清明节的习俗是丰富有趣的.docVIP

　ORIGIN起源） 　　Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zi Zhui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lords life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring to lead a hermits life with his mother in the mountains. Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jies death. Thus began the cold food feast, a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit. The cold food festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the cold food festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember ones elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zi Zhui who choose death over capitulation. 　　谈到清明节，有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子椎。据历史记载，在两千多年以前的春秋时代，晋国公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艰苦，跟随他的介子椎不惜从自己的腿上割下一块肉让他充饥。后来，重耳回到晋国，作了国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子椎拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山。 晋文公无计可施，只好放火烧山，他想，介子椎孝顺母亲，一定会带着老母出来。谁知这场大火却把介子椎母子烧死了。为了纪念介子椎，晋文公下令每年的这一天，禁止生火，家家户户只能吃生冷的食物，这就是寒食节的来源。 清明节的习俗是丰富有趣的，除了讲究禁火、扫墓，还有踏青、荡秋千、蹴鞠、打马球、插柳等一系列风俗体育活动。相传这是因为清明节要寒食禁火，为了防止寒食冷藏伤身，所以大家来参加一些体育活动，以锻炼身体。因此，这个节日既有祭扫新坟生别死离得悲酸泪，又有踏青游玩的欢笑声，是一个富有特色的节日。 　　【词汇突破】 　　清明节：Ching Ming Festival; The Tomb-sweeping Festival 　　习俗：custom 　　禁火：fire ban 　　扫墓：tomb-sweeping 　　踏青：go hiking; spring outing 　　荡秋千：swinging 　　蹴鞠：Cuju 　　打马球：playing Polo 　　插柳：Liu inser