農(nóng)歷五月初五的端午節(jié)有2000多年的歷史了，通常在公歷的六月份。
The Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, has had a history of more than 2,000 years. It is usually in June in the Gregorian calendar.
關(guān)于這個(gè)節(jié)日由來的傳說很多，最流行的說法是為了紀(jì)念屈原(公元前340-278)。屈原是楚國的三閭大夫，也是中國最早的詩人之一。面對強(qiáng)秦的巨大壓力，他主張富足國家并增強(qiáng)軍事力量御敵。但是他的主張受到以靳尚為首的貴族的反對，后來又被楚懷王免職并放逐。在他被放逐的日子里，他依然心系祖國和人民，寫下《離騷》、《天問》、《九歌》等不朽詩篇。這些詩篇影響深遠(yuǎn)。公元前278年，當(dāng)他聽到秦國軍隊(duì)已經(jīng)攻破楚國國都的消息后，寫完最后一篇詩篇《懷沙》后抱石投汨羅江自盡。這一天正是農(nóng)歷五月初五。他死后，楚國人民跑到河岸來悼念他，漁民們劃船遍河尋找他的尸體。人們把粽子和雞蛋投入水中以防止魚蝦傷害他的身體。一位老郎中還把一壺雄黃酒倒入水中，希望能藥昏蛟龍水獸。這就是后來人們?yōu)槭裁丛谶@一天賽龍舟，吃粽子，喝雄黃酒。
There are many legends about the evolution of the festival, the most popular of which is in commemoration of Qu Yuan (340-278 BC). Qu Yuan was minister of the State of Chu and one of China's earliest poets. In face of great pressure from the powerful Qin State, he advocated enriching the country and strengthening its military forces so as to fight against the Qin. However, he was opposed by aristocrats headed by Zi Lan, and later deposed and exiled by King Huai. In his exiled days, he still cared much for his country and people and composed immortal poems including Li Sao (The Lament), Tian Wen (Heavenly Questions) and Jiu Ge (Nine Songs), which had far-reaching influences. In 278 BC, he heard the news that Qin troops had finally conquered Chu's capital, so he finished his last piece Huai Sha (Embracing Sand) and plunged himself into the Miluo River, clasping his arms to a large stone. The day happened to be the 5th of the 5th month in the Chinese lunar calendar. After his death, the people of Chu crowded to the bank of the river to pay their respects to him. The fishermen sailed their boats up and down the river to look for his body. People threw into the water zongzi (pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves) and eggs to divert possible fish or shrimp from attacking his body. An old doctor poured a jug of realgar wine (Chinese liquor seasoned with realgar) into the water, hoping to turn all aquatic beasts drunk. That's why people later followed the customs such as dragon boat racing, eating zongzi and drinking realgar wine on that day.
賽龍舟是這個(gè)節(jié)日不可或缺的一部分。當(dāng)發(fā)令槍打響后，人們就能看到坐在龍形舟的賽手們在急促鼓點(diǎn)的伴隨下齊力拼命搖槳駛向他們的目的地。民間故事說這個(gè)賽事的起源是找屈原的尸體，但是專家經(jīng)過千辛萬苦的仔細(xì)考證后得出結(jié)論是賽龍舟是一個(gè)起源于戰(zhàn)國時(shí)代(公元前475-221)的一個(gè)半宗教半娛樂的節(jié)目。在以后的幾千年里，這個(gè)比賽流傳到日本，越南，英國和中國臺灣，香港�，F(xiàn)在賽龍舟已經(jīng)發(fā)展成為一個(gè)水上運(yùn)動(dòng)，它既是中國的傳統(tǒng)特色也體現(xiàn)了現(xiàn)代體育精神。1980年賽龍舟被正式列入國家體育競賽項(xiàng)目的名單中并且每年都舉行一次。獎(jiǎng)品叫做“屈原杯”。
Dragon boat racing is an indispensable part of the festival, held all over the country. As the gun is fired, people will see racers in dragon-shaped canoes pulling the oars harmoniously and hurriedly, accompanied by rapid drums, speeding toward their destination. Folk tales say the game originates from the activities of seeking Qu Yuan's body, but experts, after painstaking and meticulous research, conclude that dragon boat racing is a semi-religious, semi-entertaining program from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). In the following thousands of years, the game spread to Japan, Vietnam and Britain as well as China's Taiwan and Hong Kong. Now dragon boat racing has developed into an aquatic sports item which features both Chinese tradition and modern sporting spirit. In 1980, it was listed into the state sports competition programs and has since been held every year. The award is called "Qu Yuan Cup."
粽子是端午節(jié)的一個(gè)必備食品。據(jù)說人們在春秋時(shí)代就開始吃它(公元前770-476)。最開始時(shí)，它只是用箬葉和彩線包起來的糯米。但是現(xiàn)在填充物就很豐富了，有棗子和豆沙的，鮮肉的，還有火腿蛋黃的。如果時(shí)間允許，人們會自己泡糯米，洗箬葉，包粽子。不然他們就會到商店買來自己想吃的粽子�，F(xiàn)在吃粽子的習(xí)俗已經(jīng)風(fēng)靡朝鮮，南韓，日本以及東南亞各國。
Zongzi is an essential food of the Dragon Boat Festival. It is said that people ate them in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). In early times, it was only glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or other plant leaves and tied with colored thread, but now the fillings are more diversified, including jujube and bean paste, fresh meat, and ham and egg yolk. If time permits, people will soak glutinous rice, wash reed leaves and wrap up zongzi themselves. Otherwise, they will go to shops to buy whatever stuff they want. The custom of eating zongzi is now popular in North and South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asian nations.
在端午節(jié)的那天，父母還要給他們的孩子戴上香囊。他們先要用絲綢縫制一個(gè)小袋子，然后在里面裝上香料或者草藥，最后用絲線穿起來。香囊做為一個(gè)裝飾品掛在小孩的脖子上或者外衣上。據(jù)說是可以避邪的。
On Dragon Boat Festival, parents also need to dress their children up with a perfume pouch. They first sew little bags with colorful silk cloth, then fill the bags with perfumes or herbal medicines, and finally string them with silk threads. The perfume pouch will be hung around the neck or tied to the front of a garment as an ornament. They are said to be able to ward off evil.