Double Ninth Festival重陽節英語介紹和英文歌曲

The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, is also called "Cornel Festival" and "Chrysanthemum Festival", which has a history of more than 1,700 years. It usually falls in October in the Gregorian calendar.

農曆的九月初九是重陽節，又名「茱萸節」，「菊花節」。這是一個很古老的節日，距今已有1700多年的歷史。通常在公曆（陽曆）的十月份。

In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing (The Book of Changes), number "6" was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number "9" was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. So the number nine in both month and day creates "the Double Ninth Festival", or "Chongyang Festival". 

因為古老的《易經》中把「六」定為陰數，把   「九」定為陽數，在農曆的九月初九那天，日月並陽，兩九相重，故而叫「重陽」，也叫「重九」。

In 1989, the Chinese government decided the Double Ninth Festival as Seniors' Day. The traditional culture of Double Ninth and that of the modern were finely combined. It becomes a festival of respecting for the old people, and loving, helping the old.在1989年，我國把每年的農曆的九月初九定為老人節。傳統與現代巧妙地結合，使重陽節成為尊老、敬老、愛老、助老的節日。

The ninth month also heralds the approach of winter. It is a time when the living need warm clothing, and filial Chinese sons and daughters extended this to make the festival a time for providing winter clothes for their ancestors. The Double Ninth Festival, therefore, also became an occasion to visit the graves of dead family members.

九月也預示著冬天的來臨。天氣漸冷，人們需要準備衣服保暖，孝順的子孫由此思及祖先，便將這天作為給先祖們燒冬衣的時間。因此，重陽節也成為了祭奠死去的家人的節日。

The Legend of Double Ninth Festival

The story can be dated back as early as East Han Dynasty, there lived an old Taoist named Fei Changfang, who had become an immortal after many years of practicing Taoism. A young man named Huan Jing, he was worship him and was learning the magic arts from Fei Changfang. The old Taoist took him in and taught him how to defeat the devil. Heng Jing put his whole heart into study and practice.

相傳，在東漢時期，有一位神通廣大的道人名叫費長房。他習道多年，終於長生不老。一個叫桓景的青年很崇拜他，並想追隨他學習道術。費長房就收他為徒，教他學本事。桓景也潛心學習，刻苦修煉。

One day, the two were climbing a mountain. Fei Changfang suddenly stopped and looked very unpset. He told Huan Jing:" on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, disaster will come to your hometown. You must go home immediately. Remember to make a red bag for each one of your families and put a spray of cornel on every one. Then you must all tie your bags to your arms, leave home quickly and climb to the top of a mountain. Most importantly, you must all drink some chrysanthemum wine, Only by doing so can your families avoid this disaster."

有一天，在爬山的時候，費長房對桓景說：「在九月初九這天，你們全家將有一場大災難降臨，你要提早回家做好準備。」桓景聽了，十分驚慌，連忙跪下求師傅教給他躲避災難的辦法。費長房說：「在九月九這一天，你多做幾個紅色的布袋，裡面放進茱萸，並纏到胳膊上，再帶些用菊花浸泡的酒，攜全家老小到一個高坡上飲酒。只有這樣，你才能避開大禍。」

 On hearing this, Huan Jing rushed home and asked his family to do exactly as his teacher said. The whole family climbed a nearby mountain and did not return until the evening. When they got back home, they found all their animals dead, including chickens, sheep, dogs and even the ox. 

聽到此言，桓景飛奔回家，讓家人認真遵照他師傅的要求去做。到了九月初九這一天清晨，桓景帶著家人來到附近的高坡，平安度過了這一天。到了晚上，桓景和家人一起回到家中一看，不覺大吃一驚，家裡的牛羊雞犬都死了。

Since then, climbing a mountain, carrying a spray of dogwood and drinking chrysanthemum wine became the traditional activities of the Double Nith Festival, to avoid evils spirits and misfortunes.

從此，重陽登高、插茱萸、飲菊花酒相沿成習，流傳了近兩千年，人們以此方式來驅邪避難。

The Customes of Double Ninth Festival

重 陽 節 風 俗

The 9th lunar month, with clear autumn sky and bracing air, is a good time for sightseeing. So people, both ancient and present, love to go sightseeing this month. 

陰曆9月這天，正值秋高氣爽，適合旅行觀光。所以，一到金秋九月，不論男女老少，都喜歡在此時旅行登高。

Apart from expelling bad luck and disasters, climbing mounting also indicates 「climbing to a higher position」, and it is also an important reason why ancient people pay much attention about this custom. Another reason that climbing mountains are valued by people, especially by the elderly is that is has a meaning of 「climb to a longevous life」. Also for this reason people believe that climbing mountains can make people live a more longevous life.

登高可以驅除黴運，還意指「晉升高位」。這也是古人為什麼很重視這一傳統習俗。登高之所以受人重視，特別受老人重視，是因為人們認為登高還意寓「登頂長壽」。除此之外，人們還相信登山能使人健康長壽。

It is really refreshing to climb mountains and enjoy the beauty of nature at this bright and clear time in autumn. Climbing mountains on Double Ninth Festival was already prevailing in the Tang Dynasty, and a lot of poems were devoted to this custom.

在九月登高既是件愜意放鬆的事，又是件可以欣賞到自然之美的幸事。重陽節登高，在唐代就開始盛行了，古時也有很多跟重陽登高有關的詩歌。

二、Eating Double Ninth Cake  吃重陽糕

Though the name of "Gao" started from the Six Dynasties, the cakes had already existed in Han Dynasty, which was called "Er" in China at that time. It is made of rice flour, which is classified into two types: paddy rice flour and millet rice flour. In September, the millet is ripe. It is regarded as the food just in season, which is offered to ancestors as sacrifices.

