Hello everyone, I'm Ally.

大家好，我是艾莉。

It'll be the Qingming Festival soon on April 5th.

不久后的4月5日就是清明节了。

It's one of the most important traditional festivals in Chinese culture.

它是中国文化中最重要的传统节日之一。

Have you also heard of the Cold Food Festival?

那你们有听说过寒食节吗？

It's a lesser known festival today but very big in ancient times.

现在可能不那么出名，但在古代却非常重要。

In today's China, people mainly just visit and sweep their ancestral tombs on Qingming Festival.

在今天的中国，人们主要在清明节扫墓祭祖。

But in ancient China, these two festivals shared a lot more interesting and fun activities.

但在古代中国，这两个节日有许多更有趣、更有趣味的活动。

So let's find out about their history and origin, and all the custom of the Qingming and Cold Food Festivals.

所以，让我们一起了解一下它们的历史和起源，以及清明节和寒食节的习俗。

The Qingming Festival, sometimes stylized as Ching Ming Festival, wasn't always a festival.

清明节，也有人会念作清明节（Ching Ming Festival），最开始并不是个节日。

It was originally a Jieqi or solar term.

它原本是一个节气。

There are a total of 24 solar terms in a year according to the traditional Chinese calendar.

根据传统中国日历，一年中总共有24个节气。

And each solar term last for 15 days.

每个节气持续15天。

The Qingming Festival falls on the first day of the Qingming solar term.

清明节在清明节气的第一天。

According to Han Dynasty records, The Qingming solar term happens 15 days after the Spring Equinox.

根据汉代记载，清明节气在春分后的15天。

During this time of the year, everything becomes clear and neat, that's why it's called qingming, which translates to clear or pure brightness.

在这个时候，万物复苏，这就是为什么它被称为清明，意思是清晰或纯净的光亮。

Therefore this Qingming Festival is also called the Clear Brightness Festival Or the Pure Brightness Festival.

因此，清明节会被直译为the Clear Brightness Festival和the Pure Brightness Festival。

The Cold Food Festival on the other hand, is usually observed a few days before the Qingming Festival.

另一方面，寒食节，通常在清明节前几天。

Today it falls on the day before Qingming.

比如今年它在清明节的前一天。

But in ancient times, people would observe it for much longer, such as 3 days, 10 days, or even a whole month.

但在古代，人们会庆祝时间会更长，比如3天、10天，甚至一个月。

Now why do people spend a whole month on these festivals?

人们为什么会花上整整一个月来庆祝这些节日呢？

To answer this question, let's look at the history and origin of the Cold Food Festival.

为了解答这个问题，让我们来看看寒食节的历史和起源。

The Cold Food Festival is called Hanshi Festival in Chinese.

寒食节中文叫做Hanshi Festival。

Hanshi translates to cold food in English.

寒食在英文中的意思是冷食。

As the name suggests, it's a festival where people eat cold food.

正如其名，这是一个人们食用冷食的节日。

It's commonly believed that this festival was developed as a local commemoration of the death of a nobleman Jie Zitui during the Spring and Autumn Period.

人们普遍认为，这个节日是当地纪念春秋时期贵族介子推之死而发展起来的。

The story goes, in the year 655 BC, nobleman Jie Zitui followed his master Prince Chong'er to exile.

相传在公元前655年，贵族介子推随他的主人重耳流亡。

They were in exile for 19 years and suffered a lot of hardships.

在流亡的19年间，他们遭受了许多苦难。

One time, they ran out of food and the prince was so hungry that he couldn't move anymore.

有一次，他们耗尽了食物，重耳饿得动弹不得。

Jie Zitui then cut flesh from his own thigh to feed the prince, which allowed him to survive.

介子推于是切下自己大腿上的肉让重耳充饥，使他得以存活。

After 19 years, they finally went back to the state of Jin, and the prince became the duke Jie Zitui decided to retire and lived with his elderly mother in the forest.

19年后，他们终于回到了晋国，重耳作了晋国的国君，即晋文公，介子推则决定与年迈的母亲隐居山林之中。

The duke wanted to reward him so he went to the forest but couldn't find them.

