May:Dragon Boat Festival(端午节)
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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

5th day of the 5th lunar month

Qu Yuan

The Dragon Boat Festival, also called the Duanwu Festival, is celebrated1 on the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese calendar. For thousands of years, the festival has been marked by eating zong zi (glutinous2 rice(糯米)wrapped to form a pyramid using bamboo or reed leaves) and racing3 dragon boats.

The festival is best known for its dragon-boat races, especially in the southern provinces where there are many rivers and lakes. Thisregatta(赛舟会)commemorates the death of Qu Yuan , an honest minister who is said to have committed suicide by drowning himself in a river.

    Qu was a minister of the State of Chu situated4 in present-day Hunan and Hubei provinces, during theWarring States Period(475-221BC)(战国时期). He was upright, loyal and highly esteemed5 for his wise counsel that brought peace and prosperity to the state. However, when a dishonest and corrupt6 prince vilified7 Qu, he was disgraced and dismissed from office. Realizing that the country was now in the hands of evil and corrupt officials, Qu grabbed a large stone and leapt into the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month. Nearby fishermen rushed over to try and save him but were unable to even recover his body. Thereafter, the state declined and was eventually conquered by the State of Qin.

The people of Chu who mourned the death of Qu threw rice into the river to feed his ghost every year on the fifth day of the fifth month. But one year, the spirit of Qu appeared and told the mourners that a hugereptile(爬行动物)in the river had stolen the rice. The spirit then advised them to wrap the rice in silk and bind8 it with five different-colored threads before tossing it into the river.

    During the Duanwu Festival, a glutinous rice pudding called zong zi is eaten to symbolize9 the rice offerings to Qu. Ingredients such as beans,lotus seeds(莲子),chestnuts(栗子), pork fat and the golden yolk10 of a salted duck egg are often added to the glutinous rice. The pudding is then wrapped with bamboo leaves, bound with a kind of raffia and boiled in salt water for hours.

   The dragon-boat races symbolize the many attempts to rescue and recover Qu's body. A typical dragon boat ranges from 50-100 feet in length, with a beam of about 5.5 feet, accommodating two paddlers seated side by side.

A wooden dragon head is attached at the bow, and a dragon tail at thestern(船尾). A banner hoisted11 on a pole is also fastened at the stern and the hull12 is decorated with red, green and blue scales edged in gold. In the center of the boat is a canopied13 shrine14 behind which the drummers,gong(铜锣)beaters andcymbal(铙钹)players are seated to set the pace for the paddlers. There are also men positioned at the bow to set off firecrackers, toss rice into the water and pretend to be looking for Qu. All of the noise and pageantry creates an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement for the participants and spectators alike. The races are held among different clans15, villages and organizations, and the winners are awarded medals, banners, jugs16 of wine and festive17 meals.



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 celebrated iwLzpz     
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的
参考例句:
  • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
  • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
2 glutinous jeWzj     
adj.粘的,胶状的
参考例句:
  • The sauce was glutinous and tasted artificial.这种酱有些黏,尝起来不是非常地道。
  • The coat covering the soft candies is made from glutinous rice.包裹软糖的江米纸是由糯米做成的。
3 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
4 situated JiYzBH     
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的
参考例句:
  • The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
  • She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
5 esteemed ftyzcF     
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为
参考例句:
  • The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 corrupt 4zTxn     
v.贿赂,收买;adj.腐败的,贪污的
参考例句:
  • The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
  • This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。
7 vilified fbd35e9dae25d8a1cf13da5adee55a26     
v.中伤,诽谤( vilify的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was vilified in newspapers. 他在报纸上受到了诽谤。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She was vilified by the press for her controversial views. 因她持有异议,新闻界对她横加挞伐。 来自互联网
8 bind Vt8zi     
vt.捆,包扎;装订;约束;使凝固;vi.变硬
参考例句:
  • I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
  • He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。
9 symbolize YrvwU     
vt.作为...的象征,用符号代表
参考例句:
  • Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
  • Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。
10 yolk BVTzt     
n.蛋黄,卵黄
参考例句:
  • This dish would be more delicious with some yolk powder.加点蛋黄粉,这道菜就会更好吃。
  • Egg yolk serves as the emulsifying agent in salad dressing.在色拉调味时,蛋黄能作为乳化剂。
11 hoisted d1dcc88c76ae7d9811db29181a2303df     
把…吊起,升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。
  • The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。
12 hull 8c8xO     
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳
参考例句:
  • The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。
  • The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。
13 canopied canopied     
adj. 遮有天篷的
参考例句:
  • Mist canopied the city. 薄雾笼罩着城市。
  • The centrepiece was a magnificent canopied bed belonged to Talleyrand, the great 19th-century French diplomat. 展位中心是一架华丽的四柱床,它的故主是19世纪法国著名外交家塔列郎。
14 shrine 0yfw7     
n.圣地,神龛,庙;v.将...置于神龛内,把...奉为神圣
参考例句:
  • The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
  • They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。
15 clans 107c1b7606090bbd951aa9bdcf1d209e     
宗族( clan的名词复数 ); 氏族; 庞大的家族; 宗派
参考例句:
  • There are many clans in European countries. 欧洲国家有很多党派。
  • The women were the great power among the clans [gentes], as everywhere else. 妇女在克兰〈氏族〉里,乃至一般在任何地方,都有很大的势力。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
16 jugs 10ebefab1f47ca33e582d349c161a29f     
(有柄及小口的)水壶( jug的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Two china jugs held steaming gravy. 两个瓷罐子装着热气腾腾的肉卤。
  • Jugs-Big wall lingo for Jumars or any other type of ascenders. 大岩壁术语,祝玛式上升器或其它种类的上升器。
17 festive mkBx5     
adj.欢宴的,节日的
参考例句:
  • It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节,每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
  • We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。
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