儘管「糕」這個名稱源於六朝，但這種東西東漢就有了。那是人們稱之為「餌」。餌用米粉做成，一般有兩種：穀米粉和粟米粉。九月，粟米程度，它是當季的食物，通常會獻給祖先作為祭品。

In China, "gao(cake)" has the same pronounciation with "gao(height)". Mountains are high, so eating cake can, by a stretch of imagination, take the place of going for the Double Ninth Cake, but super cakes will have as many as nine layers,  like a tower.

在中國文化中，「糕」和「高」同音，所以吃糕也就代表了「登高」的意思，祝願百事俱高。重陽糕沒有固定的樣式，但通常做成九層，看起來像一座塔一樣。

三、Family get-togethers/家人團聚

The Double Ninth Festival is also a time for family get-togethers. It is an occasion to remember one's ancestors, the sacrifices they made and the hardships they undewent. Often, family outings are organised during which people search to renew their appreciaiton of nature and to reaffirm thir love and concern for family members and close friends.

重陽節還是一個家庭團聚的節日。大家紀念先祖，感念他們的犧牲和遭遇的苦難。很多家庭也會一起出行，以感受大自然的魅力，也增進和親友們的關係。

四、Enjoying Chrysanthemum Flowers  賞菊花

Chrysanthemum originated in China and was recorded in some Chinese books as early as the 5th century B.C. Chrysanthemum blossom in the ninth lunar month have a beautiful name of 「flower of longevity」.

菊花產自中國，最早記載始於公元前5世紀。菊花在陰曆九月盛開，它有一個美稱「長壽之花」

  

五、 Drinking  Chrysanthemum Flower Wine  飲菊花酒

The chrysanthemum flower wine is unique in brewing. In ancient times，people usually picked fresh chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on the 9th of the 9th lunar month, and brewed the mixture of them and grains into the wine, which would not be drunk until the same day next year. The wine is said to have wholesome effects on sharpness of the eye, alleviation of headache, drop of hypertension, reduction of weight and removal of stomach trouble, thus contributing to longevity. It is said that the drinkers of the chrysanthemum wine would be free from evil and have strong physique against cold weather. 

菊花酒的釀造十分獨特。古時，人們在九月九日採摘新鮮的菊花和菊花葉，然後把它們和穀粒一起釀製成酒。等到來年的同一時候再打開品嘗。據說，菊花酒具有清神明目，減肥降血壓，治療胃病的功效。因此，可以飲菊花酒可以使人長壽。另外，飲菊花酒還有驅邪抗寒的效用。

六、Wearing Dogwood  插茱萸

The dogwood is a species of evergreen arbor; it is heavy-scented plant whose fruit is edible and stock and leaves can be medicinal materials. They can expel insects, get rid of the humidity, help digestion and cure inner heat. It puts out purple flowers in spring and bears, in autumn, purplish-brown fruit that is sour, puckery and mild in nature. 

茱萸為長青喬木。該植物具有濃香，它的果實可食用或幹存。它的葉子可以用作藥材。茱萸具有驅蟲去溼，助消化去內熱的功效。春季它開紫色的花，然後開始孕育果實。到了秋天，就結出了紫褐色，味酸，帶皺，質感柔軟的果實。

七、 Flying a paper crane（放紙鳶）

Paper crane is just kite. According to our traditions and customs, flying kites usually happen at the Qing Ming Festival. But Tomb Sweeping Festival is during the rainy season which obviously is not suit for flying a kite, while Double Ninth Day owns clear autumn sky and crisp air making kite flying a best outdoor activity.

紙鳶類似於風箏。據中國傳統習俗，人們通常在清明節放風箏。但每逢清明，也是雨紛紛的時節，因而並不適合放風箏。相比之下，重陽節這天，秋高氣爽，最適合戶外放風箏。

九月九日憶山東兄弟

（唐-王維）

獨在異鄉為異客，

每逢佳節倍思親。

遙知兄弟登高處，

遍插茱萸少一人。

Double Ninth, Missing My Shandong Brothers

(by Wang Wei in Tang Dynasty)

譯其一

As a lonely stranger in a foreign land,

At every holiday my homesickness increases.

Far away, I know my brothers have reached the peak;

They are wearing the Zhuyu, but one is not present.

譯其二

As a lonely stranger in the strange land,

Every holiday the homesickness amplifies.

Knowing that my brothers have reached the peak,

All but one is present at the planting of zhuyu.

自古有許多故事和重陽節相關，比如李清照的《醉花陰》，孟浩然的《過故人莊》以及王勃的《蜀中九日》等。王維的這首詩可謂是大家最耳熟能詳的。此詩寫出了遊子的思鄉懷親之情。詩一開頭便緊切題目，寫異鄉異土生活的孤獨悽然，因而時時懷鄉思人，遇到佳節良辰，思念倍加。接著詩一躍而寫遠在家鄉的兄弟，按照重陽節的風俗而登高時，也在懷念自己。詩意反覆跳躍，含蓄深沉，既樸素自然，又曲折有致。其中「每逢佳節倍思親」更是千古名句。

Let us all taking the action to celebrate the Double Ninth Festival with our family. 

To give our grandparents a happier and healthier life.

Finally,

we wish all the elderly in the world to be healthy and happy!