晋文公想要奖赏他，于是前去找他们，但没有找到。

He then ordered his men to set fire to the forest in order to force Jie Zitui to come out.

他命令手下放火烧山，以迫使介子推出来。

But in the end, Jie Zitui and his mom never came out.

但最终，介子推和他的母亲都没能出来。

And they were found burned alive in the forest.

都被烧死在了这场大火之中。

The duke regretted his decision and ordered that from now on no one should light a fire on the date of Jie Zitui's death.

晋文公为他的决定感到后悔，于是下令每年的这一天，禁止生火。

There were many records later on about the practice of not using fire as a memorial period for Jie Zitui.

后来有很多关于不生火来纪念介子推的记载。

For example, during the Eastern Han dynasty, a state official Zhou Ju was assigned to govern the city of Taiyuan.

例如，在东汉时期，周矩被任命为太原郡守。

He found the local residents would not use fire for an entire month and only eat cold food on the month that Jie Zitui died.

他发现当地居民在介子推去世的那个月整月不用火，只吃冷食。

The old and the young were suffering from this practice and many died as a result.

老人和孩子因这个习俗受苦，许多人因此而死。

Zhou Ju didn't think this old practice was the proper way of honoring the royal and self-sacrificing nobleman Jie Zitui.

他认为，用这种古老的方式来纪念这位具有自我牺牲精神的介子推，不是很恰当。

So he ordered to build a temple for Jie Zitui and asked people to eat warm food instead.

于是他下令为介子推建立寺庙，要求人们吃热食。

And the practice has improved since then.

自那时起，情况有所改善。

By the Jin dynasty, records showed that people would not use fire for only 3 days in the city of Taiyuan.

到了晋朝，在太原城人们只在三天内不用火。

This local practice was then spread out to entire China and even passed on to neighboring countries.

这个地方的习俗随后传遍了整个中国，甚至传到了邻国。

However, it's still debated that Jie Zitui was the reason that the Cold Food Festival was started in the first place.

然而， 关于介子推是否是寒食节最初开始的原因仍存在争议。

According to the Rites of Zhou, citizens were reminded to not use fire in the second month of spring.

据《周礼》记载，百姓们被要求在春天的第二个月不得使用火。

The same applies to soldiers in the military.

军中的士兵同样如此。

In the early days of Chinese history, people used four different types of wood as firewood for the four seasons.

在中国历史的早期，人们使用四种不同类型的木材作为四个季节的柴火。

It was important to change the firewood when the season changed.

当季节变化时，更换柴火是很重要的。

As a custom, people would not burn fire for a few days in between the changing seasons.

按照习俗，在季节更替期间，人们会有几天不生火。

So they could completely bid farewell to the past and welcome the new season.

这样他们就能彻底告别过去，迎接新的季节。

So some people believed that eventually this firewood changing practice was combined with the commemoration of Jie Zitui and developed into the Cold Food Festival.

所以，也有人认为，这种换柴的习俗最终与纪念介子推结合起来，发展成为寒食节。

Since the Cold Food Festival and Qingming Festival were often observed together, their customs have also influenced and merged with each other.

由于寒食节和清明节常常一起过，它们的习俗也互相影响、融合。

The weather usually gets warmer around this time.

这个时候天气通常会变暖。

So people would do many outdoor activities.

所以人们会进行许多户外活动。

After people were done with tomb sweeping, they would stroll around on grass, and this activity was called Taqing, which translates to stepping on the green.

人们扫完墓后，会在草地上散步，这个活动被称为踏青，意为踏着青草行走。

Kite flying was also a very popular activity.

放风筝也是一个非常受欢迎的活动。

Boys and girls would fly kites to compete with each other.

男孩和女孩会放风筝相互比赛。

And while they were out, everyone including men, would find willow trees and break off a small piece of willow branch and put it in their hair.

而当他们外出时，包括男性在内的每个人，都会在柳树下折下一小段柳枝插在头发上。

It was believed to make the person healthy and have clear vision.

寓意保持健康、明目。

Every household would also hang willow branches in front of their doors and from their roof.

