腊月三十,人们熬夜守岁。中国神话里,一头叫"年"的妖怪会在新年的前一夜跑出来伤害人类,因此人们聚在一起,守岁聊天,祈祷能平安度过这一晚。因此,中国人将新年前夕熬夜的习俗称为"守太岁",意味着远离疾病灾祸,祈祷新年好运。Chinese people are supposed to stay up the whole night on the 30th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. In Chinese mythology, a monster called nian would come out to harm people on New Year's Eve, so people get together, staying up and chatting, hoping for a peaceful passage of time. The custom of staying up (Chinese: shou tai sui) symbolizes the warding off of all diseases and disasters and wishing good luck in the New Year.
中国人十分重视除夕,彼时阖家团圆,共享团圆年夜饭。Chinese people attachgreat importance to the Spring Festival Eve, when all family members eat dinnertogether.
就除夕夜而言,无论身在何处,也不管路途多么遥远,人们都会设法赶回家,所以除夕夜的盛大晚餐也叫做“团圆饭”。每个家庭的团圆饭都是一年中精心准备的最华丽和隆重的家宴。On New Year's Eve, people who work far away will manage to come home, regardless of long-distance travel, so the "Grand Dinner on New Year's Eve" is also called "Family Reunion Dinner". Every family will make the dinner the most sumptuous and ceremonious one in the year.
午夜零点时分,人们正式跨入新年第一天,也叫“金鸡报晓”。传统习俗是,人们会燃放鞭炮,尽可能制造大的喧闹声赶走邪恶的妖怪“年”。因为“年”惧怕红色和炮竹,过年大家便会挂红灯笼,放鞭炮。The first day of Chinese New Year, also known as the "day of chicken", officially begins at midnight. It is traditional to light firecrackers and make as much of a din as possible to chase off the evil monster Nian. It was believed that the Nian was afraid of the colour red and firecrackers, so people would hang red lanterns outside and set off firecrackers.
《元日》王安石
爆竹声中一岁除,
春风送暖入屠苏。
千门万户曈曈日,
总把新桃换旧符。
《New Year's Day》 Wang Anshi
Amid the boom of firecrackers a year has come to an end,
And the spring wind has wafted warm breath to the wine.
While the rising sun shines over each and every household,
People would put up new peachwood charm for the old.