元宵节，又称上元节、小正月、元夕或灯节，是中国的传统节日之一，时间为每年农历正月十五。正月是农历的元月，古人称“夜”为“宵”，正月十五是一年中第一个月圆之夜，所以称正月十五为“元宵节”。根据道教“三元”的说法，正月十五又称为“上元节”。元宵节习俗自古以来就以热烈喜庆的观灯习俗为主。2008年6月，元宵节选入第二批国家级非物质文化遗产。
元宵灯节期间，也是男女青年与情人相会的时机。所以说元宵节是地道的中国情人节。
节日起源
元宵节是中国的传统节日，元宵节习俗的形成有一个较长的过程，根源于民间开灯祈福古俗。开灯祈福通常在正月十四夜便开始“试灯”，十五日夜为‘“正灯’，民间要点灯盏，又称“送灯盏”，以进行祭神祈福活动。
东汉佛教文化的传入，对于形成元宵节习俗也有着重要的推动意义，汉明帝永平年间，汉明帝为了弘扬佛法，下令正月十五夜在宫中和寺院“燃灯表佛”。因此正月十五夜燃灯的习俗随着佛教文化影响的扩大及后来道教文化的加入逐渐在中国扩展开来。
南北朝时，元宵张灯渐成风气。梁武帝笃信佛教，其宫中正月十五大张灯火。唐朝时，中外文化交流更为密切，佛教大兴，仕官百姓普遍在正月十五这一天“燃灯供佛”，佛家灯火于是遍布民间。从唐代起，元宵张灯即成为法定之事。
节日习俗
猜灯谜
猜灯谜又称打灯谜，是中国独有的富有民族风格的一种传统民俗文娱活动形式，是从古代就开始流传的元宵节特色活动。
每逢农历正月十五，传统民间都要挂起彩灯，燃放焰火，后来有好事者把谜语写在纸条上，贴在五光十色的彩灯上供人猜。因为谜语能启迪智慧又迎合节日气氛，所以响应的人众多，渐渐地猜谜就成了元宵节不可缺少的节目。灯谜增添节日气氛，展现了古代劳动人民的聪明才智和对美好生活的向往。
闹花灯
闹花灯是元宵节传统节日习俗，始于西汉，兴盛于隋唐。隋唐以后，历代灯火之风盛行，并沿袭传于后世。而正月十五，又是一年一度的闹花灯放烟火的高潮。所以也把元宵节称为“灯节”，在山西的县城一级城廓甚至乡镇中，这些居民集中地，繁华热闹区，在正月十五到来之前，满街挂满灯笼，到处花团锦簇，灯光摇曳，到正月十五晚上达到高潮。
吃元宵
元宵古称“浮元子”，是一种雅俗共尝，甜而不腻，脍炙人口的民间小吃，全国流行。正月十五吃元宵，“元宵”作为食品，在中国也由来已久。
近千年来，元宵的制作日见精致。光就面皮而言，就有江米面、粘高梁面、黄米面和苞榖面。馅料的内容更是甜咸荤素、应有尽有。甜的有所谓桂花白糖、山楂白糖、什锦、豆沙、芝麻、花生等。咸的有猪油肉馅，可以做油炸炒元宵。素的有芥、蒜、韭、姜组成的五辛元宵，有表示勤劳、长久、向上的意思。
舞狮子
舞狮子是中国优秀的民间艺术，每逢元宵佳节或集会庆典，民间都以舞狮助兴。这一习俗起源于三国时期，南北朝时开始流行，已有一千多年的历史。
“舞狮子”始于魏晋，盛于唐，又称“狮子舞”、“太平乐”，一般由三人完成，二人装扮成狮子，一人充当狮头，一人充当狮身和后脚，另一人当引狮人，舞法上又有文武之分，文舞表现狮子的温驯，有抖毛、打滚等动作，武狮表现狮子的凶猛，有腾跃、蹬高、滚彩球等动作。
元宵节除了上面的习俗外，各地还有不同的习俗，如：划旱船、踩高跷、逐鼠、耍龙灯、走百病等，活动精彩纷呈、年味十足。
文学记述
青玉案·元夕
（宋）辛弃疾
东风夜放花千树。更吹落，星如雨。宝马雕车香满路。凤箫声动，玉壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞。
蛾儿雪柳黄金缕。笑语盈盈暗香去。众里寻他千百度。蓦然回首，那人却在，灯火阑珊处。
十五夜观灯
（唐）卢照邻
锦里开芳宴，兰缸艳早年。
缛彩遥分地，繁光远缀天。
接汉疑星落，依楼似月悬。
别有千金笑，来映九枝前。
京都元夕
（元）元好问
袨服华妆着处逢，
六街灯火闹儿童。
长衫我亦何为者，
也在游人笑语中。
元宵月正圆
闽南歌谣
闹元宵，月正圆，闽台同胞心相依，扶老携幼返故里，了却两岸长相思。热泪盈眶啥滋味？久别重逢分外喜！
闹元宵，煮汤圆，骨肉团聚满心喜，男女老幼围桌边，一家同吃上元丸。摇篮血迹难割离，叶落归根是正理。
虎虎生威 闹元宵
元宵节的时间
元宵节是中国的传统佳节，在每年的农历正月十五这一天庆祝。元宵节的到来也标志着春节的结束。
The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, which is on the 15th of the first month of the Chinese New Year. The festival marks the end of the celebrations of the Chinese New Year.