每户人家也会在门前和屋顶悬挂柳枝。

According to Song dynasty records, during the Hanshi and Qingming Festivals, the capital city would be filled with willow branches on every house, even in deep alleys.

根据宋代记载，在寒食节和清明节期间，京城的每家每户都会挂上柳枝，即使是深巷里也是如此。

The scene was very lovely, but since everyone was doing it, willow branches became very scarce.

这一景象非常可爱，但由于人人都这么做，柳枝变得非常稀缺。

So a poem wrote that, "Don't break off all the willow branches, there will still be people coming out tomorrow."

所以有首诗写道，“莫把青青都折尽，明朝更有出城人。”

Another Song dynasty poet wrote "If your heart is not weighed down by secular matters, it makes no difference if you wear a willow branch on your head or not."

另一位宋代诗人写道，“心地不为尘俗累，不簪杨柳也何妨。”

Some other symbolic activities were soccer and swinging.

其他具有代表性的活动包括蹴鞠和荡秋千。

Boys would be playing soccer and ladies would be playing on the swing.

男孩会蹴鞠，女士们则会玩秋千。

A poem described that people knew the Cold Food Festival was coming, if they saw people playing soccer.

诗歌曾描述过，要想知道寒食节是否到来，就看看有没有人在蹴鞠。

A Ming dynasty eunuch also described how people celebrated the festivals in the palace.

一位明代宦官也描述过人们如何在宫廷内庆祝这些节日。

He wrote, "when it's Qingming Festival's time, people wore willow branches on their hair.

他写道，“清明秋千节，戴柳枝于发。

In each of the queen's and concubine's quarters, a swing would be installed."

坤宁宫及后各宫，皆安秋千一座。”

But among all historical accounts for swinging, I was really surprised and impressed by one particular record about the county of Shouguang.

但在所有关于荡秋千的历史记载中，我真的被关于寿光县的一条记录所惊讶和印象深刻。

It was recorded that on the dates of Hanshi and Qingming, people would place a huge and tall piece of wood vertically in the middle of the county's center plaza, install a wheel on top, and hang swings all around the wheel.

记录称，在寒食和清明的两天，人们会在市町广场竖立一根巨大而高的木柱，在顶部安装一个轮子，并围绕轮子挂上秋千。

Strong men would rotate the tree and ladies wearing fancy clothes and beautiful makeup would ride the swing It looked like they were flying in the wind.

壮汉们会转动巨木，而身着华丽衣裳、化着精美妆容的妇女会荡秋千，看起来就像在风中飞翔。

And all of their colorful clothing made it look like butterflies flapping in the air.

她们五彩缤纷的衣裳使得整个场景看起来如同空中翩翩舞动的蝴蝶。

I mean, isn't this the swing carousel or chair swing ride in amusement parks?

这不就是游乐园中的旋转秋千或椅子秋千吗？

Except this version is not powered by electricity, but by men.

只不过这个版本不是由电力驱动，而是由人力。

There were also other activities, like playing tug of war, cockfighting and more.

还有其他活动，如拔河、斗鸡等。

In terms of food, people would cook porridge with almond powder beforehand to eat on the Cold Food Festival and eat Qingtuan, a type of green mochi for Qingming festival.

在食物方面，人们会提前煮好含有杏仁粉的粥，在寒食节食用，在清明节吃青团，这是一种绿色的糯米糍。

New Words and Expressions 生词和短语

ancestral adjective

/ænˈses.trəl/

relating to members of your family from the past 祖先的，祖传的

an ancestral home 祖屋

ancestral rights 祖传权益

tomb noun [ C ] UK

/tuːm/

a large stone structure or underground room where someone, especially an important person, is buried （尤指重要人物的）坟墓，陵墓，冢

origin noun UK

/ˈɒr.ɪ.dʒɪn/

the beginning or cause of something

起源，源头;起因

It's a book about the origin of the universe.这是一本关于宇宙起源的书。

Her unhappy childhood was the origin of her problems later in life.她不幸的童年导致了她后来生活中的诸多问题。

