英语版介绍万圣节

Part1TheOriginofHalloween万圣节的由来Halloweenisanannualcelebration,butjustwhatisitactuallyacelebrationof?Andhowdidthispeculiarcustomoriginate?Isit,assomeclaim,akindofdemonworship?Orisitjustaharmlessvestigeofsomeancientpaganritual?Halloweenisoneoftheoldestholidayswithoriginsgoingbackthousandsofyears.TheholidayweknowasHalloweenhashadmanyinfluencesfrommanyculturesoverthecenturies.FromtheRoman'sPomonaDay,totheCelticfestivalofSamhain,totheChristianholidaysofAllSaintsandAllSoulsDays.HundredsofyearsagoinwhatisnowGreatBritainandNorthernFrance,livedtheCelts.TheCeltsworshippednatureandhadmanygods,withthesungodastheirfavorite.Itwashewhocommandedtheirworkandtheirresttimes,andwhomadetheearthbeautifulandthecropsgrow.Theworditself,Halloween,actuallyhasitsoriginsintheCatholicChurch.ItcomesfromacontractedcorruptionofAllHallowsEve.November1,AllHollowsDay(orAllSaintsDay),isaCatholicdayofobservanceinhonorofsaints.But,inthe5thcenturyBC,inCelticIreland,summerofficiallyendedonOctober31.TheholidaywascalledSamhain(sow-en),theCelticNewyear.Onestorysaysthat,onthatday,thedisembodiedspiritsofallthosewhohaddiedthroughouttheprecedingyearwouldcomebackinsearchoflivingbodiestopossessforthenextyear.Itwasbelievedtobetheironlyhopefortheafterlife.TheCeltsbelievedalllawsofspaceandtimeweresuspendedduringthistime,allowingthespiritworldtointerminglewiththeliving.Naturally,thestill-livingdidnotwanttobepossessed.SoonthenightofOctober31,villagerswouldextinguishthefiresintheirhomes,tomakethemcoldandundesirable.Theywouldthendressupinallmannerofghoulishcostumesandnoisilyparadedaroundtheneighborhood,beingasdestructiveaspossibleinordertofrightenawayspiritslookingforbodiestopossess.ProbablyabetterexplanationofwhytheCeltsextinguishedtheirfireswasnottodiscouragespiritpossession,butsothatalltheCeltictribescouldrelighttheirfiresfromacommonsource,theDruidicfirethatwaskeptburningintheMiddleofIreland,atUsinach.SomeaccountstellofhowtheCeltswouldburnsomeoneatthestakewhowasthoughttohavealreadybeenpossessed,assortofalessontothespirits.OtheraccountsofCeltichistorydebunkthesestoriesasmyth.　TheRomansadoptedtheCelticpracticesastheirown.ButinthefirstcenturyAD,SamhainwasassimilatedintocelebrationsofsomeoftheotherRomantraditionsthattookplaceinOctober,suchastheirdaytohonorPomona,theRomangoddessoffruitandtrees.ThesymbolofPomonaistheapple,whichmightexplaintheoriginofourmoderntraditionofbobbingforapplesonHalloween.Thethrustofthepracticesalsochangedovertimetobecomemoreritualized.Asbeliefinspiritpossessionwaned,thepracticeofdressinguplikehobgoblins,ghosts,andwitchestookonamoreceremonialrole.关于万圣节由来的，传说最多的版本认为，那是源于基督诞生前的古西欧国家，主要包括爱尔兰、苏格兰和威尔士。这几处的古西欧人叫德鲁伊特人。德鲁伊特的新年在十一月一日，新年前夜，德鲁伊特人让年轻人集队，戴着各种怪异面具，拎着刻好的萝卜灯，他们游走于村落间。这里要说明一下，南瓜灯是后期习俗，因为古西欧最早没有南瓜。这在当时实则为一种秋收的庆典；也有说是“鬼节”，传说当年死去的人，灵魂会在万圣节的前夜造访人世，据说人们应该让造访的鬼魂看到圆满的收成并对鬼魂呈现出丰盛的款待。所有篝火及灯火，一来为了吓走鬼魂，同时也为鬼魂照亮路线，引导其回归。在中世纪的中欧，曾有过基督教摧毁异教徒的历史。可是新年夜前的祭祀庆典从未真正消除，不过以巫术的形式出现。这也就是为什么我们现在的万圣节里，还留有巫婆的扫帚、黑猫、咒语等痕迹。下面再说说Halloween一词的产生：很多民族都在万圣节前夜有庆典聚会，这又被叫做“AllHallowE'en”、“TheEveofAllHallows”、“Hallowe'en”，或者“TheeveofAllSaintas'Day”。最终约定俗成演变成了“Halloween”，中文意译成了万圣节之夜。Part2HalloweenCustoms万圣节习俗ThecustomofHalloweenwasbroughttoAmericainthe1840'sbyIrishimmigrantsfleeingtheircountry'spotatofamine.Atthattime,thefavoritepranksinNewEnglandincludedtippingoverouthousesandunhingingfencegates.TheHalloweenwecelebratetodayincludesalloftheseinfluences,PomonaDay'sapples,nuts,andharvest,theFestivalofSamhain'sblackcats,magic,evilspiritsanddeath,andtheghosts,skeletonsandskullsfromAllSaint'sDayandAllSoul'sDay.Thecustomoftrick-or-treatingisthoughttohaveoriginatednotwiththeIrishCelts,butwithaninth-centuryEuropeancustomcalledsouling.OnNovember2,AllSoulsDay,earlyChristianswouldwalkfromvillagetovillagebeggingforsoulcakes,madeoutofsquarepiecesofbreadwithcurrants.A:Themoresoulcakesthebeggarswouldreceive,themoreprayerstheywouldpromisetosayonbehalfofthedeadrelativesofthedonors.Atthetime,itwasbelievedthatthedeadremainedinlimboforatimeafterdeath,andthatprayer,evenbystrangers,couldexpediteasoul'spassagetoheaven.TheJack-o-lanterncustomprobablycomesfromIrishfolklore.Asthetaleistold,amannamedJack,whowasnotoriousasadrunkardandtrickster,trickedSatanintoclimbingatree.Jackthencarvedanimageofacrossinthetree'strunk,trappingthedevilupthetree.Jackmadeadealwiththedevilthat,ifhewouldnevertempthimagain,hewouldpromisetolethimdownthetree.Accordingtothefolktale,afterJackdied,hewasdeniedentrancetoHeavenbecauseofhisevilways,buthewasalsodeniedaccesstoHellbecausehehadtrickedthedevil.Instead,thedevilgavehimasingleembertolighthiswaythroughthefrigiddarkness.Theemberwasplacedinsideahollowed-outturniptokeepitglowinglonger.TheIrishusedturnipsastheirJack'slanternsoriginally.ButwhentheimmigrantscametoAmerica,theyfoundthatpumpkinswerefarmoreplentifulthanturnips.SotheJack-O-LanterninAmericawasahollowed-outpumpkin,litwithanember.So,althoughsomecultsmayhaveadoptedHalloweenastheirfavoriteholiday,thedayitselfdidnotgrowoutofevilpractices.ItgrewoutoftheritualsofCeltscelebratinganewyear,andoutofMedievalprayerritualsofEuropeans.Andtod