GERMAN EASTER CUSTOMS 德国复活节冈俗

黄晓琴

在國外，复活节除了宗教意义，还象征着春天的到来，万物复苏。在德国，复活节是一个重大节日，有着许多传统活动和习俗，一起了解一下吧！

The German government l）stipulates a two-day rest for Easter. On Easter Day， people lighted candles in front of the church to show 2）sanctification and welcomed the holy candlesinto thousands of households. On this day， the happiest thing for the children is to send the torch to each home. They lit the branches with a 3）sacred fire in front of the church， and then ran to each house， filled with a cheerful festive 4latmosphere.

In Bavaria， Germany， residents hold a torch race every Easter to celebrate the rebirth of Jesus. The Luctai Easter Rolling Whel in North Rhine-Westphalia is even more famous. Six giant wooden wheels were ignited by fire and rolled down the valley， just like six fireballs falling from the sky. The darkvalley was illuminated by the big fire wheel. It complemented each other with colorful fireworks， showing once again that fire has brought new life to mankind.

It's not just Easter fireworks that excite people. During festivals， families will also reunite and taste various traditional foods. Friends and relatives should congratulate each other when they meet. The eggs， fire， water， and rabbits symbolizing life have become Easter 5lmascots. Eggs and rabbits are symbols of new life and prosperity in the West. The true color of the egg symbolizes the sun， and ldyeing the egg red symbolizes happiness in life.

On this day， parents should specially prepare chocolate candies in the shape of eggs and rabbits for their children. Friends and relatives should give each other easter eggs. In some towns in the middle reaches of the Rhine and east of Hessen， the ancient custom of “Easter Egg Tree” is still preserved. People paint hundreds of eggshells with color paintings， string them into egg chains， and hang them on pine trees on Easter Day to make an egg tree. Adults and childrensing， dance， and celebrate Easter around the egg tree. The girls from the Alps express their love by giving red eggs. On Easter Day， if a girl presents three red eggs to a young man， it means that the girl expresses her love to the young man.

As the only 7ethnic 8minority in Germany， the Sorbian people celebrated the resurrection of Jesus in the form of a hundred horse chorus. One by one Sorbian people wearing black shirts and black top hats， riding on horses decorated with 9lribbons， flowers and white shells， marched 10）mightily along the forest path.As they walked， they sang hymns with their rough and strong voices， and the scene was spectacular.

1） stipulate 【'stupjulelt】 v.规定

2） sanctification 【，saenktfi'kelfn】 n.神圣化

3） sacred 【'selkrld】 adj.神圣的

4） atmosphere 【aetmasfia（r）】n.氛围

5） mascot 【'maeskat】 n.吉祥物

6） dye 【da1】 v.染色

7） ethnic 【'e0nk】 adj.种族的

9） ribbon 【'rben】 n.丝带

8） minority 【malnoratij】n.少数民族

10） mightily 【'maltli】 adv.非常

德国政府规定复活节休息两天。复活节这一天，人们在教堂前点烛以示圣化，并将圣烛迎进千家万户。这一天，孩子们最快乐的事是把圣火送到各家。他们在教堂前用圣火点燃树枝，然后奔跑着送到各家各户，期间充满着欢快的节日气氛。

在德国的巴伐利亚地区，每年的复活节居民们都要举行火炬赛跑，以庆祝耶稣的再生。北莱茵上威斯特法伦州的吕克台复活节滚火轮更是远近闻名。六个巨型木轮被火点燃滚下山谷，就像六个火球从天而降。漆黑的山谷被大火轮照得通明，它与五彩缤纷的焰火交相辉映，显示火给人类带来了新生。

不仅仅是复活节的焰火让人们异常激动，在节日里，家人也会团聚并且品尝各种传统食品。亲戚朋友见面要互相祝贺。象征生命的蛋、火、水、兔等成了复活节的吉祥物。鸡蛋和兔子在西方是新的生命和兴旺发达的象征。鸡蛋的本色象征太阳，把鸡蛋染成红色则象征生活幸福。

在这一天，父母要特地为孩子们准备制成鸡蛋、兔子形状的巧克力糖。亲友间要互赠彩蛋。在莱茵河中游和黑森东部的一些城镇，至今保留着“彩蛋树”这一古老习俗。人们把数百个蛋壳涂上彩画，串成蛋链，在复活节这天挂在松树上，制成彩蛋树，大人和孩子围着彩蛋树唱歌、跳舞、庆祝复活节。阿尔卑斯山的姑娘们则通过赠送红鸡蛋来表达自己的爱情。在复活节这天，如果姑娘赠送小伙子三个红鸡蛋，那是姑娘向小伙子表达爱慕之意。

作为德国唯一的少数民族索布族人，则用百骑大合唱的形式来庆祝耶稣的复活。一个个身穿黑色上衣、头戴黑色礼帽的索布族人，骑在用彩带、鲜花和白色贝壳装饰的骏马上，浩浩荡荡地行进在林间小路上。他们边走边用粗犷雄厚的嗓音高唱贊歌，场面十分壮观。