中元节(中国的鬼节)的英文介绍

百度文库

-

让每个人平等地提升自我

中元节的英文介绍

Much

like

Western

culture's

Halloween,

some

Eastern

cultures

celebrate a Fall festival where they believe the gates of hell are thrown

open, releasing hungry ghosts to wander the earth in search of food and

taking

revenge

upon

those

who

wronged

them

in

life.

This

month- long

festival is known as the Hungry Ghost Festival and takes place during the

7th lunar month.

农历正月

Unlike other celebrations of the dead in Eastern cultures that seek

to honor dead ancestors, the Hungry Ghost Festival seeks to pacify

安慰

the

hungry

ghosts,

the

ghosts

of

strangers

and

the

un-cared-for

dead.

These are the ghosts of those who died by their own hands, by accidents,

by drowning or hanging who have been denied entry into heaven. Angry

because they are forced to dwell in hell without food or comfort, when

released, they search for souls to take their place in misery.

To Taoists

（道教徒）

and Buddhists

（佛教徒）

, these evil spirits are not

to be taken lightly. They are most active at night and can take many forms

including: snakes, moths

（蛾）

, birds, foxes, wolves, and tigers. They can

even appear as beautiful men or women to seduce the living. When they

possess an individual by entering the body they cause illness and mental

disorders.

1

百度文库

-

让每个人平等地提升自我

Throughout

this

month,

to

keep

the

angry

spirits

amused,

people

stage street operas and other forms of public entertainment. In the past,

people

did

not

view

the

street

operas

as

they

were

performed

only

for

ghosts. Other rituals

（典礼，

仪式）

are performed to help souls enter into

heaven.

Taoists

do

their

best

to

avoid

late

nights

away

from

these

amusements and rituals to steer clear of the evil spirits. To appease these

wandering

spirits,

Buddhists

and

Taoists

burn

bundles

of

joss

sticks,

paper hell money, food, and other offerings by the roadside. Communities

along

rivers

or

near

the

sea

float

lanterns

in

the

shape

of

the

lotus

or

carved from fruit or gourds in the water to guide them away from their

homes. They follow the lanterns from the river bank or sea shore till they

can no longer be seen. This is done to redeem the soul of those who died

by drowning.

The most important days of this month are the 14th and 15th, the

days of the great feasts. On the 14th, a great feast would be held to honor

family ancestors. Prayers and offerings would be made at family altars.

On the following night, the 15th, they would feast for the hungry ghosts.

Held outside under the full moon, these feasts feed the evil spirits so that

they will leave the living alone and bribe

（贿赂）

the ancestors for luck

with money and the harvest.

2