外國人最想和你聊的文化話題：春節(jié)

　Realize Spring Festival　認識春節(jié)
     1　春節(jié)的簡介
     The Chinese New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the begining of spring (the first of the twenty-four terms in coordination with the changes of Nature). Its origin is too old to be traced. Several explanations are hanging around. All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means "year", was originally the name of a monster beast that started to make troubles to people the night before the beginning of a new year.
     The celebration of New Year is a grand event of China. New Year festivities last for one month in China. Chinese New Year is also called Spring Festival. It begins from the middle of the last month of the year and ends up in the first month of the New Year. The last day celebration in China is called Lantern Festival. It is the busiest time of the year for Chinese people. The arrangements they have to make for family reunions, buying necessities and preparing food keep them busy throughout the holiday. Many of them travel back home and meet friends over dinner and drinks. The celebrations include decorating the house and setting off fireworks.
     Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year. Chinese calendar is a combination of solar and lunar calendar. Chinese New Year falls on second new moon after the winter solstice（冬至）. Chinese calendar has a 12 year cycle and each year is named after animal. Chinese believe that every person resembles an animal and this reflects their traits. Year 2011 was the Year of the Rabbit. People born on this date are said to be very cute and trustworthy.
     2　春節(jié)的習俗
     春節(jié)的習俗
     The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. People usually decorate the doors and windows with red paper cuttings. People usually clean house too. Because they want to sweep away bad luck. Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.
     On New Year's Eve, family always has a big dinner. Everybody is watching TV and talking.
     On New Year's Day, people usually put on their new clothes and visit their family and friends. They usually say："Happy New Year's Day."
     pasting spring couplets 　　　 貼春聯(lián)
     spring-cleaning 　　　　　　　大掃除
     the dinner on new year's eve 　年夜飯
Part 2　Key words ＆ Sentences　關鍵詞語全知道
     The Spring Festival is the first day of the lunar year, commonly known as the "Chinese New Year".
     春節(jié)，是農(nóng)歷正月初一，俗稱"過年"。
     The Spring Festival is ceremonious and noisy traditional festival in our country.
     春節(jié)是我國民間隆重、熱鬧的一個傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日。
     The Spring Festival has a long history, which originated from the activities of offering sacrifices to their ancestors in the period of Yin and Shang dynasty.
     春節(jié)的歷史很悠久，它起源于殷商時期年頭歲尾的祭神祭祖活動。
     During the Spring Festival, The Han nationality and ethnic minorities held various activities to celebrate the festival.
     在春節(jié)期間，中國的漢族和很多少數(shù)民族都要舉行各種活動以示慶祝。
     Spring Festival is arriving, which means spring is coming up, and the rebirth of nature. A new round of sowing and harvest season should begin again.
     春節(jié)到了，意味著春天將要來臨，萬象復蘇。新一輪播種和收獲季節(jié)又要開始。
     It is our traditional habit to do some cleaning before the Spring Festival.
     在春節(jié)前掃塵搞衛(wèi)生，是我國人民素有的傳統(tǒng)習慣。
     According to the record, the Chinese people have celebrated the Spring Festival for more than 4,000 years.
     據(jù)記載，中國人民過春節(jié)已有4000多年的歷史。
     During the Spring Festival, celebration is extremely rich, such as lion dance, playing the dragon, caigaoqiao, paohanchuan.
     春節(jié)期間的慶?；顒訕O為豐富多樣，有舞獅、耍龍的，也有踩高蹺、跑旱船的。
     The custom of the Spring Festival couplet began about a thousand years ago.
     據(jù)說貼春聯(lián)的習俗，大約始于一千多年前。
     After December, 23th of the lunar year, every household will write spring scrolls.
     臘月二十三以后，家家戶戶都要寫春聯(lián)。
     In the 1980s, because of the popularity of TV, Chinese Spring Festival gala become a cultural "feast of indispensable". There are more than a billion people through TV or Internet watching the Spring Festival gala each year.
     進入80年代后，由于電視的普及，春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會成為中國人必不可少的一道文化"盛宴"，每年全球都有超過十億人通過電視或者互聯(lián)網(wǎng)收看春晚。
     The night before the Chinese New Year is called the Reunion Night. The families are sitting together to make dumplings.
     過年的前一夜叫團圓夜，家人要圍坐在一起包餃子。
     Shou Sui means a custom that people do not sleep at the last night of the year, staying up late to greet the arrival of the New Year. It is also known as New Year's Eve Shousui, the common name "Ao Nian".
     守歲，就是在舊年的最后一天夜里不睡覺，熬夜迎接新一年的到來的習俗，也叫除夕守歲，俗名"熬年"。
     Shou Sui has two meanings：the elderly stay up to say goodbye to the "old year", meaning time is precious; young people stay up to extend the life of their parents.
     守歲有兩種含義：年長者守歲為"辭舊歲"，有珍愛光陰的意思；年輕人守歲，是為延長父母壽命。
     During the Spring Festival, shops are closed from the first day until the fifth day.
     春節(jié)期間大小店鋪從大年初一起關門，而在正月初五開市。
     There are "release" activities on the Eighth day, that is, the family release animals back to nature, such as fishes, birds.
     正月初八有"放生"活動，就是把家里養(yǎng)的一些魚、鳥拿到外面，放歸野外。
     The eleventh day of the New Year is called the "Zixu Day". Fatherin-law will invite their son-in-law to have a meal on that day.
     正月十一"子婿日"，此日是岳父宴請子婿的日子。
     During Chinese New Year people eat rice cakes, hoping to have good fortunes and make great improvements.
     春節(jié)吃年糕，寓意萬事如意年年高。
     Chinese New Year is a contribution to world civilization and a gift to mankind.
     中國的春節(jié)，是對世界文明的一種貢獻，是送給全人類的一份厚禮。
     Chinese New Year is time for every family to reunion.
     春節(jié)是家家團圓的日子。