元宵节的习俗
在元宵节的白天里，会有很多表演节目，例如，舞龙灯、舞狮、采莲船、扭秧歌、踩高跷和打鼓。到了晚上，除了华丽的灯笼，烟火也是另一道美丽的风景。很多家庭从春节开始就在放烟火，并且延续到了元宵节。一些本地政府还会组织烟火晚会。在晚上，当新年的第一轮满月出来后，人们就会被天空中华丽的烟火和明月所陶醉。
In the daytime of the Festival, performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a yangge dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be staged. On the night, except for magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Most families spare some fireworks from the Spring Festival and let them off in the Lantern Festival. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party. On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people become really intoxicated by the imposing fireworks and bright moon in the sky.
01 Guessing Lantern Riddles 猜灯谜
猜灯谜也是元宵节活动的一个基本组成部分。灯笼的所有者将谜语写在一张纸条上，然后将纸条展示在灯笼上。如果赏灯者猜出谜语，就将纸条取出，然后找灯笼所有者确认答案。打对的话，他们就可以领取一份小礼品。这个活动起源于宋朝(960——1279)。猜灯谜活动极富情趣和智慧，因此在全社会广受欢迎。
"Guessing lantern riddles"is an essential part of the Festival. Lantern owners write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns. If visitors have solutions to the riddles, they can pull the paper out and go to the lantern owners to check their answer. If they are right, they will get a little gift. The activity emerged during people's enjoyment of lanterns in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). As riddle guessing is interesting and full of wisdom, it has become popular among all social strata.
02 Lion Dance 舞狮子
根据古代习俗，狮子是勇敢和力量的象征，可以保护人们，因此，通过舞狮，每个人都祈求吉祥和幸福的生活。
According to ancient custom, the lion is a symbol of boldness and strength that can protect people, so by performing the lion dance, everyone prays for an auspicious and happy life.
03Walking on Stilts 踩高跷
踩高跷是另一种民间艺术，它的起源可以追溯到春秋时期(公元前770 - 476)。表演者们不仅要把高跷绑在脚上走，还会做一些极其高难度的动作。由于演员扮演不同的角色，如僧侣、小丑和渔民，并表演生动和幽默的行为，这种艺术使许多人感到有趣。
Walking on stilts, another folk art, traces its origins to the Spring and Autumn period (770BC - 476BC). Performers not only walk on stilts by binding them to their feet, but also do some breathtakingly difficult moves. As actors impersonate different characters like monks, clowns, and fishermen and perform vivid and humorous acts, the art amuses many people.
04Eating Yuanxiao吃元宵
元宵是元宵节的特色食品，其名称和“团圆”的发音相近，取团圆之意，象征全家人团团圆圆，和睦幸福。
Yuanxiao is the special food for the Lantern Festival, which has a similar pronunciation with "tuanyuan" in Chinese, meaning reunion, harmony and happiness for the family.
元宵小知识
赏花灯 Flower Lantern Viewing
放花灯 Flower Lantern Release
舞龙 Dragon Dance
观灯 Lantern watching
走百病 Walking the hundred diseases
热火朝天 Hot and enthusiastic
张灯结彩 decorated with lanterns
灯火通明 Bright lights
阖家团圆 The whole family is reunited
只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯。
Only the state officials are allowed to set fire, but not the people are allowed to light the lamps.
