今年的4月5日，是二十四节气中的清明，也是中国祭祀祖先的传统节日。清明这一天，除了扫墓、踏青，还有那些传统习俗呢？今天，译研君就带你一起来了解。

　　清明是二十四节气中的第五个节气，在仲春与暮春之交，表示春季时节的正式开始；太阳到达黄经15度时开始的一天为清明。《历书》：“春分后十五日，斗指丁，为清明时，万物皆洁齐而清明，盖时当气清景明，万物皆显。”

　　Qingming is the fifth of the twenty-four solar terms. It falls on the day between mid- and late spring， marking the official start of the spring. It is the first day when the sun reaches 15 degrees in celestial longitude. According to Almanac： “On the 15th day after the Spring Equinox， when the big Dipper points to the position of Ding， it’s time of Qingming. Everything is clear and bright.  When the air is clear， everything becomes obvious.”

　　中国传统从清明起的15天内每隔5天分出三候：“一候桐始华；二候田鼠化为鹌；三候虹始见。”

　　According to Chinese tradition， every five days in the 15 days after Qingming are separated as a “hou.” In the first hou， Tung trees begin to bud； rats go underground during the second hou； and rainbows start to show in the third hou.”

　　清明最早只是一种节气的名称，其变成纪念祖先的节日与寒食节有关。晋文公把寒食节的后一天定为清明节，距今已有二千五百多年的历史。清明节又叫踏青节，在仲春与暮春之交，也就是冬至后的第108天。清明节是中国民间传统节日，也是最重要的祭祀节日之一，是祭祖和扫墓的日子。

　　Initially Qingming is just the name of a solar term， how it becomes a festival to commemorate the ancestors has to do with the Cold Food Festival. It has been more than 2500 years since Duke Wen of Jin established the day after the Cold Food Festival as the Qingming festival. Qingming Festival is also called the Outing Festival. It falls on the day in between mid- and late spring， which is the 108th day after the winter solstice. Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese festival， also one of the most important festivals of sacrifice， a day of paying respect to ancestors and sweeping tombs.

　　节气特征

　　Weather Features

　　清明是表征物候的节气，含有天气晴朗、草木繁茂的意思。常言道：“清明断雪，谷雨断霜。”中国北方，气温回升很快，降水稀少，干燥多风，是一年中沙尘天气多的时段。而除了东北与西北地区外，大部分地区的日平均气温已升到12℃以上，大江南北直至长城内外，到处是一片繁忙的春耕景象。

　　The term of Qingming characterizes the phenology of the solar term， implying sunny days and lush vegetation， as the saying goes：“Snow will be off after Qingming and frost will be off after Guyu.” In Northern China， during the Qingming period， temperature rises quickly with little precipitation and much dry wind. It’s a period with the most sand storms in a year. Except for the northeast and northwest regions， the average temperature in most areas has risen to above 12 ℃. Busy scenes of spring plowing and sowing can be found everywhere， ranging from the north and south of the Yangtze river to inside and outside of the Great Wall. 

　　传统习俗

　　Traditions

　　清明节的习俗是丰富有趣的，除了讲究禁火、扫墓，还有踏青、荡秋千、蹴鞠、打马球、插柳等一系列风俗体育活动。相传这是因为清明节要寒食禁火，为了防止寒食冷餐伤身，所以大家来参加一些体育活动，以锻炼身体。因此，这个节日中既有祭扫新坟生别死离的悲酸泪，又有踏青游玩的欢笑声，是一个富有特色的节日。

　　The traditional customs of the Qingming Festival are abundant and interesting. In addition to a fire ban and tomb-sweeping， spring-outing， playing swing， playing Cuju and polo， and wearing willow branches are all among the many customs and sports activities on Qingming. Legend has it that because heating food is under ban on Qingming， it is good for people to participate in some sports activities and exercise in order to prevent the cold food and beverages from harming health. Thus， the festival combines both the bitter tears of remembering the dead through cleaning new tombs and the laughter of having fun while outing， making it a rather distinctive holiday.

　　荡秋千 Swinging

　　这是我国古代清明节习俗。秋千，意即揪着皮绳而迁移。它的历史很古老，最早叫千秋，后为了避忌讳，改为秋千。古时的秋千多用树桠枝为架，再栓上彩带做成。后来逐步发展为用两根绳索加上踏板的秋千。打秋千不仅可以增进健康，而且可以培养勇敢精神，至今为人们特别是儿童所喜爱。

　　Swinging is a custom of the festival during ancient time. Swing means grabbing a leather cord and moving. It has a long history. Originally it is called Qianqiu， later it was changed to Qiuqian as Qianqiu refers to the emperor， a taboo to be avoided in China. In ancient time， a swing often used tree twigs as frames， with ribbons tying to the frame. Later， it gradually developed into a swing pedal hung by two ropes. Swinging not only can improve health， but also can foster courage， loved by many people， especially children until today.

　　蹴鞠 Cuju

　　鞠是一种皮球，球皮用皮革做成，球内用毛塞紧。蹴鞠，就是用足去踢球。这是古代清明节时人们喜爱的一种游戏。相传是黄帝发明的，最初目的是用来训练武士。

　　Ju is a kind of leather ball stuffed with feathers. Cuju literally means to play ball with feet. It is a game loved by people during the Qingming Festival in ancient time. Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor invented Cuju， the original purpose of which was to train warriors.

