❷The Torch Festival of Yi Nationality

江苏 陈传光

□语篇导读

彝族的火把节来源于一个关于英雄战胜魔王(或天神)的传说,这位英雄与魔王摔跤、角力,还教人们点燃火把烧杀恶灵所化的蝗虫,保护了村寨和庄稼。为纪念这一事件,每年的火把节就要象征性地复演传说中的故事,这渐渐成了节日活动的主要内容。彝族人民是怎么度过这个节日的呢？让我们一起阅读下文吧!

The Torch Festival is a traditional festival celebrated by Yi nationality in southwestern China.It usually falls on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month with three days of celebration.Fire has already taken the position as god in their life.The Torch Festival is a special occasion to pay tribute to the god of fire．

During the festival,big torches tied up with dried wood are planted in all villages.Small torches are placed in front of the door of each house.When night falls,the torches are lit and the villages are as bright as daytime.At the same time,people walk around the fields and houses,holding small torches and placing the torches in the field corners.Later in the night,people would gather around a five-meter-tall platform,on which the shrine of the god of fire is built.Then with the drums and dances,the fire ritual begins．

On this specialoccasion,young ladies get dressed best in their own way.Their clothes are colorful and have hundreds of varieties．

The Torch festival is also a grand occasion for sports.Men show their strength of character from many exciting sports activities such as horse races,bullfights,arrow shooting,wrestling,tugs-of-wars and swimming etc.In all these activities,a competitor may win both the game and“a girl's eyes and heart”．

Among the traditional festivals of the Chinese minorities,The Torch Festival is one of the most charming festivals and it is regarded as“the carnival of the orient”．

◆词语积淀

1.occasion/ə'keɪʒn/n.机会；时机；场合

2.platform/'plætfɔːm/n.平台；站台

3.shrine/ʃrain/n.圣地；庙

4.ritual/'rɪtʃuəl/n.典礼；仪式

5.variety/və'raɪətɪ/n.多样；种类；变化

6.grand/grænd/adj.宏伟的；豪华的；极重要的

7.pay tribute to称赞；歌颂；表示敬意

◆典句赏析

1.During the festival,big torches tied up with dried wood are planted in all villages.节日期间,所有的村庄都竖起用干木柴捆绑成的大火把。

during作为介词,表示一定时间中的某个时间段,意为“在……(的整个)期间”；tie up with...是固定词组,意为“把……捆绑起来”,其后接名词或者代词。这里的tied up with是过去分词短语作定语,修饰名词torches。

【即时尝试】地板上有些用旧报纸捆扎着的旧书。

2.In all these activities,a competitor may win both the game and“a girl's eyes and heart”.在这些活动中参赛者不仅可能会赢得比赛,还会赢得“美人的眼球和心”。

both...and...是一个常见的并列连词短语,意为“既……又……；……和……都”,它通常连接两个相同性质的句子成分,但有时后一成分可能省略与前一成分相同的词。它若连接两个成分作主语,谓语动词总是用复数形式。

【即时尝试】我和他对你的答案都很满意。

3.The Torch Festival is one of the most charming festivals and it is regarded as“the carnival of the orient”.彝族火把节是中国少数民族传统节日中最具魅力的节日之一,它享有“东方狂欢节”的美誉。

be regarded as sth.是一个常见的被动语态形式,意为“……被视为；……被看作；……被当成”,相当于be considered as sth.,as后面接名词或者代词。

【即时尝试】雷锋被视作一个好榜样。

(答案见63页)

译文助读

火把节是中国西南部彝族人民庆祝的一个传统节日。火把节始于阴历六月二十四日,庆祝活动持续3天。火在彝族人的生活中已经占据了神明的位置。火把节就是彝族人民为了赞颂火神而举行的一个特殊的节日。

节日期间,所有的村庄都竖起用干木材捆绑成的大火把。每家每户门前也都放置了小一点的火把。当夜幕降临,人们点燃村里所有的火把,整个村庄便亮如白昼。同时,举着火把的人们在田地和房子周围列队前进,并且他们将火把插在田地的角落。夜间稍晚时分,人们便会聚集到一个高达5米的火神的祭坛周围。随着鼓声响起,舞蹈开始,祭祀典礼也拉开了帷幕。

在这个特别的场合,年轻的女士们以自己的方式装饰自己。她们的衣服颜色丰富多彩,款式多样。

火把节也是一场运动盛会。男士们通过许多刺激的体育活动来展现自己坚强的个性，这些活动包括赛马、斗牛、射箭、摔跤、拔河、游泳等。在所有这些活动中都会有人脱颖而出,佼佼者可能赢得比赛和“美人的眼球和心”。

彝族火把节是中国少数民族传统节日中最具魅力的节日之一,它享有着“东方狂欢节”的美誉。