中英双语：小年到正月十五的春节习俗(7)

腊月二十九，人们动身扫墓，拜祭祖先。据说春节始于商朝（公元前1600年至公元前1100年），那时人们在辞旧迎新之际祭祀神灵和祖先。
大年三十：除夕守岁
Chinese people aresupposed to stay up the whole night on the 30th day of the 12th month in theLunar Calendar
腊月三十，人们熬夜守岁。
In Chinese mythology,a monster called nian would come out to harm people on New Year"s Eve, sopeople get together, staying up and chatting, hoping for a peaceful passage oftime. The custom of staying up (Chinese: shou tai sui) symbolizes the wardingoff of all diseases and disasters and wishing good luck in the New Year.
中国神话里，一头叫“年”的妖怪会在新年的前一夜跑出来伤害人类，因此人们聚在一起，守岁聊天，祈祷能平安度过这一晚。因此，中国人将新年前夕熬夜的习俗称为“守太岁”，意味着远离疾病灾祸，祈祷新年好运。
Chinese people attachgreat importance to the Spring Festival Eve, when all family members eat dinnertogether.
中国人十分重视除夕（即新年前一夜），彼时阖家团圆，共享团圆年夜饭。
大年初一：金鸡报晓
The first day ofChinese New Year, also known as the "day of chicken", officiallybegins at midnight.
午夜零点时分，人们正式跨入新年第一天，也叫“金鸡报晓”。
It is traditional tolight firecrackers and make as much of a din as possible to chase off the evilmonster nian.