论文部分内容阅读
“Happy New Year!” Everyone will greet each other with these words as they meet when New Year has come. But it wasn’t always January 1st that marked the new year.
At least 4,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians marked the change of the year. In Egypt, the year started when the Nile River flooded, enriching farmers’ fields with silt （淤泥）. This happened at the end of September.
On March 23rd, the Babylonians held a festival in the spring to mark the next farming cycle. It lasted for 11 days. The date January 1st was picked by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar as the change of the year when he established his own calendar in 46 BC. January was named after the Roman god, Janus. He is pictured with two heads. One head looks forward and the other back. They represent a break between the old and new.
Around the world, different cultures have their own traditions for welcoming the new year. For example, the Japanese like to hang straw rope across the front of their houses to keep out evil spirits and bring happiness and big luck. They also have a big laugh as the year begins to get things started on a lucky note.
In India, people like to wear pink, red, purple and white flowers to welcome the New Year. Women favour yellow, the colour of spring. Indians also leave shrines next to their beds, then they can see beautiful objects when they wake up, for the good fortune of the New Year.
Canadians enjoy the traditional polar bear swim. People of all ages put on their swimsuits and jump into frozen lakes.
In Britain, an extra round of football game is played (unless New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday).
In Pasadena, California, the United States, the Parade of Roses is held on New Year’s Day. People watch the parade on the streets or on television at home, followed by the “Rose Bowl” college football game.
The most important holiday in China is the New Year. Since it is based on the lunar calendar, it comes about a month later than the Western New Year. People clean houses thoroughly, and families all get together for the festivities. All debts must be paid off (还清), so that the New Year can start with a fresh beginning. There are lively dragon and lion dances in the streets. Everywhere there is the sound of firecrackers (鞭炮) explosions. Children receive gifts of red paper with money inside them.
“新年快乐！”新年到来时，人们会用这样的话相互祝福新年的来临。不过，历史上，新年并非总是从1月1日开始的。
至少在4000年以前，古埃及人和古巴伦人就开始标记一年的更替了。在埃及，9月底泛滥的尼罗河给农田带来了肥沃的淤泥，人们把尼罗河泛滥的时节作为一年的开始。
古巴比伦人在3月23日庆祝一个为期11天的节日。这个节日标志着下一个农耕周期的开始。公元前46年，罗马恺撒大帝在制定一直沿用至今的太阳历的时候，把1月1日选作一年之始。1月(January) 这个名字取自罗马的门神雅努斯(Janus)。雅努斯有两个头，一个头朝前看，另一个往后看，象征着时间的新旧交替。
世界上各种不同的文化都拥有自己独特的庆祝新年的传统方式。例如，日本人喜欢把稻草挂在房子前面，据说可以驱邪避鬼，带来好运。新年伊始，他们还开怀大笑，祈求一年开开心心，顺顺利利。
在印度，人们喜欢戴上粉红、红色、紫色和白色的花儿迎接新年的到来。女人喜欢代表春天色彩的黄花儿。印度人还把圣物箱放在床前，这样，一觉醒来，他们就能看到圣物箱里漂亮的小玩意儿，以求新年大吉大利。
加拿大人热衷于传统的“北极熊游泳”。不论老少，人们都穿起泳衣，跳进冰冷的湖水中畅游一番。
在英国，人们会在新年当天加一轮英式橄榄球赛（除非这一天正好是周四、周五或周日）。
在美国加州的帕萨迪纳市，人们在新年当天举行“玫瑰游行”，这天会有很多市民上街或在家观看。游行结束后紧跟着会有“玫瑰碗”大学橄榄球比赛。
在中国，最重要的节日就是新年了。中国按农历算，比西方的新年大约晚一个月。人们会把房间大扫除，家人团聚一起庆祝新年。年底要偿还所有债务，这样新年就会有新气象。大街上还会有舞龙、舞狮的活动，到处都是鞭炮声，孩子们在这一天还会收到红包。
At least 4,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians marked the change of the year. In Egypt, the year started when the Nile River flooded, enriching farmers’ fields with silt （淤泥）. This happened at the end of September.
On March 23rd, the Babylonians held a festival in the spring to mark the next farming cycle. It lasted for 11 days. The date January 1st was picked by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar as the change of the year when he established his own calendar in 46 BC. January was named after the Roman god, Janus. He is pictured with two heads. One head looks forward and the other back. They represent a break between the old and new.
Around the world, different cultures have their own traditions for welcoming the new year. For example, the Japanese like to hang straw rope across the front of their houses to keep out evil spirits and bring happiness and big luck. They also have a big laugh as the year begins to get things started on a lucky note.
In India, people like to wear pink, red, purple and white flowers to welcome the New Year. Women favour yellow, the colour of spring. Indians also leave shrines next to their beds, then they can see beautiful objects when they wake up, for the good fortune of the New Year.
Canadians enjoy the traditional polar bear swim. People of all ages put on their swimsuits and jump into frozen lakes.
In Britain, an extra round of football game is played (unless New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday).
In Pasadena, California, the United States, the Parade of Roses is held on New Year’s Day. People watch the parade on the streets or on television at home, followed by the “Rose Bowl” college football game.
The most important holiday in China is the New Year. Since it is based on the lunar calendar, it comes about a month later than the Western New Year. People clean houses thoroughly, and families all get together for the festivities. All debts must be paid off (还清), so that the New Year can start with a fresh beginning. There are lively dragon and lion dances in the streets. Everywhere there is the sound of firecrackers (鞭炮) explosions. Children receive gifts of red paper with money inside them.
“新年快乐！”新年到来时，人们会用这样的话相互祝福新年的来临。不过，历史上，新年并非总是从1月1日开始的。
至少在4000年以前，古埃及人和古巴伦人就开始标记一年的更替了。在埃及，9月底泛滥的尼罗河给农田带来了肥沃的淤泥，人们把尼罗河泛滥的时节作为一年的开始。
古巴比伦人在3月23日庆祝一个为期11天的节日。这个节日标志着下一个农耕周期的开始。公元前46年，罗马恺撒大帝在制定一直沿用至今的太阳历的时候，把1月1日选作一年之始。1月(January) 这个名字取自罗马的门神雅努斯(Janus)。雅努斯有两个头，一个头朝前看，另一个往后看，象征着时间的新旧交替。
世界上各种不同的文化都拥有自己独特的庆祝新年的传统方式。例如，日本人喜欢把稻草挂在房子前面，据说可以驱邪避鬼，带来好运。新年伊始，他们还开怀大笑，祈求一年开开心心，顺顺利利。
在印度，人们喜欢戴上粉红、红色、紫色和白色的花儿迎接新年的到来。女人喜欢代表春天色彩的黄花儿。印度人还把圣物箱放在床前，这样，一觉醒来，他们就能看到圣物箱里漂亮的小玩意儿，以求新年大吉大利。
加拿大人热衷于传统的“北极熊游泳”。不论老少，人们都穿起泳衣，跳进冰冷的湖水中畅游一番。
在英国，人们会在新年当天加一轮英式橄榄球赛（除非这一天正好是周四、周五或周日）。
在美国加州的帕萨迪纳市，人们在新年当天举行“玫瑰游行”，这天会有很多市民上街或在家观看。游行结束后紧跟着会有“玫瑰碗”大学橄榄球比赛。
在中国，最重要的节日就是新年了。中国按农历算，比西方的新年大约晚一个月。人们会把房间大扫除，家人团聚一起庆祝新年。年底要偿还所有债务，这样新年就会有新气象。大街上还会有舞龙、舞狮的活动，到处都是鞭炮声，孩子们在这一天还会收到红包。