ARTICLE · 1208037
【中华优秀传统文化融入高中英语课堂系列】Chongyang Festival 重阳节——英汉对照阅读材料
【中华优秀传统文化融入高中英语课堂系列】Chongyang Festival 重阳节——英汉对照阅读材料
Chongyang Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that falls on the ninth day of the ninth month of Chinese calendar. In the Chinese classic The Books of Changes, also known as I Ching in Chinese,the number nine is regarded as a yang number, and since the ninth day of the ninth month contains two nines, the festival is called “Chongyang Festival”, which means “double yang”. It is also known as the “Double Ninth Festival” and has a history of more than two thousand years. Because the Chinese word for “nine” sounds like the word for “long-lasting”, the festival has long been connected with wishes for good health and a long life. 
The festival is rich in traditional customs that are closely related to the autumn season. One of the most well-known activities is climbing a hill or a high place, which allows people to enjoy the clear autumn air and the beautiful scenery far away. People also admire chrysanthemums, drink chrysanthemum wine, and wear the dogwood plant, as these customs were traditionally believed to keep people healthy and safe. Another popular food is the Double Ninth cake, a special cake eaten during the festival. These customs are not only enjoyable but also carry people’s hopes for well-being and family reunion. 
In modern times, the Double Ninth Festival has taken on a new and important meaning. In 1989, the festival was officially designated as the Day for the Elderly, and since 2012 it has been legally recognized as Senior Citizens’ Day. This change has turned the festival into an occasion for expressing respect and care for senior citizens. Communities and families organize various activities, such as visiting elderly neighbours, preparing meals for grandparents, and spending time with senior family members. The festival therefore reminds young people to value the contributions of older generations and to show them love and gratitude. 
In short, the Double Ninth Festival connects the past with the present. It keeps alive traditional customs such as hill climbing and chrysanthemum appreciation while also carrying the modern message of respecting and caring for the elderly. For young people, it is a good chance to learn about Chinese culture and to turn respect for older people into everyday action. 重阳节是中国的传统节日，在农历九月初九。在中国古代经典《易经》中，数字“九”被认为是阳数，而九月初九包含两个九，所以这个节日叫“重阳”，意思是“双阳”。它也被称为“重九节”，已有两千多年的历史。因为汉语中“九”和“长久”的“久”发音相近，这个节日一直和健康长寿的美好愿望联系在一起。 这个节日有很多和秋天紧密相关的传统习俗。最有名的活动之一是登高，人们可以借此呼吸秋天清爽的空气，欣赏远处的美丽景色。人们还会赏菊花、喝菊花酒、佩戴茱萸，因为这些习俗过去被认为能让人健康平安。另一种受欢迎的食物是重阳糕，这是节日期间吃的一种特别的糕点。这些习俗不仅有趣，还承载着人们对幸福和家庭团聚的希望。 到了现代，重阳节有了新的重要意义。1989年，这个节日被正式定为老人节；从2012年起，它被法律确认为老年节。这一变化让重阳节成为一个表达对老年人尊重和关心的日子。社区和家庭会组织各种活动，比如看望老年邻居、为爷爷奶奶准备饭菜、陪伴家里的长辈。因此，这个节日提醒年轻人要重视老一辈人的贡献，向他们表达爱和感谢。 总之，重阳节把过去和现在连接在一起。它保留了登高、赏菊等传统习俗，同时也传递着尊重和关心老年人的现代信息。对年轻人来说，这是一个了解中国文化的好机会，也是把敬老之心变成日常行动的好时机。 Post-reading questions: 1.What are the main traditional customs of the Double Ninth Festival mentioned in the passage? 2. Why has the Double Ninth Festival been given the new meaning of respecting the elderly in modern times? 3. How do communities and families in China today celebrate the Double Ninth Festival? 4. If you were asked to introduce the Double Ninth Festival to a foreign friend, which custom would you choose to explain first? Why? 5. What can you personally do in your daily life to show respect and care for older people, not only on the Double Ninth Festival? 重要词块积累：
fall on... （某节日）在...(哪一天) be regarded as... 被视为... have a history of... 有...的历史 sound like... 听起来像... be connected with... 与……联系在一起 wishes for good health and a long life 对健康长寿的祝愿 be rich in 富有…；盛产… be closely related to... 与……密切相关 one of the most well-known activities 最著名的活动之一 allow sb. to do sth. 允许某人做某事 enjoy the clear autumn air 享受清爽的秋日空气 the beautiful scenery far away 远处的美丽景色 be believed to do sth. 被认为是做某事 carry people’s hopes for... 承载人们对…的希望 family reunion 家庭团聚 take on a new meaning 呈现出新的意义 be officially designated as... 被正式指定为... be legally recognized as 被法律确认为 turn ... into 把…变成 an occasion for 一个…的场合 express respect and care for... 表达对…的尊重和关心 organize various activities 组织各种活动 spend time with... 与…共度时光 remind sb. to do sth. 提醒某人做某事 value the contributions of... 重视…的贡献 show love and gratitude 表达爱与感激 connect the past with the present 连接过去与现在 keep ... alive 使…延续下去 a good chance to do sth. 做某事的好机会 turn ... into everyday action 把…转化为日常行动 （个人观点，仅供参考）
文字内容由公开的民俗节日信息整理后自主撰写创作而成，并非直接引用任何出版物内容；
2. 名词翻译参考《新世纪汉英大词典》和《朗文当代高级英语辞典》；
3. 图片由豆包AI生成。
