Spring Festival, that is, China Lunar New Year, commonly known as Spring Festival, New Year's Eve, and so on. It is also called China's New Year and New Year's Eve Oral. The following is my English version of Spring Festival travel rush's introduction, hoping to help you.
Introduce the Spring Festival in English
The word "Chinese New Year" is used for the Spring Festival (China New Year). The word "nian" in Chinese characters used to refer to a terrible beast. In order to fight wild animals, people in China hang "good luck" wishes on red paper on their doors and set off fireworks, because they believe wild animals are afraid of red and fire. This tradition is similar in many ways to the western belief in using garlic and crosses to fight vampires.
In Chinese, the phrase "China New Year" is used to celebrate the Spring Festival (China New Year). The word "year" is Chinese.
This is a terrible monster. Because Nian is afraid of red and fire, people in China will hang "Spring Festival couplets" on their doors to write their best wishes and set off firecrackers to drive it away. This tradition is somewhat similar to that of westerners who use garlic and crosses to scare away vampires.
There are 12 kinds of animals in the zodiac in China, which are rats, cows, tigers, rabbits, dragons, snakes, horses, sheep, monkeys, chickens, dogs and pigs in turn. This year is the Year of the Sheep. Each animal represents a different "personality". According to legend, people held a meeting with all the animals and informed them that they would choose 12 to represent the Chinese zodiac. However, although it ran very fast, it was not chosen because its good friend mouse didn't wake it. This action triggered a competition that continues to this day.
The zodiac signs in China represent twelve kinds of animals, and their order is: rat, cow, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog and pig. This year is the Year of the Sheep. Every animal has its own "personality". According to legend, people and animals meet once, and the first animal to meet can enter the zodiac. As the cat's best friend, the mouse didn't wake the cat for the meeting. Therefore, the war between them continues to this day.
The Spring Festival in China celebrates the end of winter and the warmth of spring. It begins on the last day of the lunar year and ends on15th day of the lunar calendar, that is, the Lantern Festival. Spring Festival is the most important festival in China.
During the Spring Festival, people usually use red lanterns and decorate doors and windows with red paper-cuts. Because red means good luck. People usually clean houses, too. Because they want to get rid of bad luck, put on all kinds of clothes, often visit friends and relatives or eat jiaozi, fish, meat and other delicious food together. The children are looking forward to receiving red envelopes. They play fireworks with each other and have fun. Dragon and lion dances and other carnival activities in the streets.
The Spring Festival in China celebrates the end of winter and the arrival of warm spring. It begins on the last day of the lunar calendar and ends on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, that is, the Lantern Festival. Spring Festival is a very important festival in China. During the Spring Festival, people decorate their houses with red lanterns and Spring Festival couplets. Because red means good luck, people usually clean up, sweep away the bad luck of one year and usher in the good luck of the new year. Wear all kinds of colorful clothes, often visit relatives and friends or get together to eat jiaozi, fish, meat and other delicious food. The children are looking forward to receiving lucky money in red envelopes. They set off fireworks together and amused each other. There are dragon dances, lion dances and other carnival activities in the street.
Brief introduction of English speech during the Spring Festival
Today, my partner and I will compare the Spring Festival and Christmas from three aspects.
1, origin and legend
2. Customs
3. Decoration
As we all know, the Spring Festival is the biggest and most important festival in China, but now few people care about the origin of this festival and the story behind it. So first of all, I want to introduce the origin and legend of the Spring Festival to you.
(1) Origin and Legend
origin
The origin of this festival can be traced back to the sacrificial activities in Shang Dynasty (BC17th century-BC 1046). People owe their food, clothes and harvest to the will of God and ancestors, so they hold sacrificial ceremonies at the end of each year to pray for blessing and peace.
The date of this ceremony was not fixed until the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), when Emperor Wu ordered the use of the lunar calendar. There is a large-scale festival market sponsored by the government, and folk people also gather to celebrate. New customs and activities have also appeared, such as burning bamboo (fireworks are now set off), hanging peach boards (Spring Festival couplets are now posted) and staying up late.
China New Year Story-Legend of the Year of the Monster
Many existing festival customs and activities can actually be traced back to a popular story about the monster "Nian", which helps to explain why and how to celebrate this festival.
In ancient times, there was a fierce monster named Nian with sharp teeth and horns. Hidden in the dark sea for a long time, this beast will go ashore at the end of the lunar calendar to prey on people and livestock. However, monsters are afraid of red and loud sounds, so on New Year's Eve, people will put up red Spring Festival couplets, light candles and burn bamboo (set off fireworks) to drive away all evil souls. The whole village and town are brightly lit, and people will stay up late to welcome the New Year.