正月是农历的元月，古人称夜为“宵”，所以称正月十五为元宵节。元宵节又称为“上元节”。按中国民间的传统，在这天人们要点彩灯、猜灯谜、吃元宵。小伙伴们知道元宵节相关的英语表达吗？一起来学习吧！
元宵节有很多习俗，其中非常重要的一个便是挂灯笼，所以元宵节还有“灯节”之称，因此元宵节的英文被翻译成了“the Lantern Festival”
除了叫元宵节，它还有很多小名，如上元节、春灯节、小正月等。
In addition to the Lantern Festival, it also has other names, such as Yuan Festival, Spring Lantern Festival, Small First Month, etc.
元宵节用英语怎么说
元宵节：Lantern Festival;Festival of Lanterns
元宵、汤圆用英语怎么说？
汤圆在英语里也用dumplings表示，饺子、包子，汤圆等外面有皮包着，里面有馅儿的中式点心都能统称dumplings。
元宵：yuanxiao；the rice glue ball；sweet dumplings
汤圆：glutinous rice balls；glue pudding；sweet dumplings
吃汤圆Eating Tangyuan
Eating Tangyuan is an important tradition for the Lantern Festival. Tangyuan, also know as yuanxiao,is a Chinese food made from glutinous rice flour mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then cooked and served in boiling water.
吃汤圆是元宵节的一项重要习俗。汤圆又名“元宵”，是由糯米粉等做的球形食品，一般有馅料，煮熟带汤吃。
赏花灯Lighting lanterns
Decorating and hanging lanterns is the main tradition of the festival, with lanterns big and small hung around households, parks, streets and other public spaces. Red lanterns of various shape and type will attract countless visitors to watch.
正月十五赏花灯是元宵节必有的另一项习俗。人们把大大小小的花灯悬挂于家门口、公园、街道或者其他公共场所。各式各样的红灯笼将会吸引无数游客前来观赏。
舞狮子Lion dances
The lion dance is one of the oldest traditions to celebrate the Chinese New Year. In ancient times, people regarded the lion as a symbol of bravery and strength and believed the dance could drive away bad fortune to protect people and their livestock. The custom has continued to the modern day and lion dances are performed at important events on the Chinese calendar, such as the Lantern Festival, to bring good luck.
舞狮子是另一项庆祝新春的古老习俗。在古代，人们把狮子作为勇气和力量的象征，认为舞狮可以消灾降福。所以舞狮子的传统就延续至今，并且每逢佳节或庆典，如元宵节都会舞狮子来祈求好运。
猜灯谜Lantern riddles
Solving riddles on lanterns has been a popular tradition since the Song Dynasty. People write riddles on paper and stick them to the lanterns and if someone guesses correctly, they can pull the riddle off. The notes often contain messages of good fortune and wishes.
从宋代开始，猜灯谜就是一项非常受欢迎的民俗活动。人们把谜语写到纸上并悬之于灯上，供人猜射。通常，谜底都是各种吉祥话和祝福。
看烟火Watch fireworks
In the daytime of the Festival,performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance,a yangge dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be staged.On the night,except for magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party.On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people become really intoxicated by the imposing fireworks and bright moon in the sky.
元宵节的白天会有舞龙舞狮、划旱船、扭秧歌、踩高跷。而在晚上，除了各种大型灯会，灿烂的焰火也是一幅美丽的画卷。有的地方政府甚至会组织焰火晚会。当新年的第一轮圆月升上夜空时，人们都会因燃放的烟火和空中的明月而兴奋。
舞龙灯Dragon lantern dance
Dragon dance is a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance it is most often seen in festival celebration. The dance is performed by a team of dancers who manipulate a long flexible figure of a dragon using poles positioned at regular intervals along the length of the dragon.
舞龙灯是中国独具特色的民俗活动。与舞狮子一样，每逢佳节，人们都要舞龙灯。表演者由数十人组成，每人用一杆间隔支撑起一条长龙。
Chinese dragons are a symbol of China, and they are believed to bring good luck to people, therefore the longer the dragon in the dance, the more luck it will bring to the community.
龙是中国的象征，相传龙能够带来吉祥和好运。耍的龙灯越长，就越能给当地人民带来好运。因此，每逢春节、元宵节，人们都会举行舞龙灯的活动。
踩高跷Walk on stilts
Walking on stilts is another popular traditional performance for the Lantern Festival, especially in Northern China. According to the archives, our Chinese ancestors began using stilts to help them gather fruits from trees.This practical use of stilts gradually developed into a kind of folk dance.
踩高跷是元宵节的另一项重要民俗，尤其在中国北方。据记载，我们的祖先踩高跷是为了从树上摘果子。之后，高跷逐渐发展成为一种群众性技艺表演艺术。
转自：“山东省荣年英语教研”微信公众号
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