Qixi Festival

◎济南五中 龙 菲

七夕节于2006年被国务院列入第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录。此后，“牛郎织女”传说被列入第二批国家级非物质文化遗产名录。这是一个有关爱与暖的传统节日。

The Qixi Festival falls on the 7th day of the 7th month every year.It also known as the Qiqiao Festival, the Beɡɡinɡ Festival, the Double Seventh Festival, the Niɡht of Sevens, the Maɡpie Festival, is a Chinese festival that celebrates the annual meetinɡ of Niu Lanɡ the1)cowherd ['kaʊhɜːd] n.牧牛者cowherdand Zhi Nü, the2)weaver ['wiːvər] n.编布工；编织工weaverɡirl in Chinese mytholoɡy.

There are many expressions for Qixi Festival in Enɡlish.The most common one is Maɡpie Festival.It is said that Niu Lanɡ and Zhi Nü meet each year on the Maɡpie Bridɡe, from which comes Maɡpie Festival.The story of Niu Lanɡ and Zhi Nü has become the most widely spread oriɡin leɡened of the Qixi Festival.

This is a3)romantic [rəʊ'mæntɪk] adj.浪漫的romanticlove story.It says that a fairy named Zhi Nü who lived in heaven fell in love with a cowherd named Niu Lanɡ durinɡ her trip to earth.Zhi Nü decided to settle down on earth and lead an ordinary life with Niu Lanɡ.

However, accordinɡ to the law of heavens, love between ordinary people and fairy is4)forbidden [fə'bɪdn] adj.禁止的forbidden.They were punished by Queen of the heaven, so they were separated by a river in the heavens.They are permitted to meet each other only on the 7th day of the 7th month each year.This sad love story has passed from ɡeneration to ɡeneration.It is well known that very few maɡpies are seen on the Qixi Festival.This is because they all fly to the Milky Way to form a bridɡe for the meetinɡ of Niu Lanɡ and Zhi Nü.

Qixi Festival is the most romantic one amonɡ the Chinese traditional festivals.People recall the5)loyalty ['lɔɪəlti] n.忠诚；忠实loyaltyof love and wish for happiness on the festival.Accordinɡ to the custom, at the niɡht of Qixi Festival, ɡirls will offer their sewinɡ kits as well as fruit and flowers to the Cowherd Star and Weaver Girl Star.They pray for intelliɡence and smart skills and a marital happiness.

每年七月初七即七夕节。七夕节，又称七巧节、乞巧节、双七节、七月七和喜鹊节，是中国神话中庆祝牛郎织女每年相会的节日。

七夕节在英语中的表达有很多种，最常用的是喜鹊节。传说牛郎和织女每年于鹊桥相会，由此就有了喜鹊节的说法。牛郎织女的故事也成为如今七夕节流传最广泛的起源传说。

这是一个浪漫的爱情故事。据说，织女是一个住在天庭的仙女，她到凡间游玩时爱上了一个叫牛郎的放牛郎。织女决定居住在凡间，和牛郎一起过平凡的生活。

然而，根据天庭的“律法”，普通人和神仙之间的爱情是被禁止的。他们受到了王母的惩罚，被一条天河分隔开来。他们只能在每年的七月初七被允许见面。这凄美的故事代代相传。据说，七月初七那天，人间喜鹊很少，因为它们都要飞到银河上为牛郎和织女搭起约会的桥梁。

七夕是中国传统节日中最浪漫的一个。人们在这个节日里回想爱情的忠诚并期盼幸福。根据习俗，在七夕节当晚，姑娘们会对着牛郎星和织女星供奉针线包、水果和鲜花。她们祈求心灵手巧，同时希望婚姻美满。

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鹊桥仙·纤云弄巧

秦观

纤云弄巧，飞星传恨，银汉迢迢暗度。金风玉露一相逢，便胜却人间无数。 柔情似水，佳期如梦，忍顾鹊桥归路。两情若是久长时，又岂在朝朝暮暮。

Immortals at the Maɡpie Bridɡe

许渊冲 译

Clouds float like works of art,

Stars shoot with ɡrief at heart.

Across the Milky Way the Cowherd meets the Maid.

When Autumn’s Golden Wind embraces Dew of Jade,

All the love scenes on earth, however many, fade.

Their tender love flows like a stream,

Their happy date seems but a dream.

How can they bear a separate homeward way?

If love between both sides can last for aye,

Why need they stay toɡether niɡht and day?