Lanternfestival每年农历的一月十五日是中国人的元宵节,它正好在春节之后。TheLanternFestivaliscelebratedeverywhereonJanuary15thofthelunarcalendar,rightaftertheSpringFestival.传统意义上元宵节也是春节活动的一部分。Traditionally,theLanternFestivalisapartoftheSpringFestival.这天是农历新年里第一个月圆的日子。ThisdayisalwaysthefirstfullmooninthelunarNewYear.中国各地张灯结彩,家家户户歌舞游乐,人们做元宵、放烟火。AcrossChina,peoplecelebratebyhanginguplanternsandfestoons,attendingdancingandsingingperformances,making“YuanXiao”orsweetricedumplingsandlightingfireworks.这也是庆祝春节的延续。ThisisalsoacontinuationoftheSpringFestivalcelebration.在元宵节之夜,天上明月高照,地上彩灯万盏。OntheLanternFestivalnight,themoonilluminatesthedarkskywhilemanylanternsshinebrightcolorsontheearth.元宵夜观花灯的习俗开始于两千多年前的西汉时期。ThetraditionsofviewingdecorativelanternsonthisnightbeganmorethantwothousandyearsagointheWesternHanDynasty.最早只是在皇宫中点灯祈福。Intheearliertimes,thosebeautifullanternswereonlyseenintheimperialpalaces.慢慢地演变成民间最盛大的灯节。Slowlyitevolvedintoacelebrationonthegrandscalefortheordinaryfolkseverywhere.在元宵节前许多天,人们就开始忙着用油纸、绸布、竹子和花朵等材料制作各式各样的灯笼。Afewdaysbeforethelanternfestival,peoplebegingatheringoiledpaper,silkcloths,bamboosticksandflowertomakealltypesoflanterns.或者到热闹的灯市上挑选自己喜爱的灯笼。Somepeoplegotothelivelystreetstopickapersonalfavorite.花灯的主题既有民间传说,又有节日习俗和各种吉祥物等。Thelanternssometimescomeinaseriesaboutcertainfolklore,holidaycustoms,orluckymascots.元宵节也是一个浪漫的节日。TheLanternFestivalisalsoaromanticholiday.在封建社会时,年轻女孩不允许出外自由活动。Infeudalsociety,younggirlswerenotallowedtogooutfreely.但在元宵节晚上,她们却可以结伴出游观赏花灯。ButonthenightoftheLanternFestival,theywereallowedtoviewthelanternlightsingroups.未婚男女也常借着赏花灯与情人相会。Sometimescoupleswouldgoondatesstrollingdownthestreetslitwithlanternlights.如今人们依然会在元宵夜相邀一起去赏花灯。Todaypeoplestillinviteotherstoviewlanternstogether.在中国南北各地都有风格不同的元宵灯会。AcrossChina,theLanternFestivaliscelebratedinmanydifferentstyles.在临水的地方,人们把做好的莲花灯放进河里,让灯顺流而下,带去自己对已逝亲人的思念。Inplacesnearwater,peopleputLotusLanternsintherivertoletthemflowdownstream,carryingthelosstheyfeelfortherelativesthathavepassedaway.在北方,传统习俗与现代科技相结合发展成为冰灯节。IntheNorth,astraditionalcustomscombinedwithmodernscienceandtechnology,thereevolvedtheIceLanternFestival.天然冰雪与灯光色彩巧妙结合,透过雕塑、造型、建筑和造景,成为一个绚丽的冰雪天堂。Thecombinationoftheiceandsnowwithcoloredlights,carvings,designs,andspecialsceneryyieldaspectacularwinterparadise.猜灯谜是中国特有的文字游戏。TheLanternRiddleisaspecialword-gameplayedbytheChinesepeople.人们不仅制作出各种漂亮的灯笼供大家观赏,还设计出许多有趣的谜语。TheChinesepeoplenotonlycraftmanytypesofbeautifullanternsfortheotherstoappreciate,butalsocreatemanyinterestingriddles.传统的灯谜是直接写在灯笼上的。Thetraditionalriddlesarewrittenonthelanterns.现在,人们在灯笼的下面贴上写了谜语的纸条,供观灯的人猜。Today,manypeopleglueaslipofpaperwiththeriddleatthebottomofthelanternsfortheviewerstosolve.那些猜中的人还会得到出谜者赠送的小奖品。Thosewhosolvetheriddlescorrectlywillreceiveaprizefromtheriddle’screator.元宵SweetDumplingsSoup团圆reunion灯谜lanternriddles和其他的中国传统节日一样,元宵节也有自己的节日食品——“元宵”。JustlikeChina’sothertraditionalholidays,theLanternFestivalalsohasitsownspecialdish—“YuanXiao”,orsweetdumplingsoup.虽然“元宵”在南北两地叫法不同,做法也不同,但它们都是用糯米粉做皮儿。AlthoughthesweetdumplingsdifferinnameandrecipefromtheNorthandSouth,theyarealwaysmadewithglutinousriceflourastheoutside.里面包上各种果仁和糖做成的馅儿。Thefillingisusuallycomposedofdifferentkindsoffruitkernelsandsugar.包出来的形状是一样的——圆圆的、白白的,因为它和元宵夜的圆月一样,代表着团圆。Thesweetdumplingsarealwaysroundandwhite,asitrepresentsthemoononthenightoftheLanternFestival.