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The Double Ninth Festival, the Festival of the Elderly（重阳节）
重阳节，农历九月九日，为传统的重阳节，又称“老人节”。因为《易经》中把“六”定为阴数，把“九”定为阳数，九月九日，日月并阳，两九相重，故而叫重阳，也叫重九。重阳节早在战国时期就已经形成，到了唐代，重阳被正式定为民间的节日，此后历朝历代沿袭至今。重阳又称“踏秋”与三月三日“踏春”皆是家族倾室而出，重阳这天所有亲人都要一起登高“避灾”，插茱萸、赏菊花。自魏晋重阳气氛日渐浓郁，为历代文人墨客吟咏最多的几个传统节日之一。
1重阳节常识介绍
The Elder"s Day is the Double-Ninth Festival, the 9th day of 9th lunar month. Chinese call this festival Chung-Yang Jie. The Elder"s Day was re-established by the Republic of China (Taiwan) in 1974. This is because the government wanted to teach the youth respect for the elderly. Today, the mayors in the major cities in Taiwan will visit the houses of senior citizens on the Double Nineth Day to ensure that the next generation will remember this festival.
The new generation in China do not celebrate this festival, because this is not a fun day for young people. So people forget the legend. The story of the Double-Ninth Festival began in the Han Dynasty. One person, called Mr. Chai (around 50-150 B.C.), who lived in the palace liked to wear dogwood (leaf) and drink chrysanthemum wine in the 9th lunar month. He said that the dogwood can warn people of impending disaster and that they would live longer after drinking chrysanthemum wine in the 9th lunar month.
The chrysanthemum flower is the prettiest flower in the 9th lunar month. Indeed, the other name of the 9th lunar month is chrysanthemum month. The best chrysanthemum wine is made from the 9th month flowers. It is hard to find dogwood in town. So, people might go to the hills to find dogwood. At the same time they might visit their ancestors" tombs in the hills and clean them up as they do during the Qing-Ming Festival. In later times, people only visited the tombs during the Qing-Ming Festival and went to the hills for hiking during the Double-Ninth Festival like today. Hiking to the hill means getting higher in one"s career. Traditionally, Chinese made Chung-Yang cake during the festival, because Chinese pronounce cake and high with the same sound. Today not too many Chinese make the cake anymore.
Since it is so beautiful, artists like to paint the chrysanthemum in the 9th lunar month and poets like to make poems on the night of the Double-Ninth Festival.
It is customary, on the day of the Double-Ninth Festival, for Chinese to hike on the hill. During the evening they should carry a bag of dogwood and go to a Double-Ninth Festival party. They drink the chrysanthemum wine, watch the chrysanthemums and talk about paintings and poetry.
Today, Chinese don"t have the time to celebrate this festival, since this is not a national holiday in China. In Taiwan, some people will fly kites in competitions during that weekend, because it is usually windy in the 9th lunar month.
2与重阳节有关的术语
1．重阳习俗
Ancient people thought climbing a mountain on this day could help them avoid misfortune and prevent disasters, and this gradually evolved into a relaxation and an exercise.
It is also the traditional custom to wear cornel and admire chrysanthemums. Cornel is a kind of plant with edible fruit, while its stem and leaves have medicinal value. Chrysanthemum blooms in September, and enjoys the reputation of a "flower of Longevity". To prevent plague and drive off foul smells, people wear cornel and chrysanthemum on the Double-Ninth Festival, and drink tea and wine made from the flowers.
Made of flour, the Double-Ninth cake can be sweet if jujube, ginkgo, pine nuts and apricot kernel are added, or salty if meat is added. Some exquisite cakes are made into nine layers with a pattern of two sheep above, which is homophonic of "Double Ninth".
There is no longer any custom of wearing cornel on the Double-Ninth Festival, but many people will climb a mountain, admire chrysanthemums and appreciate the beautiful scenery of autumn. In recent years, new contents have been added into this ancient festival, which has become a time to show respect for the elderly. People hold various activities in honor of senior citizens, wishing them good health and a long life.
2．与重阳有关的诗句翻译
《九月九日忆山东兄弟》
独在异乡为异客，
每逢佳节倍思亲。
遥知兄弟登高处，
遍插茱萸少一人。
As a lonely stranger in a strange land.
At every holiday my homesickness increases.
Far away, I know my brothers have reached the peak.
They are planting flowers, but one is not present.
3让我们谈谈重阳节
Jessica: Is today a festival? 杰西卡：今天是什么节日？
Joyce: Why do you ask about this? 乔伊斯：为什么这么问？
Jessica: I saw some people wearing some grass on their ears. 杰西卡：我看见有人把一些草放在耳朵上。
Joyce: That is the dogwood. Today is the Double Ninth Festival. 乔伊斯：那是茱萸，今天是重阳节。
Jessica: What kind of festival is it? 杰西卡：重阳节是怎样的节日？
Joyce: The Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the ninth month is the occasion for visiting ancestral graves. 乔伊斯：农历九月初九的重阳节是扫墓拜祭先人的日子。
Jessica: But why do people wear the dogwood on their ears? 杰西卡：那为什么要戴茱萸呢？
Joyce: They believe that doing this can dispel an evil influences and avoid all disasters. 乔伊斯：他们相信这样可以祛邪避灾。
Jessica: Besides this, is there any more traditional activity on that day? 杰西卡：重阳节那天还有什么传统吗？
Joyce: On the Double Ninth Festival people often climb hills or mountains to look far into the distance. 乔伊斯：人们经常在重阳节登高远眺。
Jessica: I happen to read a poem: I know my brothers would, with dogwood holding in hand, climb the mountain and think of me so far away. 杰西卡：我想起那首诗歌：遥知兄弟登高处，遍插茱萸少一人。
Joyce: Yes. You are terrific. 乔伊斯：是的啊，你好厉害。
Jessica: I read it recently. It is a coincidence. 杰西卡：我最近看到这首诗歌的，真是好巧。
Joyce: The custom of climbing mountains on the Double Ninth Festival has varied forms of expression, and the most important traditional essence of the folk custom is to dispel evil influences and avoid all disasters. 乔伊斯：重阳节“登高”习俗，表现形式多种多样，其传统民俗核质是祛邪避灾。
Jessica: I have learned a lot. Thanks. 杰西卡：我今天学习了不少东西。谢谢。
Joyce: My pleasure. 乔伊斯：不用谢。
4再多学点单词吧！
★ensure vt. 保证，确保；使安全
Ensure that proper safety practices and standards are understood and observed.
确保大家都理解和遵守适当的安全惯例和标准。
★legend n. 传奇；说明；图例；刻印文字
What a beautiful legend for such a romantic and talented poet!
对于这样一个浪漫而具有天赋的诗人来说，这是一个多么美丽的传说啊！
★chrysanthemum n. ［植］菊花
It was a special tea which tasted of chrysanthemum.
它是一种有菊花味的特别茶叶。
★hiking n. 远足；徒步旅行
Hiking is a good way to exercise.
徒步旅行是一种很好的运动方式。
★windy adj. 多风的，有风的；腹胀的；吹牛的
In spring, it"s warm, sunny and windy.
春天是一个温暖、多日照和多风的季节。
本文如果对你有帮助，请点赞收藏《用英语学习介绍中国传统节日之重阳节》，同时在此感谢原作者。
