用英語介紹春節(jié)
First day 初一
The first day is for the welcoming of the deities of the heavens and earth, officially beginning at midnight. Many people, especially Buddhists, abstain from meat consumption on the first day because it is believed that this will ensure longevity for them. Some consider lighting fires and using knives to be bad luck on New Year's Day, so all food to be consumed is cooked the day before. For Buddhists, the first day is also the birthday of Maitreya Bodhisattva (better known as the more familiar Budai Luohan), the Buddha-to-be. People also abstain from killing animals.
Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents.
Some families may invite a lion dance troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year as well as to evict bad spirits from the premises. Members of the family who are married also give red packets containing cash to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers.
While fireworks and firecrackers are traditionally very popular, some regions have banned them due to concerns over fire hazards, which have resulted in increased number of fires around New Years and challenged municipal fire departments' work capacity. For this reason, various city governments (e.g., Hong Kong, and Beijing, for a number of years) issued bans over fireworks and firecrackers in certain premises of the city. As a substitute, large-scale fireworks have been launched by governments in cities like Hong Kong to offer citizens the experience.
Second day 初二
The second day of the Chinese New Year is for married daughters to visit their birth parents. Traditionally, daughters who have been married may not have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.
Business people of the Cantonese dialect group will hold a 'Hoi Nin' prayer to start their business on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year. The prayer is done to pray that they will be blessed with good luck and prosperity in their business for the year.
《萬年創(chuàng)建歷法說》
相傳，在很久以前，有個名叫萬年的青年，看到當時節(jié)令很亂，想把節(jié)令定準。一天，他上山砍柴，坐在樹陰下休息，樹影的移動啟發(fā)了他，他設(shè)計了一個測日影計天時的晷儀。可是，天陰雨霧，影響測量。后來，山崖上的滴泉引起了他的興趣，他又動手做了一個五層漏壺。天長日久，他發(fā)現(xiàn)每隔三百六十多天，天時的長短就會重復一遍。
當時的國君叫祖乙，天氣風云的不測，使他很苦惱。一個名叫阿衡的大臣，為討好皇上，奏稱要設(shè)天臺敬祭天神。祖乙認為有理，便帶領(lǐng)百官去祭天，卻無濟于事。萬年知道后，忍不住就帶著日晷和漏壺去見皇上，對祖乙講清了日月運行的道理。祖乙聽后龍顏大悅，感到有道理。于是把萬年留下，在天壇前修建日月閣，筑起日晷臺和漏壺亭。并派了十二個童子服侍萬年。祖乙對萬年說："希望你能測準日月規(guī)律，推算出準確的晨夕時間，創(chuàng)建歷法，為天下的黎民百姓造福。"
有一次，祖乙傳旨要阿衡去了解萬年測試歷法的進展情況。當他登上日月壇時，看見天壇邊的石壁上刻著：
日出日落三百六周而復始從頭來。草木枯榮分四時，一歲月有十二圓。
阿衡見此，知道萬年的歷法已研究成功，心中忐忑不安。他萬分懼怕萬年因創(chuàng)建歷法而得寵，國君會怪罪自己提出祭祀天神的主意。于是，他陰謀策劃，派了一個刺客去除掉萬年。刺客攀上日月閣，見萬年正在閣上觀察星斗，便張弓搭箭，準備射死他。誰知，刺客被衛(wèi)士發(fā)現(xiàn)，被當場緝拿。祖乙知后，懲處了阿衡，親自登上日月閣看望萬年。萬年指著天象，對祖乙說："現(xiàn)在正是十二個月滿，舊歲已完，新春復始，祈請國君定個節(jié)吧。"祖乙說："春為歲首，就叫春節(jié)吧。" 冬去春來，年復一年。后來，萬年經(jīng)過長期觀察，精心推算，制定出了準確的太陽歷。當他把太陽歷呈奉給繼任的國君時，已是滿面銀須。國君深為感動，為紀念萬年的功績，便將太陽歷命名為"萬年歷"，封萬年為日月壽星。以后，人們在過年時掛上壽星圖，據(jù)說就是為了紀念德高望重的萬年的。這就是春節(jié)的來歷。
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