初一到十五 春節習俗知多少

雖說如今我們的生活天天都像過年，但是在傳統文化中，春節的每一天都是有講究的。比如，初一早上吃餃子、放鞭炮，初二女兒回孃家拜年，初四迎竈神，等等。

咱們一起回顧一下吧。

大年初一：金雞報曉

The first day of Chinese New Year, also known as the "day of chicken", officially begins at midnight.
午夜零點時分，人們正式跨入新年第一天，也叫“金雞報曉”。

It is traditional to light firecrackers and make as much of a din as possible to chase off the evil Monster nian.
傳統習俗是，人們會燃放鞭炮，儘可能製造大的喧鬧聲趕走邪惡的妖怪“年”。

Most importantly the oldest and most senior members are visited with the visits strengthening family kinship.
最重要的習俗是，人們會拜訪家中最年長的長輩，以加強家人之間的親情。

Senior members of the family hand out red envelopes containing cash (Chinese: ya sui qian), a form of blessing and to suppress aging and the challenges of the coming year, to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers.
而家中的長輩會給晚輩（主要是兒童和青少年）紅包（中國人稱之壓歲錢），代表着對晚輩的祝福，也是祈禱自己在來年身體康健、萬事如意。

大年初二：金吠報春

On the second day, married daughters usually go back to their own family to visit parents, relatives and close friends. Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
初二，出嫁的女兒會回孃家給父母、親人和密友拜年。舊時，女兒出嫁後拜訪孃家父母的機會並不多。

Some believe the second day is also the birthday of all dogs and remember them with special treats.
還有一些人認爲初二是所有犬類的生日，因此要給它們好吃的以示慶祝。

大年初三：肥豬拱門

On the third day, an old saying goes: "A fat pig at the door", meaning the arrival of good luck and happiness.
初三，有一句俗語“肥豬拱門”，預示着好運和幸福的到來。

Traditionally, the third day is known as "Chigou's Day". Chigou literally means "red dog", an epithet of "the God of Blazing Wrath", and it is considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting.
初三還有一個傳統俗稱是“赤狗日”。赤狗的意思是紅色的狗，是熛怒之神的綽號，因此人們認爲這一天不宜接客或出訪。

Folklore says the 3rd day is also "rat marriage day" (Chinese: lao shu qu qin), so people often go to bed earlier to give rats time for their wedding.
民間還傳說初三是老鼠娶親日，所以人們晚上會早早上牀歇息，騰出時間給老鼠們成親。

大年初四：三羊開泰

The old saying "three rams bring bliss" is connected with the fourth day, which says that by making a good beginning a happy end comes.
初四則和俗語“三羊開泰”有關，意思是歲首吉利就預示着歲末幸福。

According to folklore, it is also the day to welcome back the Kitchen God. On this day, the Kitchen God would check the household and therefore people should not leave home.
民間還傳說這一日是迎回竈神的日子。這一天竈神會清點每家的人數，所以切忌外出離家。

大年初五：艮牛耕春

The fifth day is also called the "day of cow". According to Chinese folklore, the first seven days of the 1st lunar month are respectively called "day of chicken", "day of dog", "day of pig", "day of sheep", "day of cow", "day of horse" and "day of man". When creating all living beings on earth, Nu Wa, a goddess in Chinese mythology, created the six creatures before human beings.
初五也被稱爲“牛日”。民間傳說正月頭七天分別是“雞日”、“犬日”、“豬日”、“羊日”、“牛日”、“馬日”和“人日”。中國傳統神話中的女神女媧在創造凡間生物時就是遵循了這個順序，在創造人類之前先創造了這六種生物。

The fifth day is also the God of Fortune's birthday and people will celebrate this day with a large banquet. This day is also commonly known as the Festival of Po Wu, literally breaking five. According to custom, it is believed that many New Year taboos can be broken on this day.
初五還是財神的生日，人們會舉辦盛宴以示慶祝。這天也被稱爲“破五日”，字面意思是打破數字五。根據習俗，許多新年禁忌過此日皆可破。

大年初六：馬到成功

On the sixth day, people make wishes for "ma dao cheng gong", win success immediately upon arrival.
初六，人們祈禱“馬到成功”，意思是成功馬上就會到來。

According to tradition, families usually send away the Ghost of Poverty on this day. To send away him, Chinese people will usually throw away their ragged clothes, rubbish and other dirty things.
各家各戶在初六有送“窮鬼”的傳統。人們會扔掉破爛的衣服、垃圾和其他髒東西，預示送走窮鬼。

