孔院微课堂 | 又是一年清明时

qīng

清

míng

明

jié

节

The Qingming Festival

清明节也叫踏青节、祭祖节，是中国四大传统节日之一。清明节一般是在公历4月5号左右，节期前后持续近20天。同时，清明也是二十四节气之一。通常，人们会在清明节祭祖扫墓、踏青郊游。

Also known as the Outing Festival, Ancestor Worship Festival, and Tomb-sweeping Festival, the Qingming Festival is one of the four most important traditional festivals in China, generally occurring around April 5 in the Gregorian calendar. The term “Qingming” also refers to one of the twenty-four solar terms. The entire festival season lasts about 20 days. It is usually the occasion for people to honor their ancestors, sweep their tombs, and go for an outing.

jì

祭

zǔ

祖

sǎo

扫

mù

墓

Ancestor Worshipping and Tomb Sweeping

清明节期间，人们会到先人的坟墓上扫墓、祭祖。扫墓，指的是给坟墓铲除杂草、添加新土。祭祖，指的是通过一些祭祀仪式来寄托哀思、缅怀先人、祈求庇佑。传统祭祀仪式一般包括供奉酒食、插柳献花、焚香燃炮、焚烧纸钱、鞠躬跪拜等。

During the Qingming Festival, people often visit the cemetery of their ancestors to pay their respects and sweep the tombs. Tomb-sweeping includes removing weeds and replenishing earth on the mound. Ancestor worshipping involves sacrificial rituals to honor and remember the ancestors, and to pray for their blessings. Traditional sacrificial rituals generally include offering food, wine, and flowers, planting willow cuttings, burning incense and paper money, letting off firecrackers, and bowing and kowtowing.

tà

踏

qīng

青

jiāo

郊

yóu

游

Outings

清明时节，大地回春，万物生机勃发，人们常常会出门踏青郊游、植树、插柳、放风筝，以亲近自然、迎接春天。

At around the Qingming Festival, spring rejuvenates the earth and awakens the full range of flora and fauna. People often go outdoors for outings, tree planting, willow cuttings, and kite flying, to get close to nature and welcome the return of spring.

hán

寒

shí

食

Cold foods 

清明节没有统一的节日食品，各地习惯差异较大。中国部分地区仍保留有吃寒食的习惯。常见寒食有青团、鸡蛋、冷馍、醴酪等。

There is no specified holiday food for the Qingming Festival, and customs vary considerably from region to region. In some parts of China, the custom of eating cold foods is still observed. The common cold foods include: sweet green rice balls, eggs, cold buns, and sweet wine congee. 

jì

纪

niàn

念

zhuī

追

sī

思

Commemoration of the Deceased

在世界各地，人们通过各自的方式对逝者表达纪念追思之情，如俄罗斯的拉多尼察节、墨西哥的亡灵节等，它们形式多样，或庄严肃穆、或狂欢愉悦，有着鲜明的文化特色。

All around the world, people commemorate and honor the deceased in their respective ways, for example, by observing the Radonjica (Радоница) in Russia and the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) in Mexico. The commemoration comes in a rich variety of culturally-distinctive forms which may be solemn or rambunctious. 

qīng

清

míng

明

shí

时

jié

节

yǔ

雨

fēn

纷

fēn

纷

A drizzling rain falls like tears

on the Mourning Day 

清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。

借问酒家何处有？牧童遥指杏花村。

——杜牧

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day, The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.

Where can a wineshop be found to drown his sad hours? A cowherd points to a cot'mid apricot flowers.

Written by Mu, Du (803-852)

Translated by Yuanchong, Xu

sì

四

jì

季

zhōng

中

guó

国

Seasons of China

英文纪录片《四季中国》第五集来到了江苏省茅山镇，通过饮食文化、扫墓、茅山会船等活动介绍了中国清明节的传统与现代风貌。

The fifth episode of the English documentary Seasons of China brings us to Maoshan Town, Jiangsu Province, to introduce the traditional and modern features of the Qingming Festival, focusing on the food, tomb-sweeping, Maoshan Boat Racing, and other activities.

节日大都是欢快、明朗的，清明节却在伤感中带着一丝沉静，又在沉静中蕴藏着无限生机。人们在这个节日里纪念逝者、拥抱新生，在生与死中思考生命与传承的意义。又是一年清明时，如果可以和最怀念的逝者进行一场心灵对话，你最想说什么？

Festivals are mostly cheerful and lively, but the Qingming Festival is tinged with sorrow and quietude, yet it promises infinite vitality. On this day, people commemorate the dead, embrace new life, and think about the meaning of life and inheritance as the living visit the dead. As yet another Qingming Festival draws near, what would you like to say most if you were to have a spiritual dialogue with the deceased that you miss most?

往期精选

内容编辑：吴晓静 刘希 杨立梦（实习）

美术编辑：黄思敏（实习）

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