節(jié)日詞匯：中元節(jié)知多少？

【詞匯】

Hungry Ghost Festival 中元節(jié)(也叫“鬼節(jié))

The Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month.

中元節(jié)在農(nóng)歷七月十五日。

【中元節(jié)的起源】

The origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival and the Ghost Month in China is uncertain. Cultures in Asia from India to Cambodia to Japan share similar beliefs about the month, and these traditions seem to date from before Buddha.

中元節(jié)是否起源于中國并不確定。關(guān)于該節(jié)日的文化在一些亞洲國家諸如印度、柬埔寨、日本都信奉著相似的信仰，似乎這些傳統(tǒng)都起源于佛教。

According to Taoism, the gates of hell are opened on the first day of the seventh month, and hungry ghosts are released to find food or to take revenge on those who have behaved badly according to Taoist records.

根據(jù)道教說法，農(nóng)歷七月的第一天地獄之門將打開，饑餓的鬼魂得以釋放去尋找食物或報(bào)復(fù)那些道家記載的作惡多端的人。

【中元節(jié)習(xí)俗】

Family members offer prayers to their deceased relatives, offer food and drink and burn hell bank notes and other forms of joss paper.

家庭成員向已故的親人祈禱，送上祝福，奉上食物和飲料，燒一些諸如冥幣這樣的紙錢給他們。