(2) Customs
1 New Year's Eve
Eating reunion dinner is one of the most important customs in the Spring Festival.
China jiaozi: China jiaozi is very popular all over the world now. Its history can be traced back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589). This tradition has the meaning of changing years, because "communication" has the meaning of change. In some places, people even put a clean coin in the jiaozi because they think that people who eat coins will become richer.
Fish: In China, there is a blessing saying called "There are fish every year", which means "I wish you more than one year, and the grain is abundant." In southern China, some people only eat the middle part of the fish on New Year's Eve, leaving the head and tail for the next day to symbolize integrity.
Spring rolls: They were first eaten in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420) on February 4th. Fresh vegetables or ingredients in spring are wrapped in it and people eat it to welcome the new spring. Now it has also become a dessert in some places in the reunion dinner, which contains people's desire to welcome a new beginning. Hot pot: Hot pot is a must-have dish in some places in China. Eating hot pot makes people feel warm and the atmosphere is friendly. Red means that business is booming next year.
Zongzi: Since the Song Dynasty (960- 1279), people have had the custom of eating Yuanxiao on the Lantern Festival. In the south of China, Zongzi is called Tangyuan. The production process is similar to traditional jiaozi. But in the north of China, Zongzi is called Yuanxiao, which is made of glutinous rice flour wrapped in stuffing.
Firecrackers and fireworks
People will set off firecrackers in the early hours of New Year's Day. Once they wake up, this is the first thing they do. When the door opens in the morning, people hope to welcome good luck inside. Fireworks will be set off on the night of the Lantern Festival.
3 CCTV Spring Festival Gala
This is a comprehensive art and performance activity on the eve of the festival. The performance includes sketches, cross talk, songs and dances and other basic elements. The performance always ends with the song "No"
Forget it tonight. "
4 red envelopes
Red envelopes, also called lucky money, are prepared for children by adults and the elderly and given after the reunion dinner. In folk culture, if children get lucky money, they will spend a whole year safely. WeChat red envelopes have also become popular in recent years. During the Spring Festival, young people tend to send WeChat envelopes to each other as a greeting. This is a shortcut to contact friends far away.
Visit friends and relatives
People visit relatives and friends' homes and greet each other with "Happy New Year". In ancient times, young people had to kowtow to pay tribute to the elderly; Today, they extend their good wishes to them. 6 pairs of Spring Festival couplets
On New Year's Eve, all the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, and China's calligraphy will be highlighted on red paper with black or gold ink, giving people a happy and festive atmosphere. The first part: Welcome to the Spring Festival [yíng x and n chūn Jiāng shān jǐn Xi]
The second part: Resign the old and welcome the new, and create new glories.
Horizontal batch: full of spring [ch ū n y ū ng rá n]
Coil: ring in the spring; The scenery is magnificent.
Volume 2: Ring out the past; Everything is brilliant.
Horizontal scroll: a brand-new spring
The first part: Everything goes well during the Spring Festival.
Downward: connecting Hongfu and rising step by step [jiē hóng fú bù bù gāo shēng]
Horizontal criticism: good things will come to you [h m 4 o sh ∑ l í n mé n]
Volume I: Everything is as you wish.
Volume 2: Your career has risen steadily as you wish.
Horizontal roll: luck knocks at the door
Part one: I wish everything all the best and good luck.
Bottom line: Every family is happy and healthy forever.
Horizontal batch: the four seasons are prosperous [Sjě xě ng ló ng]
Volume I: I wish you all the best.
Volume 2: May you be satisfied and your family be healthy.
Horizontal scroll: Four seasons are prosperous.
(3) Decoration
1, paste "Fu"
The word "Fu", which means good luck or happiness, is used to express people's good wishes and yearning for the future, so people usually stick it on the door or some furniture during the Spring Festival. Putting "Fu" upside down means happiness or good luck, which is a widely accepted and popular custom in China.
2. Paper-cutting
On festive days, auspicious words or pictures are cut on red paper and pasted on windows to express good wishes for the future.
3. New Year pictures
They originated in the Tang Dynasty (6 18-907), and their patterns are simple, which can exorcise evil spirits. Now they are a kind of decoration for festivals. New meanings and patterns have been added to the old pictures, such as customs, women and babies.
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