清明節雙語故事：介子推與清明節（中英對照）
清明節雙語故事：介子推與清明節（中英對照）
The Qingming Festival is popularly associated with Jie Zitui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C.
談到清明節 ，有點歷史 知識 的人，都會聯想到歷史人物介子推。
Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him.
據歷史記載，在兩千多年以前的春秋時代 ，晉國公子重耳逃亡 在外，生活 艱苦 ，跟隨他的介子推不惜從自己的腿上割下一塊肉讓他充饑。
However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring having a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains.
后來，重耳回到晉國，作了國君（即晉文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封賞所有跟隨他流亡在外的隨從，惟獨介子推拒絕接受封賞，他帶了母親隱居綿山。
Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire.
晉文公無計可施，只好放火燒山，他想，介子推孝順 母親，一定會帶著老母出來。
To his consternation, Jie chose to remain in the mountain and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.
誰知這場大火卻把介子推母子燒死了。為了紀念 介子推，晉文公下令每年的這一天，禁止生火，家家戶戶只能吃生冷的食物，這就是寒食節的來源。
The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of the Qingming Festival and is often considered as part of it.
寒食節是在清明節的前一天，古人常把寒食節的活動延續到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食節。
As time passes, the Qingming Festival replaced the "cold food" festival.
拜介子推的習俗 也變成了清明掃墓的習俗了。
Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to let young generation of family members know ancestors' past struggles and contributions, and the story of Jie Zitui who chose death over capitulation.
無論以何種形式紀念，為了使紀念祖先的儀式更有意義，我們應該讓年輕一代的家庭成員了解先人過去的奮斗歷史，當然，還要學習介子推寧死不屈的氣節。
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