观赏花灯。

But on the night of the Lantern Festival, they were allowed to view the lantern lights in groups.

未婚男女也常借着赏花灯与情人相会。

Sometimes couples would go on dates strolling down the streets lit with lantern lights.

如今人们依然会在元宵夜相邀一起去赏花灯。

Today people still invite others to view lanterns together.

在中国南北各地都有风格不同的元宵灯会。

Across China, the Lantern Festival is celebrated in many different styles.

在临水的地方，人们把做好的莲花灯放进河里，让灯顺流而下，带去自己对已逝亲人的思念。

In places near water, people put Lotus Lanterns in the river to let them flow down stream, carrying

the loss they feel for the relatives that have passed away.

在北方，传统习俗与现代科技相结合发展成为冰灯节。

In the North, as traditional customs combined with modern science and technology, there evolved

the Ice Lantern Festival.

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天然冰雪与灯光色彩巧妙结合，透过雕塑、造型、建筑和造景，成为一个绚丽的冰雪天堂。

The combination of the ice and snow with colored lights, carvings, designs, and special scenery

yield a spectacular winter paradise.

猜灯谜是中国特有的文字游戏。

The Lantern Riddle is a special word-game played by the Chinese people.

人们不仅制作出各种漂亮的灯笼供大家观赏，还设计出许多有趣的谜语。

The Chinese people not only craft many types of beautiful lanterns for the others to appreciate, but

also create many interesting riddles.

传统的灯谜是直接写在灯笼上的。

The traditional riddles are written on the lanterns.

现在，人们在灯笼的下面贴上写了谜语的纸条，供观灯的人猜。

Today, many people glue a slip of paper with the riddle at the bottom of the lanterns for the

viewers to solve.

那些猜中的人还会得到出谜者赠送的小奖品。

Those who solve the riddles correctly will receive a prize from the riddle’s creator.

和其他的中国传统节日一样，元宵节也有自己的节日食品——“元宵”。

Just like China’s other traditional holidays, the Lantern Festival also has its own special dish

—“Yuan Xiao”, or sweet dumpling soup.

虽然“元宵”在南北两地叫法不同，做法也不同，但它们都是用糯米粉做皮儿。

Although the sweet dumplings differ in name and recipe from the North and South, they are

always made with glutinous rice flour as the outside.

里面包上各种果仁和糖做成的馅儿。

The filling is usually composed of different kinds of fruit kernels and sugar.

包出来的形状是一样的——圆圆的、白白的，因为它和元宵夜的圆月一样，代表着团圆。

The sweet dumplings are always round and white, as it represents the moon on the night of the

Lantern Festival.

元宵

Sweet Dumplings Soup

团圆

reunion

灯谜

lantern riddles

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