雅思阅读材料推荐：元宵节Lantern Festival.pdfVIP

智 课 网 雅 思 备 考 资 料 雅思阅读材料推荐：元宵节Lantern Festival 又是一年一度的传统佳节元宵节，在中国，元宵节过了，春节 才算告一段落。本文将以中英对照的形式介绍中国的传统节日元宵节(L antern Festival)，供大家作为话题拓展阅读。 The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, usually in February or March in the Gregorian calendar. As early as the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25), it had become a festival with great significance. This days important activity is watching lanterns. Throughout the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), Buddhism flourished in China. One emperor heard that Buddhist monks would watch sarira, or remains from the cremation of Buddhas body, and light lanterns to worship Buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, so he ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on this day. Later, the Buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people and its influence expanded from the Central Plains to the whole of China. 每年农历的正月十五日，春节刚过，迎来的就是中国的传统节日-- 元宵节。元宵主要的活动就是看灯。东汉明帝时期，明帝提倡佛教，听 说佛教有正月十五日僧人观佛舍利，点灯敬佛的做法，就命令这一天夜 晚在皇宫和寺庙里点灯敬佛，令士族庶民都挂灯。以后这种佛教礼仪节 日逐渐形成民间盛大的节日。该节经历了由宫廷到民间，由中原到全国 的发展过程。 Till today, the lantern festival is still held each year around the country. Lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the streets, attracting countless visitors. Children will hold self-made or bought lanterns to stroll with on the streets, extremely excited. Guessing lantern riddlesis an essential part of the Festival. Lantern owners write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns. If visitors have solutions to the riddles, they can pull the paper out and go to the lantern owners to check their answer. If they are right, they will get a little gift. The activity emerged during peoples enjoyment of lanterns in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). As riddle guessing is interesting and full of wisdom, it has become popular among all social strata. 直到今天，元宵点灯的习俗仍然在中国的各地流传的，各式各样美 丽的花灯在这一天都会点亮 ，孩子们提着自制的灯笼走街串巷 ，非常高