Although there are many stories of the origin, the holiday is mainly to commemorate poet, Qu Yuan, who was also a very famous patriot during the Warring States Period. 雖然有很多不同的起源故事,但這個節日主要是紀念詩人屈原,他同時也是戰國時期有名的愛國者。
commemorate 動詞 v.紀念/ in remembrance of sb 為紀念某人
Qu Yuan/Chu Yuan 屈原
patriot 名詞 n.愛國者/ patriotic 形容詞 adj.愛國的
Warring States Period 戰國時期
Qu Yuan was a good and respected government official, but because of the misdeeds of jealous rivals, he eventually fell into disfavor in the emperor's court. Unable to regain the respect of the emperor, in his sorrow, Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River. 屈原是一位愛民而且又受到尊崇的官吏,但是由於受到充滿嫉妒的官吏所陷害,從此屈原在朝廷中被皇帝所冷落。而由於無法獲得重視,屈原在憂鬱的情況下投汨羅江自盡。
This activity is to symbolize the people trying to disperse fish away from Qu Yuan's body so that it would not be eaten. 這樣的活動象徵著人們試圖驅趕海裡的魚,避免他們吞吃屈原身體。
Dragon Boat Racing 龍舟賽
symbolize 動詞v.象徵
disperse 動詞v.驅散
划龍舟不再說row dragon boat!
不熟悉水上運動的人,以為英文「划」row跟paddle是一樣的,但其實paddle是往前划,槳是懸空拿的,稱呼用paddle;而row是往後划,槳是固定在舟上的,名稱是用oar,所以划龍舟英文不要再說rowing the dragon boat,專業要說paddling the dragon boat。
為了保護屈原的身體不被魚吃掉,人們會用粽子餵魚。當然,與其將美味的粽子投入河中,現今的我們選擇在端午節時享用粽子。To protect Qu Yuan's body from being eaten by fish, people would feed the fish Zongzi instead. Of course, in modern times, rather than throw the delicacy into the water, people eat it in celebration of the festival.
delicacy 名詞n.美食、佳餚
粽子的味道會隨餡料的不同而改變,通常分為鹽的或甜的。The flavor of rice dumplings varies with the fillings, usually tasting can be savory or sweet.
flavor 名詞n.味道
filling 名詞n.餡料
savory 形容詞adj.鹹的
粽子主要是用rice和dumpling(有包餡料的食物)組成,粽子通常是由竹葉bamboo leaves包著糯米glutinous rice做成的,所以粽子也可以稱sticky rice dumpling。Zongzi is usually glutinous rice filled with meat, nuts or bean paste and wrapped in bamboo leaves. 糯米一般先用肉、堅果或者豆沙餡填充起來,然後再用竹葉包裹起來。鹹粽通常會包肉類meat (pork/beef/seafood)、蛋黃egg yolk、花生peanut、香菇mushroom、蝦米dried shrimps、栗子chestnut、油蔥酥fried garlic,常搭配甜辣醬sweet chili sauce;甜粽則會包著豆沙bean paste。
If one manages to stand an egg on its end at exactly 12:00 noon, the following year will be a lucky one. 若能在當天中午12點將蛋立起,那麼明年會是幸運的。
balancing an egg /egg balancing/standing an egg on its end立蛋
Image by william12 from Pixabay
4.端午節英文—6大物品【艾草、香包、菖蒲、雄黃酒、鍾馗、五色絲線】
古人認為端午過後,夏天正式到來,蚊蟲蒼蠅容易孳生、傳染病與瘟疫也容易發生,固在端午節舉行慶祝活動是為了趨吉避凶,祈求整年避免疾病以及邪惡的入侵。人們將草藥掛在門前,喝著營養的雄黃酒 realgar wine,並張貼驅魔真君鍾馗肖像。The celebration of Double Fifth Festival is a time for protection from evil and disease for the rest of the year. It is done so by different practices such as hanging healthy herbs on the front door, drinking nutritious concoctions, and displaying portraits of evil's nemesis, Zhong Kui.
nutritious 形容詞 adj.營養的
concoction 名詞 n.調製品
portrait 名詞 n.肖像、畫像
nemesis 名詞 n.剋星
realgar wine/alcohol名詞 n.雄黃酒 realgar 是「雄黃」的意思,雄黃也是一種含砷與硫的礦石,是古代的消毒水、殺蟲劑,被認為可以治百,還可提煉成砒霜。在現代醫學角度來看,食用雄黃含砷有危害具有毒性。傳說《白蛇傳Legend of the White Snake》中,白蛇精不慎喝了雄黃酒,差點現出蛇形