中国春节（一）：年 Chinese Spring Festival (I)

每年都有那么一段时间，全中国的各大火车站长途汽车站、飞机场都会异常忙碌，在外地工作的人们，拖着行李，有的携着年幼的孩子，带着一年收获，迫切地要赶回到家乡、赶到父母的身边，和家人团聚，这段时间里，包含着一个中国人最隆重的节日——春节。

Every year in China, there is always a period of time. During which, all railway stations, long-distance bus stations and airports are extremely busy. People, who work away from hometown, will take their luggage and their children, hurriedly come back to their hometown, and get together with their parents and family members. During this period Chinese people will celebrate their most important festival- the Spring Festival.

在中国，春节是一年中最重要的节日，它既是旧的一年的结束，更是新的一年的开始。据记载，除了汉族，中国还有38个少数民族在过这个节日而且其历史非常悠久。

In China, the Spring Festival is the most important festival in a year. It marks the end of the previous year and the beginning of the new year. According to historical records, along with Han people, 38 ethnic minorities in China also celebrate this festival since a long time.

春节这种习俗，在中国已经传承了几千年了，起源于农业的祭祀，就是说一年的收成完了以后，大家都要庆祝一番。

The Spring Festival as a custom has been celebrated in China for thousands of years. It originated from sacrifice ceremonies in the agricultural society. It is to say, after the harvest, people would have a celebration.

过春节，中国人也叫过年。为什么又叫过年呢？刚才说到，中国春节最初的含意来自于农业。古时候，人们把谷的生长周期称为“年”。

The celebration of the Spring Festival is also called the celebration of Nian (Year) in China. Why so? Just now, we know that the Spring Festival originated from agriculture. In ancient times, people will call a growth circle of corps as Nian.

中国的汉字写这个“年”的时候，按照古老的这个习俗就是一个人拿着一个麦穗，拿着一个禾苗、麦子。

The writing of the Chinese character, Nian(年), in the tradition way, looks like a person with a wheatear, a seedling and a wheat.

从这一点上也说明了中国春节与农业的关系。其实，关于“年”的来历还有很多传说，其中一个传说是这样的。

It also explains the relationship between Chinese Spring Festival with agriculture. In fact, there are many legends about Nian. One of them goes like this.

老人说，“年”本来是个海里的怪兽，一到年三十（春节前夜），怪兽上岸后会破坏谷物和牲畜，弄得一团糟，怪兽最怕火光，鞭炮声，大家就把门都关上了，在院里放炮。

Old people say that, “Nian” was a monster in the sea. Every year at the eve of new year, this monster will climb ashore to destroy crops and animals. But it was afraid of fire and the sound of firecrackers. People all closed the door and fired firecrackers in the yards.

虽然这是个传说，不过，过年放鞭炮的习俗确至今保持着。现在，人们放炮放花，主要是图个喜庆，用热热闹闹的鞭炮声宣告新的一年的到来。那么，什么时候过春节呢？

Although it is only a story, the custom of firing fireworks during the Spring Festival is still popular today. Now, people fire crackers to announce the arrival of the new year. Then, when do people celebrate the Spring Festival?

中国现在用的是两种历法，一个是公元历，一个就是农历，从汉代（公元前206—公元220）开始一直到今天我们都是按照农历的正月初一来过（春节）。

Now people in China still use two calendars. One is the Gregorian calendar. The other is the lunar calendar. From Han Dynasty, 206 BC -220 AD, people all celebrate Spring Festival at the first day of the first lunar month every year.

农历是中国传统的历法，相传始创于公元前2000多年前的夏朝，全年有354或355天。虽然从1911开始中国采用了现在国际通行的格里高利历法，但是农历现在依然在中国人的生产和生活中起着重要的作用。

The lunar calendar is the traditional calendar in China. It is said the lunar calendar was created more than 2000 years ago in Xia dynasty. The whole year has 354 or 355 days. Although, since 1911, China has adopted the internationally general calendar- the Gregorian calendar. But the lunar calendar still plays an important role in the life of Chinese people.

春节是在农历每年的一月一日，但在公历上，春节日期却不是固定的，大约在公历的一月下旬到二月上旬这个阶段。

The Spring festival is the first day of the first lunar month each year. However, the Spring Festival does not have a fixed date on the Gregorian calendar. It ranges from the last ten days of January to the first ten days of February.