過年的四大傳統風俗

　　“過年”是我們每個華夏兒女共同的盛大節日，中國人過年熱鬧喜慶，還有一些很有講究的風俗。馬上又要過年了，這裡向讀者介紹傳統的四大年俗：

　　一、拜神與祭祖

　　過年風俗源於遠古農耕民族的“臘祭”。“臘祭”是古人“神先享用”意識的體現，人們習慣“索鬼神而祭祀”、“合聚萬物而索享之”，形成“歲終出祭”古俗。由於宗教、風俗本身的保守性及歷代統治者的倡導，這種原始時代的“敬神”禮俗代代相襲，並逐漸演化為祭灶神。民諺曰：“三祭灶，四掃屋……”即指每年的臘月二十三（或二十四）祭祀灶神。灶神，俗稱灶君、灶爺、灶王爺，自灶神產生開始，老百姓就頂禮相拜。人們想祈福禳災，便對灶王爺恭恭敬敬。

　　“二十三，糖瓜粘”，說的便是臘月二十三或二十四，灶王爺昇天稟報一年情況時，人們要祭灶，麥芽糖和酒必不可少，酒是為讓灶王爺喝得暈頭轉向，麥芽糖甜而粘，灶神嘴吃甜後只能說好話。民間百姓把“拿人手短，吃人嘴軟”用在對灶神的供奉上。宋代范成大《祭灶詩》即雲：“古傳臘月二十四，灶君朝天欲言事……送君醉飽登天門，杓長杓短勿復雲，乞取利市歸來分。”祭灶風俗伴隨社會的進步而漸漸淡化，取而代之的則是祭祖。過年祭祖，既是對祖先一個悼懷，也祈望祖先保佑來年的平安。祭祖一般在年三十，一般百姓人家在掃房子、淨庭院、易門神、換桃符、貼春聯之後，或舉家去給祖先上墳祭拜，或把先祖的遺像掛在中堂正壁牆上，擺上祭品，點上香燭，讓後輩祭拜。晚上那頓準備多日的團年飯，大都也是先請祖先“前來”享用後方可開席。各地祭祖形式雖不盡相同，但“祭祖祈福”的含義大致一樣。

　　二、團年飯守歲

　　據民間相傳：“年”原是太古時代的一種怪獸，每屆寒冬將盡新春來臨之際，便四出噬人。古人為防禦“年”的掠食，便聚集在一起，燃起篝火，投入竹子使其爆裂出巨響，把“年”嚇跑。既然“年”怕火光、爆響，人們每逢除夕便貼紅對聯、燃放爆竹，在燭火通明中聚集守更待歲。於是，便形成吃團年飯與除夕守歲的風俗。

　　“團年飯”又稱“年夜飯”、“分歲飯”。根據《荊楚歲時記》記載，至遲在南北朝時已有吃團年飯的習俗。除夕守歲也是從吃團年飯開始，這頓飯常常得準備好幾天，是農家一年中最豐盛的闔家團聚之宴，一般從掌燈時分入席，有的一直吃到深夜。可見這頓“團年飯”是何等重要。“團年飯”南北風俗各異，但大都有所寓意。北方人喜歡包餃子，意即“更歲交子”；南方人喜歡打年糕，楚地人喜歡做魚肉糕，“糕”與“高”諧音；紅燒全魚則是祈禱“年年有餘”。

　　除夕守歲俗名“熬年”，南北朝時期就有文字記載。“簾開風入帳，燭盡炭成灰。勿疑鬢釵重，為待曉不催。”在這“一夜連雙歲，五更分二年”的除夕之夜，家人團圓，歡聚一堂，共敘親情中辭舊迎新，寄託了人們對來年年景的美好期望。

　　三、恭賀拜大年

　　《北平年謠》有“三十日，黑夜坐一宿；大年初一，出來扭一扭。”新年正月初一，人們早起後穿上嶄新的衣服，放過“開門炮”便走親訪友，相互拜年，恭祝來年大吉大利。古代通常的“拜年”順序是：先拜天地，次拜祖宗，再拜高堂，然後出門拜親朋友好，亦有初一拜本家、初二拜岳家、初三拜親戚等不同的講究，一直拜到正月十五，這年才算拜完了。古時有拜年和賀年之分：拜年是向長輩叩歲，賀年則是平輩間相互道賀。在宋代，親朋好友之間會相互送帖恭拜新年，這大概是早期的賀年片。至明代，賀年片設計更加精緻，帖上不僅印有送者的姓名、地址，還寫有“新年快樂”、“吉祥如意”之類的祝辭。

　　四、壓歲錢祈福

　　過年時晚輩給長輩拜年，長輩要將事先備好的“壓歲錢”賜予晚輩，寓意“壓歲祈福”。相傳“壓歲錢”能壓住邪祟，因為“歲”與“祟”諧音，故又稱“壓祟錢”。晚輩得到“壓歲錢”即可平安度過新歲。壓歲錢可在晚輩拜年後當眾賞給，亦可在除夕夜孩子睡著時，由家長愉偷地放在孩子的枕頭底下。清人吳曼雲《壓歲錢》詩中雲：“百十錢穿綵線長，分來再枕自收藏。”民間百姓將“壓歲錢”放置孩子枕頭下，正是為了“壓祟”，期望在惡鬼妖魔或傳說中的“年”去傷害孩子時，孩子可以用這些錢賄賂它們而化兇為吉。當然，這也是長輩們希望孩子們在來年平安健康的美好祝願。

