今日元宵丨花市灯如昼，月上柳梢头，与谁相约黄昏后?

Celebrated on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, the Lantern Festival traditionally marks the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) period. It's Tuesday, February 19 in 2019.

元宵节又称上元节、小正月、元夕，是春节之后的第一个重要节日。正月是农历的元月，古人称夜为“宵”，所以把正月十五称为元宵节。

People will go out to look at the moon, send up flying lanterns, fly bright drones, have a meal, and enjoy time together with family and friends in parks and natural areas.

正月十五闹元宵。每到元宵节的时候，各地的人们少不了用吃元宵、赏花灯、猜灯谜、舞狮子、耍龙灯、踩高跷、划旱船、扭秧歌等各种喜闻乐见的形式来欢庆元宵节。

Greeting:

祝福语：

Happy Lantern Festival! 元宵节快乐!

Lantern Festival: The ‘real’ Chinese Valentine’s Day

中国的情人节

In Ancient China, women usually weren’t allowed to go out the house. But on this night, they can stroll freely, lighting lanterns, playing games and interacting with men. The wild and romantic stories are why some say the Lantern Festival is the true Chinese Valentine’s Day, rather than Qixi (七夕).

传统社会的年轻女孩

不允许出外自由活动，

但是过节却可以结伴出来游玩，

元宵节赏花灯正好是一个交谊的机会，

未婚男女借着赏花灯也顺便可以为自己物色对象。

元宵灯节期间，

又是男女青年与情人相会的时机。

当然，元宵风俗因地区、民族不同而各有差异。

Lighting and appreciating lanterns

闹花灯

Lighting and appreciating lanterns is the main activity of the festival.

When the festival comes, lanterns of various shapes and sizes (traditional globes, fish, dragons, goats! — up to stories high!) are seen everywhere including households, shopping malls, parks, and streets, attracting numerous viewers. Children may hold small lanterns while walking the streets.

The lanterns' artwork vividly demonstrates traditional Chinese images and symbols such as fruits, flowers, birds, animals, people, and buildings.

闹花灯是元宵节传统节日习俗，

正月十五晚上，

街头巷尾，红灯高挂，

兽头灯、走马灯、花卉灯、鸟禽灯等等，

不一而足。

Guess the riddles

猜灯谜

Lantern owners write riddles on paper notes and pasted them upon the colorful lanterns. People crowd round to guess the riddles.

If someone thinks they have the right answer, they can pull the riddle off and go to the lantern owner to check their answer. If the answer is right, there is usually a small gift as a prize.

猜灯谜又称打灯谜，

是从古代就开始流传的元宵节特色活动。

把谜语写在纸条上，

贴在五光十色的彩灯上供人猜。

Dragon dance

耍龙灯

Dragon dance has a history almost as long as Chinese culture itself.

The performers create impressive formations to the beat of Chinese drums and cymbals.

耍龙灯也称舞龙灯或龙舞，

起源于上古时代。

正月十五耍龙灯，

载歌载舞的节日氛围，

流传于很多地方。

The lion dance

舞狮子

The lion dance is one of the most outstanding traditional folk dances in China. It can be dated back to the Three Kingdoms Period (220–280).

The lion dance requires two highly-trained performers in a lion suit. One acts as the head and forelegs, and the other the back and rear legs. Under the guidance of a choreographer, the "lion" dances to the beat of a drum, gong, and cymbals.

舞狮子，又称“太平乐”。

一般由三人完成，一人充当狮头，

一人充当狮身和后脚，另一人引狮，

是中国优秀的民间艺术。

每逢元宵佳节或集会庆典，

民间都以狮舞前来助兴。

吃元宵

Eating Tangyuan

Eating Tangyuan is an important custom of the Lantern Festival. Tangyuan (汤圆 tāngyuán /tung-ywen/ 'soup round') are also called yuanxiao when eaten for the Lantern Festival.

As tangyuan is pronounced similarly to tuanyuan (团圆 /twan-ywen/ 'group round'), which means the whole family gathering together happily, Chinese people believe that the round shape of the balls and their bowls symbolize wholeness and togetherness.

元宵作为食品，在中国由来已久。

最早叫“浮元子”，后称“元宵”，

生意人还美其名曰“元宝”。

北方“滚”元宵，南方“包”汤圆，

皆取团圆之意，

象征全家人团圆幸福，年年欢聚。

诗词

青玉案·元夕

(宋)辛弃疾

东风夜放花千树，更吹落，星如雨。

宝马雕车香满路，凤萧声动，壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞。

蛾儿雪柳黄金缕，笑语盈盈暗香去。

众里寻他千百度，蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处。

The Lantern Festival Night - to the tune of Green Jade Table

by Xin Qiji 许渊冲、许明译

One night's east wind adorns a thousand trees with flowers

And blows down stars in showers.

Fine steeds and carved cabs spread fragrance en route;

Music vibrates from the flute;

The moon sheds its full light

While fish and dragon lanterns dance all night.

In gold-thread dress, with moth or willow ornaments,

Giggling, she melts into the throng with trails of scents

But in the crowd once and again

I look for her in vain.

When all at once I turn my head,

I find her there where lantern light is dimly shed.

新湖南客户端综合自新华网、凤凰网、chinahight、wikipedia等 translated by yang and muying 图片来源于网络 如有侵权请联系小编删除

责编：周杨

来源：新湖南客户端