我们中国的interesting tradition

看到这个题目，大家肯定想到中国的传统节日了对不对！比如端午节（dragon boat festival）我们会吃粽子（Zongzi or sticky rice dumplings，是的国外人管什么带馅儿的中国食品都叫dumpling，还记得《功夫熊猫》里他们管“包子”叫dumpling么……）还有系五彩线在手腕（wear colorful threads around the wrist），身上挂荷包（wear perfumed medicine bags, but we have to throw them in the water on the first rainy day after the festival，别问我为啥俺也不知道……）还有赛龙舟（race dragon boats）等等。因为中国古人相信，这些activities can prevent disease or evil and promote health and well-being.

    当然，大家也可以跟同期的wedding话题联系起来，说说中式婚礼比较有趣的传统。国外有习俗称新娘在结婚那天，需要something old（代表幸福的延续），something new（代表新娘将迎接她崭新的未来），something borrowed（表示借来欢乐，也有人说是要向已婚妇女借来东西以继承她的生育能力，好吧有些扯淡），something blue（一般都是借蓝色的饰品，代表纯洁爱和忠贞）。中国的传统婚礼可能不如这个好说，因为… 嗯，你懂的，有些特色表达翻译成英文实在是失去了韵味啊！比如“接亲”总不能说成pick up the bride吧… 还有“一拜天地二拜高堂夫妻对拜”，翻译成英文总是感觉像是邪教组织在做法事…… 所以想介绍婚礼习俗的娃们，要do some homework，查查这些专有词汇应该怎么讲（Wikipedia里介绍“拜”翻译成perform ceremonial bows，于是“一拜天地”就是first bow to Heaven and Earth，“二拜祖先”就是second bow to ancestors，“三拜高堂”译成third bow to parents，最后“夫妻对拜”就用fourth bow to spouse.“喜酒”被译成wedding banquet，其他的翻译大家可以参考

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_marriage#Traditional_marriage_rituals，如果真的想说Chinese traditional wedding ceremony，那俺只能帮你到这里了……）

    不过其实，最好说的，还是春节时候的tradition，因为对大家来说，第一生词少，第二有太多东西可讲啦！下面的素材，供大家参考：

Well, China has a long and rich history, you know, so we have countless traditions, but today I’d like to talk about what usually happens during the Spring Festival, which is the most important celebration for Chinese people.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, all the family members would come back home for the family reunion dinner, no matter where they are and how far away they are from home. And it’s not an ordinary meal, I mean, every dish has its special meaning. For example, we must eat fish that day, because in Chinese, fish is pronounced as YU which sounds like “surplus”, so you see, that’s a good wish for the coming new year, meaning that the family would make more than enough money.

And I’m sure you know the tradition that everyone has to eat dumplings on New Year’s Eve. The interesting part is, when we make the dumplings, we would mix some coins or peanuts into the fillings, and the one who get the specially made dumpling would have good luck throughout the whole year. I know it sounds a little superstitious, but it’s a time-honored tradition.

And there’s another activity we have to do during dinner, which is like a ritual, that is, to watch the Spring Festival Gala broadcast by China Central Television. It’s an annul variety show, and it’s the most watched TV show all around the world, you know, because of the large population in China.

Anyway, I think it is the tradition that helps people get in festive mood during Chinese New Year, so I believe it’s worth passing on the next generation.