中英双语：小年到正月十五的春节习俗(9)

初三，有一句俗语“肥猪拱门”，预示着好运和幸福的到来。
Traditionally, thethird day is known as "Chigou"s Day". Chigou literally means"red dog", an epithet of "the God of Blazing Wrath", and itis considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting.
初三还有一个传统俗称是“赤狗日”。赤狗的意思是红色的狗，是熛怒之神的绰号，因此人们认为这一天不宜接客或出访。
Folklore says the 3rdday is also "rat marriage day" (Chinese: lao shu qu qin), so peopleoften go to bed earlier to give rats time for their wedding.
民间还传说初三是老鼠娶亲日，所以人们晚上会早早上床歇息，腾出时间给老鼠们成亲。
大年初四：三羊开泰
The old saying"three rams bring bliss" is connected with the fourth day, which saysthat by making a good beginning a happy end comes.
初四则和俗语“三羊开泰”有关，意思是岁首吉利就预示着岁末幸福。
According to folklore,it is also the day to welcome back the Kitchen God. On this day, the KitchenGod would check the household and therefore people should not leave home.
民间还传说这一日是迎回灶神的日子。这一天灶神会清点每家的人数，所以切忌外出离家。
大年初五：艮牛耕春
The fifth day is alsocalled the "day of cow". According to Chinese folklore, the firstseven days of the 1st lunar month are respectively called "day ofchicken", "day of dog", "day of pig", "day ofsheep", "day of cow", "day of horse" and "day ofman". When creating all living beings on earth, Nu Wa, a goddess inChinese mythology, created the six creatures before human beings.