　　扫墓 Tomb-Sweeping

　　扫墓，原本是清明的前一天（或前三天） 寒食的习俗，唐代以来逐渐合并于清明。才成了清明节的习俗。谓之对祖先的“思时之敬”。其实，扫墓在秦以前就有了，但不一定是在清明之际，清明扫墓则是秦以后的事。到唐朝才开始盛行。《清通礼》云：“岁，寒食及霜降节，拜扫圹茔，届期素服诣墓，具酒馔及芟剪草木之器，周胝封树，剪除荆草，故称扫墓。”并相传至今。

　　Tomb-sweeping， is originally a custom of the day （or three days） before Qingming， the Cold Food festival. The two festivals have merged gradually since the Tang Dynasty and finally settled on the day of Qingming， becoming the custom of the Qingming festival. As a matter of fact， tomb-sweeping had started before the Qin Dynasty， but not necessarily on Qingming festival. Tomb-sweeping on Qingming started after the Qin Dynasty and flourished during the Tang Dynasty. It’s a time to express missing and respect to the ancestors. According to Qing- Universal Ceremony： “On the Cold Food Festival， also known as the Frost Festival， the descendants would worship the ancestors by sweeping tombs. On this day， they would wear white clothes， taking wines， food and tools for clearing wild grass on the tombs. They would prune the branches and clear wild grass on the tombs， hence the name tomb-sweeping.” 

　　踏青 Stepping the greens

　　又叫春游。古时叫探春、寻春等。清明时节，春回大地，自然界到处呈现一派生机勃勃的景象，正是郊游的大好时光。我国民间长期保持着清明踏青的习惯。

　　Also known as spring outing， or spring visiting and spring searching in the old days. During the Qingming period， spring returns and everything in nature takes on a new look. It is a great time for outing. This custom can be traced back to a long time ago and followed till today. 

　　植树 Tree Planting

　　清明植树最早源于清明戴柳、插柳。每逢清明，人们都要开展扫墓祭祖、郊外踏青等户外活动，同时妇女和儿童还要把刚发芽的柳条编成环戴在头上，成为应节的点缀。柳在中国人心中有辟邪保平安的功用。佛教认为柳可以驱鬼，柳枝又可度人，观音菩萨的净水瓶和杨柳枝，可以遍洒甘露救人脱难，早年民间求雨时也戴柳条。从节令上讲，二十四节气中的清明，正是北方春回大地万物复苏的季节，非常适合栽种树木。

　　Qingming tree planting originated from the activities of wearing willow branches and planting willows.  During the Qingming Festival， people would engage in outdoor activities such as worshiping the ancestors， sweeping tombs， and outings， while women and children would make a ring of budding willow branches to wear on their head， as a festive embellishment. Willows in Chinese people‘s minds can prevent evil spirits and guard security. In Buddhism， it is believed that willows have a function of exorcism and willow branches can save people， just as those in the jar held by Guanyin（Goddess of Mercy）， who would spread pure water with willow branches to save people off sufferings and difficulties.  In early days， people also wear willow braches while praying for rain. From the perspective of solar terms， Qingming， as one of the twenty-four solar terms， is a time spring returns to Northern China and everything wakes up from winter hibernation， hence very suitable for planting trees.

　　放风筝 Flying Kites

　　放风筝也是清明时节人们所喜爱的活动。每逢清明时节，人们不仅白天放，夜间也放。夜里在风筝下或风稳拉线上挂上一串串彩色的小灯笼，像闪烁的明星，被称为“神灯”。过去，有的人把风筝放上蓝天后，便剪断牵线，任凭清风把它们送往天涯海角，据说这样能除病消灾，给自己带来好运。

　　Kite-flying is an activity favored by many people. During the Qingming Festival， kites are not only flown during the day time but also in the evening. Little lanterns are tied to the kite or to the string that holds the kite. And when the kite is flying in the sky， the lanterns look like twinkling stars and are called the “god’s lanterns.” In the past， some people would cut the string while the kite is in the sky to let it fly free. It is said that diseases and misfortunes can be eliminated by doing this and good luck will come. 

　　节气谚语

　　Proverbs on the Solar Term

　　清明断雪，谷雨断霜。

　　Snow will be off after Qingming and frost will be off after Guyu.

　　清明时节，麦长三节。

　　Wheat grows fast on Qingming.

　　清明前后，种瓜点豆。

　　It’s time to plant melons and beans before and after Qingming.

　　麦怕清明连日雨，稻怕寒露一场霜。

　　It’s a disaster for wheat if it rains for days around Qingming， a disaster for rice if frost falls on Hanlu.

　　清明晒得杨柳枯，又有面来又有麸。

　　If it’s so sunny on Qingming that willows even wither， then it will be a great harvest in autumn.

　　清明诗句

　　Poems on Qingming

　　“欢迎各位网友试译！

　　Welcome to translate for us！

　　《清明》

　　（唐）杜牧

　　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。

　　《寒食》

　　（唐）韩翃

　　春城无处不飞花，寒食东风御柳斜。

　　日暮汉宫传蜡烛，轻烟散入五侯家。

　　《闾门即事》

　　（唐）张继

　　耕夫召募爱楼船，春草青青万项田；

　　试上吴门窥郡郭，清明几处有新烟。