清明节是我国的传统节日，也是二十四节气之一，至今已有2500多年的历史，是最重要的祭祀节日之一，虽然各地习俗不尽相同，但扫墓祭祖、踏青郊游仍然是节日的基本主题。

1. 清明节的几种译法

Tomb Sweeping Festival

Tomb-sweeping Day

扫墓节、扫墓日，重点强调了清明节的重要习俗“扫墓”。一听就能大概明白这个节日的背后含义。

Qingming Festival

Pure Bright Festival

Clear Brightness Festival

作为节气的清明，它被译为"Clear and Bright"，清洁和明亮。这种译法强调的是清明时节的气候状况。

2. 清明的气候特征

"Pure Brightness" describes the weather during this period. Temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, making it a crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring. 

“清明”中的“清”和“明”是用来描述这段时期的天气状况的。温度上升和降雨增多，这段时间成为春季耕作和播种的关键期。

According to Chinese tradition, every five days in the 15 days after Qingming are separated as a “hou.” In the first hou, Tung trees begin to bud; rats go underground during the second hou; and rainbows start to show in the third hou.

中国传统从清明起的15天内每隔5天分出三候：一候桐始华；二候田鼠化为鹌；三候虹始见。

3. 清明节习俗 

扫墓祭祖 

Cleaning the tombs and paying respect to the dead with offerings are the two important practices to remember the late relatives. Weeds around the tomb are cleared away and fresh soil is added to show care for the dead. The dead person's favorite food,  wine and chopsticks are offered on their tombs, along with paper money.

扫墓和献上供品对逝者表示敬意，是两种纪念逝去亲友的重要习俗。为表示对逝者的关怀，墓边的杂草被清除并盖上新鲜的土壤。逝者最喜欢的食物、酒和筷子连同纸钱一起被供奉在墓边。

踏青

Stepping the greens also known as spring outing, or spring visiting and spring searching in the old days. During the Qingming period, spring returns and everything in nature takes on a new look. It is a great time for outing. This custom can be traced back to a long time ago and followed till today.

踏青又叫春游。古时叫探春、寻春等。清明时节，春回大地，自然界到处呈现一派生机勃勃的景象，正是郊游的大好时光。我国民间长期保持着清明踏青的习惯。

食青团

People in the Jiangnan region often eat this kind of green colored balls made from glutinous rice on Tomb Sweeping Day. The green color is from the juice of brome grass that is added in the rice. 

江南地区的人们经常在清明节食用这种由糯米制成的绿色团子。由于糯米中混合雀麦草汁，所以团子呈绿色。

4. 清明节古诗词 

《清明》

（唐）杜牧

清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。

借问酒家何处有? 牧童遥指杏花村。

The Mourning Day

（许渊冲 译）

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;

The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.

Where can a wineshop be found to drown his sad hours?

A cowherd points to a cot' mid apricot flowers.

· drizzle v. 下毛毛雨

· mourning n. 悼念

· drown vt. 浇灭，把……淹没

· mid prep. 在……之中

· apricot flower 杏花

许渊冲老师的译作押aabb韵，韵脚是day, way；hours, flowers，读起来朗朗上口，尤其是第一句，非常有趣。我们汉语中说“泪如雨下”，可以译作Tears fall like rain. 或者直接说 Tears rain. 在许老的译作中清明节“雨如泪下”，有效地烘托了清明节哀而不伤的氛围。

清明节是一个怀念的日子，它提醒我们，不要忘记先人，不要忘记过去，珍惜岁月，珍惜生命，珍惜身边人。