清明节简介，最好要有英语翻译的，急用！

QingMingisatimetorememberthedeadandthedearlydeparted.Moreimportant,itisaperiodtohonourandtopayrespecttoone'sdeceasedancestorsandfamilymembers.Becauseitreinforcestheethicoffilialpiety,QingMingisamajorChinesefestival.

Literallymeaningclear(Qing)andbright(Ming),thisChinesefestivalfallsinearlyspring,onthe106thdayafterthewintersolstice.Itisaspringfestival,anditisanoccasionforthewholefamilytoleavethehomeandtosweepthegravesoftheirforebears.Chinesebeingpracticalpeoplethissweepingofthegravesisgivenanextendedperiod,thatis,10daysbeforeandafterQingMingday.Amongsomedialectgroupsawholemonthisallocated.

清明节是一个纪念祖先的节日。主要的纪念仪式是扫墓，扫墓是慎终追远、郭亲睦邻及行孝的具体表现；基于上述意义，清明节因此成为华人的重要节日。清明节是在仲春和暮春之交，也就是冬至后的106天。扫墓活动通常是在清明节的前十天或后十天。有些地域的人士的扫墓活动长达一个月。

ORIGIN（起源）

QingMingispopularlyassociatedwithJieZiZhui,wholivedinShanxiprovincein600B.C.LegendhasitthatJiesavedhisstarvinglord'slifebyservingapieceofhisownleg.Whenthelordsucceededinbecomingtherulerofasmallprincipality,heinvitedhisfaithfulfollowertojoinhim.However,Jiedeclinedhisinvitation,preferringtoleadahermit'slifewithhismotherinthemountains.

BelievingthathecouldforceJieoutbyburningthemountain,thelordorderedhismentosettheforestonfire.Tohisconsternation,Jiechosetoremainwherehewasandwasburnttodeath.TocommemorateJie,thelordorderedallfiresineveryhometobeputoutontheanniversaryofJie'sdeath.Thusbeganthecoldfoodfeast,adaywhennofoodcouldbecookedsincenofirecouldbelit.

ThecoldfoodfestivaloccursontheeveofQingMingandisoftenconsideredaspartoftheQingMingfestival.Astimepasses,theQingMingfestivalreplacedthecoldfoodfestival.Whateverpracticeisobserved，thebasicobservationofQingMingistorememberone'seldersbymakingaspecialefforttovisittheirgraves,ashesorancestraltablets.Tomakethevisitevenmoremeaningful,sometimeshouldbespenttoremindtheyoungermembersofthefamilyofthelivesandcontributionsoftheirancestors,andthestoryofJieZiZhuiwhochoosedeathovercapitulation.

谈到清明节有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子椎。据历史记载在两千多年以前的春秋时代，晋国公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艰苦，跟随他的介子椎不惜从自己的腿上割下一块肉让他充饥。后来重耳回到晋国，作了国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子椎拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山。

晋文公无计可施，只好放火烧山，他想，介子椎孝顺母亲，一定会带着老母出来。谁知这场大火却把介子椎母子烧死了。为了纪念介子椎，晋文公下令每年的这一天，禁止生火，家家户户只能吃生冷的食物，这就是寒食节的来源。

寒食节是在清明节的前一天，古人常把寒食节的活动延续到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食节。拜介子椎的习俗也变成了清明扫墓的习俗了。无论以何种形式纪念，为了使纪念祖先的仪式更有意义，我们应该让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先人过去的奋斗历史，当然还要学习介子椎宁死不屈的气节。