By doing this Chinese people wish to send away poverty and welcome the beautiful days and good luck in the New Year.
這個習俗寓意趕走貧窮，新的一年迎來好日子和好運氣。

大年初七：人壽年豐

The seventh day is commonly referred as the "day of man", and in most parts of China people will eat noodles as they symbolize longevity in Chinese culture.
初七是“人日”，中國各地人民都會吃麪條，因爲麪條在中國文化裏寓意長壽。

大年初八：放生祈福

The eighth day is believed to be the birthday of millet, an important crop in ancient China.
初八被認爲是中國古代一種重要糧食——谷的生日。

According to folk proverbs, if this day is bright and clear the year will be a harvest year; however, if this day is cloudy or even rainy, the year will suffer from poor harvest.
根據民間俗語，這一天如果晴朗明亮就預示着大豐收，而如果多雲甚至下雨就預示着今年會歉收。

Meanwhile, people also set free captive animals on this day, with a blessing for all living beings to flourish in the New Year.
此外，這一天人們還會放生動物，祝福新的一年裏所有生物都繁榮興旺，生生不息。

大年初九：玉皇天誕

The ninth day is called Ti Kong Dan, or the birthday of the Jade Emperor. There will be grand ceremonies in Taoist temples on this day, and ordinary families also offer sacrifices to the Jade Emperor.
初九被稱爲“天公誕”，即玉帝的生日。這一天，道家寺廟會舉辦華麗隆重的慶典，尋常人家也會祭祀玉帝。

大年初十：祭石感恩

The 10th day is believed to be the birthday of the God of Stone which played a very important role in the agricultural society of ancient China.
初十被認爲是石頭神的生日，在古代中國的農業社會佔有非常重要的地位。

On this day, people are forbidden to move any stone, including stone rollers, stone mills and herb grinders, and should not cut into a mountain for rock or build a house with rocks, otherwise bad things will happen to the crops.
這一天切忌移動石頭，包括石碾、石磨、研磨器具等等，也不能開山採石或用岩石建房子，否則這年莊稼就會遭殃。

People also burn incense and candles for the stones and offer pancake to the God of Stone.
人們還會焚香、點蠟燭以供奉石頭，向石頭神上貢烤餅。

正月十一：祭奉紫姑

People make offerings to Zi Gu, the guardian angel for weak women, on the 11th day.
正月十一，人們供奉紫姑，紫姑是可憐女子的守護神。

This day is also for Yuefu (fathers-in-law) to entertain Nuxu (sons-in-law).
這一天也是岳父宴請子婿的日子。

In many areas, after this day, people will start preparing for the upcoming Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day of the 1st month.
許多地方在這天之後會開始準備即將到來的燈節——正月十五。

正月十二：搭建燈棚

Families buy lanterns and build a lantern shack on the 12th day.
家家戶戶會買燈籠，然後在正月十二建一個燈籠棚。

正月十三：竈下點燈

On the 13th day, preparations for Lantern Festival continue.
正月十三，繼續準備元宵節。

正月十四：娘娘誕辰

The 14th day is the birthday of the Goddess of Linshui, who is believed to protect women from dying in childbirth. People make offerings to the goddess on this day.
正月十四是臨水娘娘的生日，臨水娘娘是拯救難產婦女的神仙。人們在這一天供奉臨水娘娘。

正月十五：夜照田蠶

The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is commonly celebrated as Yuan Xiao Jie, or Lantern Festival. The festivities of the Chinese New Year reach a climax on this day.
正月十五一般被稱爲元宵節或者燈節，中國新年慶祝活動在這一天達到頂峯。

Since early morning, dragon and lion dancers parade on streets crowded with people. In the evening families go out together to enjoy the full moon and appreciate colorful lanterns and also solve lantern riddles.
一大早，街上就擠滿了人羣，觀看舞龍舞獅。晚上，全家人會一同外出享受滿月，欣賞繽紛多彩的燈籠，一起猜燈謎。

Chinese people also eat yuan xiao, a traditional food made of glutinous rice flour which symbolizes family togetherness and reunion.
人們還會吃一種由糯米做成的傳統美食——元宵，寓意闔家團圓。

This day officially marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations.
這一天往往爲中國新年慶祝活動劃上句點。