What's the origin of this saying? (= Where did it come from?) 这一格言出自什么地方？

custom noun UK

/ˈkʌs.təm/

a way of behaving or a belief that has been established for a long time

风俗，习俗;传统

a local/ancient custom当地的／古老的风俗

[ + to infinitive ] In my country, it's the custom (for women) to get married in white.在我国，女子结婚穿白衣是一种习俗。

[ S ]

something you usually do

习惯;惯例

He left the house at nine exactly, as is his custom. 他9点准时离开了家，这是他的习惯。

stylize verb [ T ]

/ˈstɑɪl·ɑɪz/

to show or do something in a particular style

The term "stylize" generally means to represent or design something according to a particular style or pattern. This can involve conforming to a conventional style, adding or changing elements in a particular style, or even altering an image to create a specific effect or representation.

"stylize"一词在艺术和设计领域中，指的是将某物设计或表现成特定的风格。这种风格可能是根据自然界的形态和特征进行简化、夸张或改变，以达到某种艺术效果或传达特定的情感或想法

solar adjective [ before noun ] UK

/ˈsəʊ.lər/

of or from the sun, or using the energy from the sun to produce electric power

太阳的;来自太阳的;使用太阳能的

solar radiation太阳辐射

solar flares太阳耀斑

a solar cell/panel太阳能电池／电池板

solar heating 太阳能供暖

calendar noun [ C ] UK

/ˈkæl.ən.dər/

a printed table showing all the days, weeks, and months of the year

日历

An old calendar for 2012 was still hanging on the wall of her office.她办公室墙上依然挂着2012年的日历。

US

a book with a separate space or page for each day, in which you write down your future arrangements, meetings, etc.

日历本

He wrote the date of the meeting in his calendar. 他在日历本上写下了会议日期。

equinox noun [ C ] UK

/ˈek.wɪ.nɒks/

either of the two occasions in the year when day and night are of equal length

昼夜平分时；春分；秋分

the vernal/autumn equinox 春／秋分

observe verb [ T ] UK

/əbˈzɜːv/

to watch carefully the way something happens or the way someone does something, especially in order to learn more about it

观察;观测;监视

The role of scientists is to observe and describe the world, not to try to control it.科学家的任务是观察和描述这个世界，而不是试图控制它。

[ + question word ] He spent a year in the jungle, observing how deforestation is affecting local tribes. 他在丛林里住了一年，考察滥伐森林对当地部落造成了何种影响。

to obey a law, rule, or custom

遵守，奉行（法律、规则或习俗）

People must observe the law. Nobody should be an exception. 人们必须遵纪守法，谁都不应该例外。

The old people in the village still observe the local traditions. 村里的老人仍然遵守当地的传统。

Do you observe Passover? 你们过逾越节吗？

Observed Holiday 法定假日

In the United States, the observance of a holiday is not mandatory for private businesses, and employers determine which holidays to recognize .

commemorate verb [ T ] UK

/kəˈmem.ə.reɪt/

to remember officially and give respect to a great person or event, especially by a public ceremony or by making a statue or special building

（尤指举行公开仪式或竖立雕塑或专门建筑）纪念，缅怀

Gathered all together in this church, we commemorate those who lost their lives in the war.我们齐聚在这座教堂里，缅怀那些在大战中丧生的人们。

A statue has been built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the poet's birthday. 为纪念诗人百年诞辰建起了一尊雕像。

exile noun UK

/ˈek.saɪl/

the condition of someone being sent or kept away from their own country, village, etc., especially for political reasons

（尤指出于政治原因的）流放，放逐，流亡

The king went into exile because of the political situation in his country. 迫于国内的政治局势，国王流亡国外。

The deposed leaders are currently in exile in the neighbouring country. 遭到罢黜的那些领导人现在流亡邻国。

[ C ]

a person who is sent or kept away from their own country, etc. 被流放者;流亡者

sacrifice verb UK

/ˈsæk.rɪ.faɪs/

to give up something that is valuable to you in order to help another person

牺牲;献出

Many women sacrifice interesting careers for their families.许多女性为了家庭牺牲了自己感兴趣的工作。