小年到十五 春節天天有講究
Spring Festival, which falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month is the most important festival in China and a time for family reunion, like Christmas in the West.
農曆正月初一開始，就到了中國最重要的節日——春節。人們闔家團圓，就如同西方的聖誕節一樣。Traditionally, Spring Festival starts in the early days of the 12th month of the lunar calendar and lasts until the middle of the 1st lunar month of the following year. With the modernization of China, some traditional customs are still followed today, but others have fallen by the wayside.
傳統意義上的春節始於農曆臘月（即十二月）初，一直持續到來年的正月（即一月）中旬。隨着中國的現代化，一些傳統習俗被保留了下來，而另一些卻逐漸消失在我們的視野中。As we are preparing for the most important festival, let's have a review of the traditional customs that celebrate the Spring Festival.
在我們忙着準備這個重大節日的同時，不妨來回顧一下春節有哪些傳統習俗吧。
Little New Year, which falls the 23rd day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar, is also known as the Festival of the Kitchen God, the deity who oversees the moral character of each household.
農曆臘月二十三日是小年，也是祭竈節。竈神在中國神話傳說中監管一家善惡。
People make sacrifices to the Kitchen Gold on this day. A paper image is burnt dispatching the god's spirit to Heaven to report on the family's conduct over the past year. The Kitchen God is then welcomed back by pasting a new paper image of him beside the stove.
人們在小年這一天祭拜竈神，焚燒竈神的畫像，意味着送竈神上天，稟報這家人在過去一年的德行。接着人們會在竈旁貼上新的畫像，意味着再把竈神接回來。Families undertake thorough house cleaning on the 24th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar, sweeping out the old in preparation for the coming year.
農曆臘月二十四日，各家各戶會進行大掃除掃捨去塵，預示着除舊迎新。According to tradition, ghosts and deities must choose either to return to Heaven or to stay on Earth during the last month of the year. It is believed that to ensure the ghosts and deities' timely departure, people must thoroughly clean both their bodies and their dwellings, down to every last drawer and cupboard.
根據傳統，各路鬼神在農曆臘月必須決定自己是返回天庭還是繼續留在人間。據說爲了確保鬼神及時啓程離開，人們必須徹底地沐浴乾淨、清理住處，哪怕是抽屜櫃子也不能疏忽。People turn the mill and make tofu on the 25th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar, as legend says the Jade Emperor will descend and taste the soybean curd residue to experience an austere life.
農曆臘月二十五日，人們推磨做豆腐，因爲傳說玉帝會在這一日降臨人間，品嚐豆腐渣，體味人間疾苦。According to Taoist mythology, the Jade Emperor is the Taoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below, including that of Man and Hell. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religious pantheon.
道家神話裏，玉帝是道家統治者，管理着天界及以下各界，包括人間和地獄。玉帝是中國傳統宗教諸神中最重要的神祗之一。The folk saying goes: "butcher a pig and get some meat to prepare for the New Year feast" on the 26th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar.
中國有一句俗語：“殺豬割年肉。”農曆臘月二十六正是殺豬割年肉的日子。In the old days, many people could not afford meat and they saved the best for the New Year feast. People's livelihoods have improved greatly and meat is now a very common dish in daily diet, but the Chinese still prefer having meat during festival season.
舊時許多人買不起肉，所以就把一年中最好的東西留到新年團圓飯吃。如今人們的生活質量得到了極大的改善，一日三餐裏肉食已經再常見不過，但春節期間人們仍然鍾愛肉食。People kill chickens and go to market to buy provisions for the Spring Festival on the 27th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. With the approach of the Lunar New Year, Chinese people prepare ingredients and food they need for the New Year feast. Chicken is an indispensible dish.
臘月二十七是人們動手殺雞、上市場打年貨的日子。農曆新年即將到來，中國人開始準備新年團圓飯所需的食材，而雞肉是必不可少的一道菜。After people have cleaned the house and started preparing food, they begin decorating their homes creating an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity on the 28th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. Decorations include spring couplets, New Year pictures, posters of door gods and paper-cuts.
掃舍除塵、採購食材之後，人們開始於臘月二十八日裝飾房舍，營造喜氣洋洋的節日氛圍。各色裝飾品包括春聯、年畫、門神貼畫和剪紙。On the 29th day of the 12th lunar month people visit the graves of their ancestors to honor their memory. It is said Spring Festival originated in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the start of a new one.
臘月二十九，人們動身掃墓，拜祭祖先。據說春節始於商朝（公元前1600年至公元前1100年），那時人們在辭舊迎新之際祭祀神靈和祖先。Chinese people are supposed to stay up the whole night on the 30th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar
臘月三十，人們熬夜守歲。In Chinese mythology, a monster called nian would come out to harm people on New Year's Eve, so people get together, staying up and chatting, hoping for a peaceful passage of time. The custom of staying up (Chinese: shou tai sui) symbolizes the warding off of all diseases and disasters and wishing good luck in the New Year.
中國神話裏，一頭叫“年”的妖怪會在新年的前一夜跑出來傷害人類，因此人們聚在一起，守歲聊天，祈禱能平安度過這一晚。因此，中國人將新年前夕熬夜的習俗稱爲“守太歲”，意味着遠離疾病災禍，祈禱新年好運。Chinese people attach great importance to the Spring Festival Eve, when all family members eat dinner together.
中國人十分重視除夕（即新年前一夜），彼時闔家團圓，共享團圓年夜飯。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。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。
