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A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;
The mourner"s heart is going to break on his way.
Where can a wineshop be found to drown his sad hours?
A cowherd points to a cot" mid apricot flowers.
这首《清明》是唐代文学家杜牧的诗作。此诗写清明春雨中所见，色彩清淡，心境凄冷，历来广为传诵。全诗运用由低而高、逐步上升、高潮顶点放在最后的手法，余韵邈然，耐人寻味。
许老的翻译也是让人叫绝，使用了aabb的押韵形式，读起来朗朗上口，韵味十足。
drizzling“毛毛细雨”十分形象的描绘出了清明时节的“雨纷纷”；第三句采用意译，不只是“问酒家”，其背后的深意是 to drown his sad hours“借酒消愁”，正好承接上句的heart break“心碎”；最后一句的cot在古英语中意思是“小而简单的村舍、小屋”，用得也是十分的巧妙而妥帖。
The Qingming or Ching Ming festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day in English (sometimes also called Chinese Memorial Day or Ancestors" Day), is a traditional Chinese festival. It falls on the first day of the fifth solar term of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This makes it the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, either 4 or 5 April in a given year.
清明节在英语中被称为Tomb Sweeping Day （有时也被称为Chinese Memorial Day 或者Ancestors" Day） ，是中国的一个传统节日。清明是中国传统阴历第五个节气的第一天，这使得它成为春分后的第15天，在一年中的4月4日或5日。
During Qingming, Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites, pray to their ancestors, and make ritual offerings. Offerings would typically include traditional food dishes, and the burning of joss sticks and joss paper. The holiday recognizes the traditional reverence of one"s ancestors in Chinese culture.
清明节期间，中国家庭会到祖先的坟墓前扫墓，向祖先祈祷，并举行祭祀活动。祭品通常包括传统菜肴，以及烧香和烧纸。这个节日体现了中国文化中尊敬祖先的传统。
The Qingming Festival has been observed by the Chinese for over 2500 years. It became a public holiday in China in 2008.
中国人庆祝清明节有2500多年的历史，2008年，成为法定假日。
The festival originated from the Cold Food or Hanshi Festival which remembered Jie Zitui, a nobleman of the state of Jin (modern Shanxi) during the Spring and Autumn Period.
清明节来源于寒食节，而寒食节是为了纪念春秋时期晋国(今山西)贵族介子推。
Amid the Li Ji Unrest, he followed his master Prince Chong"er in 655 BC to exile among the Di tribes and around China. Supposedly, he once even cut meat from his own thigh to provide his lord with soup.
公元前655年，在李纪动乱中，介子推跟随主人重耳公子流亡到狄部落以及其他各地。据说，有一次他甚至从自己的大腿上割下肉来煮汤给他的主人充饥。
In 636 BC, Duke Mu of Qin invaded Jin and enthroned Chong"er as its duke, where he was generous in rewarding those who had helped him in his time of need. Owing either to his own high-mindedness or to the duke"s neglect, however, Jie was long passed over. He finally retired to the forest around Mount Mian with his elderly mother.
公元前636年，秦穆公入侵晋国，封重耳为国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一），重耳对帮助他的人给予慷慨的回报。然而，由于介子推的高傲，或者由于晋文公的疏忽，介子推早就被忽略了。最后，他和年迈的母亲回到了绵山附近的森林里。
The duke went to the forest but could not find them. He then ordered his men to set fire to the forest in order to force Jie out. When Jie and his mother were killed instead, the duke was overcome with remorse and erected a temple in his honor.
晋文公去了森林，但是找不到他们。于是，他命令火烧绵山，以逼出介子推。当介子推和他的母亲被烧死的时候，齐桓公后悔不已，为他建了一座庙。
To commemorate Jie, the duke ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie"s death. Thus began the "Cold Food Festival", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.
为了纪念介子推，晋文公下令每年的这一天禁止生火，这就是寒食节的来源，这一天家家户户只能吃生冷的食物，
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. The custom of worshiping jie zitui also became a custom of sweeping tombs and worshipping ancestors on tomb-sweeping day. 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.
寒食节是在清明节的前一天，古人常把寒食节的活动延续到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食节。拜介子推的习俗也变成了清明扫墓祭拜祖先。为了使纪念祖先的仪式更有意义，应该让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先人过去的奋斗历史。
1、Tomb Sweeping 扫墓
The major custom in Qingming Festival is tomb sweeping. On this day, people visit their family graves to remove any underbrush that has grown. They would uproot weeds near the gravesites, wipe the tombstones and decorate the tombstones with fresh flowers. And then they will set out offerings of food and paper money.
清明节的主要习俗是扫墓。在这一天，人们都会前往他们的家族墓地进行拜祭。他们会铲除墓地周围的杂草，擦拭墓碑，以及用鲜花装饰墓碑。然后，放置贡品和烧纸钱。
2、Spring Outing 春游、踏青
Not only it is a day for commemorating the dead, is it also a festival for people to enjoy themselves. During April, everything in nature takes on a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly.
清明节不仅仅是一个纪念故人的节日，人们也可以在这一天进行娱乐活动。在4月份，大自然焕然一新，树木变绿，花朵绽放，阳光普照。
It is a fine time to go out and to appreciate the beautiful scenes of nature during the festival. Spring outings not only add joy to life but also promote a healthy body and mind.
节日期间，大家可以好好地去感受一下自然的魅力。春游不仅能给生活带来愉悦，同时也可以促进身体和心灵的健康。
3、Flying Kites 放风筝
Flying kites is an activity favored by many people during the Qingming Festival. Kites are not only flown at day time but also in the evening. Little lanterns are tied to the kite or to the string that holds the kite. And when the kite is flying in the sky, the lanterns look like twinkling stars that add unique scenery to the sky during the night.
在清明节期间，许多人都喜欢放风筝，无论白天还是晚上。将小灯笼系在风筝或放风筝的绳子上，当风筝在空中飞舞时，灯笼看起来像闪烁的星星，会给夜晚的天空增加一些独特的风景。
What makes flying kites during this festival special is that people cut the string while the kite is in the sky to let it fly free. It is said that this brings good luck and that diseases can be eliminated by doing so.
清明节放风筝的特别之处，是当风筝被放飞到高空时，人们会将风筝线剪断，让它自由飞翔，据说这样可以带来好运和消除疾病。
4、willow branches inserted on each gate插柳
Because Jie Zitui died embracing a willow tree, the willow is believed to have miraculous powers against evil. During the Qingming Festival, willow branches are hung on door fronts and used to sweep the tombs.
因为介子推死的时候抱着一棵柳树，所以柳树被认为拥有一种可以对抗邪恶的神奇力量。清明时节，人们会将柳枝挂在门前，或拿柳枝进行扫墓。
5、Swinging 荡秋千
During the Ming Dynasty, swinging was a desig-nated recreation on Tomb Sweeping Festival. According to the Annals of the Ming Court, this day was also called Swing Festival, when swings were suspended in the Hall of the Forbidden City and in all the residential complexes where palace ladies resided. Ladies of the imperial household wore colorful silks especially made for the occasion, and amused themselves on swings.
明朝期间，荡秋千是清明节的一个指定的娱乐活动。根据明朝的史册记载，清明节也被称为秋千节，这一天紫禁城的大厅和宫中女子们居住的地方都会挂上秋千，她们穿着节日特制的五彩缤纷的丝绸衣服，在秋千上玩耍逗乐。
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