元宵節(jié)的來(lái)歷（中英對(duì)照）

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There are many stories on how this festival was created. One other story is about a maid. In the Han Dynasty, Mr. Eastern was a favorite advisor of the emperor. One winter day, he went to the garden and heard a little girl crying and getting ready to jump into a well to commit suicide. Mr. Eastern stopped her and asked why. She said she was a maid in the emperor's palace and her name was Yuan-Xiao.

She never had the chance to meet her family after she started worked at the palace. She missed them so much every 12th lunar month. If she couldn't have the chance to show her filial piety in this life, she would rather die. Mr. Eastern promised her to find a way so she could reunion with her family. Mr. Eastern left the palace and set up a fortune-telling stall on the street and disguised himself as a fortuneteller. Because of his reputation, many people asked for their fortunes.

But every one got the same prediction - a severe fire accident on the 15th lunar day. The rumor spread quickly. Everyone was worried about the future and asked Mr. Eastern for help. Mr. Eastern said, "On the 13th lunar day, the God of Fire will send a fairy lady in red to burn down the city. If you see a lady in red wearing green pants riding a black horse on that day, you should ask for her mercy." On that day, Yuan-Xiao pretended to be the red fairy lady. When people asked for her help, she said, "I'm the messenger of the God of Fire and came to check on the city and I'm going to set up fire on 15th. This is an order from Jade Emperor. He will watch from the heavens.

I will give you a copy of the imperial decree from the God of Fire. You should go to ask your emperor to find a way out." After she left, people went to the palace to show the emperor the decree which reads "The capital city is in trouble. Fire burns on the palace, and fire from Heaven burns all night long on the 15th." The emperor of Han Dynasty was very shocked. He called and asked Mr. Eastern for advice. After pondering for a while, Mr. Eastern said, "I heard that the God of Fire likes to eat Tang-Yuan (Sweet dumpling). Does Yuan-Xiao often cook Tang-Yuan for you? On the 15th lunar day, let Yuan-Xiao make Tang-Yuan.

Your Majesty will take charge of the worshipping ceremony and you will give an order to every house to prepare Tang-Yuan to worship the God of Fire at the same time. Also, deliver another order to ask every house in the city to hang red lantern and explode fire crackers. Lastly, everyone in the palace and people outside the city should carry their lanterns on the street to watch the lantern decoration and fireworks. If everything goes this way, the Jade Emperor would be deceived.

Then everyone can avoid the fire accident." The emperor happily followed the plan. Lanterns were everywhere in the capital city on the night of the 15th lunar day. People were walking on the street. Fire crackers kept making lots of noise. It looked like the entire city was on fire. Yuan-Xiao's parents went into the palace to watch the lantern decorations, and Yuan-Xiao made a big lantern and wrote her name on the lantern. They happily reunited together after her parents called her name. Everybody was safe during the night. The emperor of Han Dynasty had a new order that people should do the same thing every year. Since Yuan-Xiao cooked the best Tan-Yuan, people called the day Yuan-Xiao Festival.

這一則傳說(shuō)與吃元宵的習(xí)俗有關(guān)：相傳漢武帝有個(gè)寵臣名叫東方朔，他善良又風(fēng)趣。有一年冬天，下了幾天大雪 ，東方朔就到御花園去給武帝折梅花。剛進(jìn)園門(mén)，就發(fā)現(xiàn)有個(gè)宮女淚流滿(mǎn)面準(zhǔn)備投井。東方朔慌忙上前搭救，并問(wèn)明她要自殺的原因。原來(lái)，這個(gè)宮女名叫元宵，家里還有雙親及一個(gè)妹妹，自從她進(jìn)宮以后，就再也無(wú)緣 東方朔與元宵姑娘的傳說(shuō)和家人見(jiàn)面，每年到了臘盡春來(lái)的時(shí)節(jié)，就比平常更加的思念家人。覺(jué)得不能在雙親跟前盡孝，不如一死了之。東方朔聽(tīng)了她的遭遇，深感同情，就向她保證，一定設(shè)法讓她和家人團(tuán)聚。

一天，東方朔出宮在長(zhǎng)安街上擺了一個(gè)占卜攤。不少人都爭(zhēng)著向他占卜求卦。不料，每個(gè)人所占所求，都是“正月十六火焚身”的簽語(yǔ)。一時(shí)之間，長(zhǎng)安里起了很大恐慌。人們紛紛求問(wèn)解災(zāi)的辦法。東方朔就說(shuō)：“正月十五日傍晚，火神君會(huì)派一位赤衣神女下凡查訪，她就是奉旨燒長(zhǎng)安的使者，我把抄錄的偈語(yǔ)給你們，可讓當(dāng)今天子想想辦法。”說(shuō)完，便扔下一張紅帖，揚(yáng)長(zhǎng)而去。老百姓拿起紅帖，趕緊送到皇宮去稟報(bào)皇上。

漢武帝接過(guò)來(lái)一看，只見(jiàn)上面寫(xiě)著：“長(zhǎng)安在劫，火焚帝闕，十五天火，焰紅宵夜”，他心中大驚，連忙請(qǐng)來(lái)了足智多謀的東方朔。東方朔假意的想了一想，就說(shuō)：“聽(tīng)說(shuō)火神君最?lèi)?ài)吃湯圓，宮中的元宵不是經(jīng)常給你做湯圓嗎？十五晚上可讓元宵做好湯圓。萬(wàn)歲焚香上供，傳令京都家家都做湯圓，一齊敬奉火神君。再傳諭臣民一起在十五晚上掛燈，滿(mǎn)城點(diǎn)鞭炮、放煙火，好像滿(mǎn)城大火，這樣就可以瞞過(guò)玉帝了。此外，通知城外百姓，十五晚上進(jìn)城觀燈，雜在人群中消災(zāi)解難”。武帝聽(tīng)后，十分高興，就傳旨照東方朔的辦法去做。

到了正月十五日長(zhǎng)安城里張燈結(jié)彩，游人熙來(lái)攘往，熱鬧非常。宮女元宵的父母也帶著妹妹進(jìn)城觀燈。當(dāng)他們看到寫(xiě)有“元宵”字樣的大宮燈時(shí)，驚喜的高喊：“元宵！元宵！”， 元宵聽(tīng)到喊聲，終于和家里的親人團(tuán)聚了。

如此熱鬧了一夜，長(zhǎng)安城果然平安無(wú)事。漢武帝大喜，便下令以后每到正月十五都做湯圓供火神君，正月十五照樣全城掛燈放煙火。因?yàn)樵�宵做的湯圓最好，所以這天叫做元宵節(jié)。