The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival 端午节习俗

戴剑国

语篇导读

端午节是中国古老的传统节日之一，它始于春秋战国时期，现已有2，000多年历史。如今，端午节在每个中国人心中都是一个重要的节日。可是，你对端午节的习俗又知道多少呢？下面让我们一起来了解一下吧！

The Dragon Boat Races

Traditions at the center of this festival are the dragon boat races. Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums. These exciting races came into being by the villagers brave ideas to save Qu Yuan from the Miluo River. This tradition has kept down for centuries.

Tzung Tzu

A very popular dish during the Dragon Boat Festival is Tzung Tzu. This tasty dish is made of rice dumplings with meat， peanut， egg yolk， red dates or other fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves. The tradition of Tzung Tzu is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the Miluo River in order to appease the river dragons so that they would not eat off Qu Yuan.

Ay Tsao

The time of year of the Dragon Boat Festival， the fifth lunar month， has more importance than just the story of Qu Yuan. Many Chinese think this time of year is an especially dangerous time when extra struggle must be made to protect their family from illness. Families will hang some herbs， called Ay Tsao， on their door for protection.

Five⁃color Ropes

Tying five⁃color decorative ropes around childrens wrists， ankles and necks during the Dragon Boat Festival is said to help the children keep away from pests.

Sachets

Sachets are also worn. These sachets contain all kinds of sweet⁃smelling medicinal herbs thought to protect the wearers from illness by people.

词语积淀

wrap /ræp/ v. 包;裹

appease /ə̍pi：z/ v. 安抚;平息

lunar /̍luːnə（r）/ adj. 月球的;月亮的

decorative /̍dekərətɪv/ adj. 装饰性的;作装饰用的

herb /hɜːb/ n. 药草;香草

ankle /̍æƞkl/ n. 踝;踝关节

pest /pest/ n. 害虫

sachet /̍sæʃeɪ/ n. 香囊;小香袋

典句赏析

1.Competing teams drive their colorful dragon boats forward to the rhythm of beating drums. 比赛的队伍在热烈的鼓声中划着他们多彩的龙舟前进。

这是一个简单句。competing 和beating 均为v.⁃ing形式作定語，但前者为现在分词，后者为动名词。

【即时尝试】正在和我们英语老师谈话的那位女士是谁？

2.The tradition of Tzung Tzu is meant to remind us of the village fishermen scattering rice across the water of the Miluo River in order to appease the river dragons so that they would not eat off Qu Yuan. 而粽子的传统则是为了让我们想起汨罗江边的渔夫们，他们将米丢入江中平息江中的蛟龙，希望它们不要将屈原吃掉。

“remind sb. of sb. / sth.”是固定搭配，意为“使某人想起某人或某物”;in order to是固定短语，意为“为了……”，后接动词原形，其否定式是in order not to。in order to结构可以用于句首，也可以放在句中。

【即时尝试】为了在天黑前到达，我们很早就动身了。

3.These sachets contain all kinds of sweet⁃smelling medicinal herbs thought to protect the wearers from illness by people. 这些香包中含有多种芳香的药草，人们认为这些药草可以保护佩戴者免生疾病。

thought to protect the wearer from illness为过去分词短语，在句中作后置定语;protect... from...意为“保护……免于……”，from后接名词或代词作宾语。

【即时尝试】那个穿红色衣服的学生是我的女儿。

（答案见第63页）

译文助读

龙舟竞赛

端午节最重要的活动是龙舟竞赛，比赛的队伍在热烈的鼓声中划着他们多彩的龙舟前进。这项活动的灵感是来自当时的居民在汨罗江上划船打捞屈原尸体的故事，而这个传统也一直传承了数个世纪。

粽子

端午节非常受欢迎的食物是粽子，粽子是用米包着肉、花生、蛋黄、红枣或其他食材，再用竹叶包裹制成的。而粽子的传统则是为了让我们想起汨罗江边的渔夫们，他们将米丢入江中平息江中的蛟龙，希望它们不要将屈原吃掉。

艾草

对中国人而言，农历的五月，也就是端午节的这个时候，除了有屈原的故事还有许多其他重要的意义。许多中国人认为五月是一年中容易引发疾病的危险时节，因此必须备有许多防止家人生病的措施。许多家庭会将一种特别的植物——艾草挂在门口，作为保护之用。

五彩线环

在端午节期间，人们会给孩子的手腕、脚踝和脖子系上五彩装饰线环，据说这可以帮助孩子防止害虫的侵害。

香包

香包也是用来佩戴的。这些香包中含有多种芳香的药草，人们认为这些药草可以保护佩戴者免生疾病。