　　廣東過年的傳統風俗

　　廣州一年一度的迎春花市 廣州美稱花城，以種花為業者，已有一千多年的歷史。現如今一年一度的迎春花市，已為世人所矚目，更成為廣州的一大民俗。每年春節前夕，廣州的大街小巷都擺滿了鮮花、盆景，各大公園都在舉辦迎春花展，特別是除夕前三天，各區的主要街道上搭起綵樓，紮起花架，四鄉花農紛紛湧來，擺開花市，售花賞花，人潮湧動，十里長街，繁花似錦，人海如潮，一直鬧到初一凌晨，方才散去，這就是廣州特有的迎春花市。

　　廣州新年派發"利是" 廣州新春風俗，在人際交往中，必備"利是"。當然，所謂"利是"，即為紅包，親朋相見，大人要給小孩"利是"。廣州市民中，市民階層十分講究，要給雙封，而內包多少紙幣則不拘，但沒有"利是"即為無禮，所以春節期間到廣州人家裡做客，要多帶幾個紅包為好，免得麻煩。甚至商場門口，也會在金桔樹上掛滿"利是"，任人摘取，以求吉利。

　　清明節，又叫踏青節，正是春光明媚草木吐綠的時節，也正是人們春遊的好時候，所以古人有清明踏青，並開展一系列體育活動的的習俗。直到今天，清明節祭拜祖先，悼念已逝的親人的習俗仍很盛行。

　　今天，小編就帶大家一起閱讀一篇關於清明習俗的英語(論壇)文章。在閱讀的過程中一起學習關於清明節的地道表達。

　　Celebrated two weeks after the vernal equinox(24節氣之一的春分), Tomb Sweeping Dayis one of the few traditional Chinese holidays that follows the lunarcalendar(lunar calendar，意為農曆、陰曆)--typically falling on April 4, 5, or 6. ItsChinese name "Qing Ming" literally means "Clear Brightness," hinting at itsimportance as a celebration of Spring. Similar to the spring festivals of othercultures, Tomb Sweeping Day celebrates the rebirth of nature, while marking thebeginning of the planting season and other outdoor activities.

　　Qing Ming Jie in Ancient Times

　　古代的清明節

　　In ancient times, people celebrated Qing Ming Jie with dancing, singing,picnics, and kite flying. Colored boiledeggs(原來古代中國的清明節和西方復活節一樣有彩蛋……小編只能感嘆歷史驚人的相似了……) would be broken to symbolize theopening of life. In the capital, the Emperor would plant trees on the palacegrounds to celebrate the renewing nature of spring. In the villages, young menand women would court each other.

　　The Tomb Sweeping Day as Celebrated Today

　　慶祝春天的清明

　　With the passing of time, this celebration of life became a day to thehonor past ancestors. Following folk religion(folk religion，民間習俗、信仰), theChinese believed that the spirits of deceased ancestors looked after the family.Sacrifices of food and spirit money could keep them happy, and the family wouldprosper through good harvests and more children.

　　Today, Chinese visit their family graves to tend to any underbrush that hasgrown. Weeds are pulled, and dirt swept away, and the family will set outofferings of food and spirit money(注意紙錢的官方說法啊：spirit money). Unlike thesacrifices at a family's home altar, the offerings at the tomb usually consistof dry, bland food. One theory is that since any number of ghosts rome around agrave area, the less appealing food will be consumed by the ancestors, and notbe plundered by strangers.

　　Honoring Ancestors

　　祭祖

　　Honoring ancestors begins with proper positioning of a gravesite andcoffin. Experts in feng shui, or geomancy, determine the quality of land by thesurrounding aspects of streams, rivers, trees, hills, and so forth. An area thatfaces south, with groves of pine trees creates the best flow of cosmic energyrequired to keep ancestors happy. Unfortunately, nowadays, with China'sburgeoning population, public cemeteries have quickly surpplanted privategravesites. Family elders will visit the gravesite at least once a year to tendto the tombs.

　　While bland food is placed by the tombs on Qing Ming Jie, the Chineseregularly provide scrumptious offerings to their ancestors at altar tables intheir homes. The food usually consists of chicken, eggs, or other dishes adeceased ancestor was fond of. Accompanied by rice, the dishes and eatingutensils are carefully arranged so as to bring good luck. Sometimes, a familywill put burning incense with the offering so as to expedite the transfer ofnutritious elements to the ancestors. In some parts of China, the food is theneaten by the entire family.

　　Kites

　　風箏

　　Besides the traditions of honoring the dead, people also often fly kits onTomb Sweeping Day. Kites can come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors.Designs could include frogs, dragonflies, butterflies, crabs, bats, andstorks.