苗族龙船节
TheMiaoDragon-BoatFestival
龙船节，是黔东南清水江上苗族人民最盛大的节日。节日里，聚会的苗族同胞，每年有三四万人。
TheDragon-BoatFestivalisthemostimportantcelebrationoftheMiaopeople, wholivealongtheQingshuiRwerinsoutheastemGuizhouProvince. Everyyearbetween 30,000 and 40,000 Miaosparticipateinthefestivities.
龙，在苗族人心目中是吉祥如意的象征。苗家姑娘最爱将龙的变形图案打制成银饰装点在头上，或刺绣在衣裙中，编织于围腰上。
IntheeyesoftheMiaos, thedragonisasymbolofgoodluck. Girlsliketoadorntheirhairwithsilveromamentsshapedlikedragonsandwearclothesembroideredorwovenwithdragonpatterns.
苗族人民制作的龙船，十分精巧、美观。龙身由一只母船和两只子船捆扎而成，叫做“子母船”。无论子船还是母船，皆为独木镂空。两米多长的龙头，用水柳木雕刻，装有一对一米多长的龙角。龙头以主色不同，分为赤龙、青龙、黄龙。从施秉县的平兆到台江县的六河，每个苗族寨子都建有“龙篷”，用来保护龙船。因龙船身长25米，“龙篷”建成七格，每格将近四米长，当地又称之为“七间房”。
TheMiaosbuildexquisite"dragonboats," whichareinrealityabodyformedfromthreecanoes-onelargeandtwosmall-thatarestrungtogether. Acarvedhead, paintedred, blue, oryellow, ismadefromthetrunkofaweepingwillowtree. Itis 2 meterslongandsportsapairofhorns. Aspecialshelterinsevenparts, extending 28 meters, tohousedragonboatshasbeenbuiltineveryMiaovillagealongtheQingshuiRiverfromPingzhaoinShibingcountytoLiuheinTaijiangcounty.
每年农历5月24日至27日，几十个村寨相继举行龙船节。当地习惯，从16日开始，只要全寨薅完秧，本寨的龙船便可下水。因此，从龙船下水的早晚，可以看出各寨的农事生产进度，在勤劳的苗家人民心中，龙船节到了，地里的秧还未薅完，这是莫大的耻辱。
TheMiaoDragon-BoatFestivaliscelebratedfromthe 24thtothe 27thofthefifthlunarmonth. Butaccordingtolocalcustom, peopleareallowedtosendtheirdragonboatsdowntheriverafterthe 16th, providedthattheyhavefinishedweedingtheirfields. Theearlierappearanceoftheboatsontherivertesifiestothevillagers'efficiency, andconscientiouspeasantscon-sideritashamenottofinishweedingbeforethefestivitiesbegin.
节日期间，家家户户酿米酒，包粽粑，走亲访友，宴请宾朋。出嫁的姑娘必须携带粽粑、鹅鸭等礼物回娘家，同父母兄妹团聚。龙船出发之前，一位歌师唱首吉祥歌，祝愿船只平安。
Duringthefestival, eachfamilymakesr:icewineandzongba (akindofdump-lingmadeofglutinousrice) andcallsonfriendsandrelatives. Marriedwomenvisittheirparents'homesbearinggifts-zongba, geese, andducks.
每只龙船都有一位鼓头。他是一切活动的主持者，由全寨推选出来的德高望重的老人担任。鼓头身着长袍马褂，坐在龙颈上击鼓发令，男扮女装的鼓锣手，由十岁左右的孩童充任。40位水手，身着青布上衣、士林蓝裤子，腰系银饰花带，手握五尺木桨，整齐划一，甚是威武。水手头上的那特制的马尾斗笠，原是清水江上游苗族姑娘出嫁时的陪嫁品，却成了龙船节水手们必备的一件装饰物。
Ineachboat, anoldmanridesstraddlingthedragon'sneck. Heisthemostrespectedmaninthevillage, chosenbythevillagerstobethecoxswain. Wearingagownandamandarinjacket, theoldmanbeatsadrumtosetthepacefortheoarsmen, andseveralboysabout 10 yearsofage, wearmgdresses,beatdrumsandgongs. Theoarsmen, 40 inall, wield 5-foot-longwoodenoars. Thesepowerful-lookingmenwearhorsetail-shapedhats, bluejacketsandtrousers, andembroideredwaistbandspinnedwithsilverornaments. Thehats, traditionallydowrygiftsforgirlsfromtheupperreachesoftheQingshuiRiver, havebecomeanessentialfeatureofthecostumeswornbythedragon-boatoarsmen.
苗族龙船节，与汉族的端午节不同。除时间不同外，一般不举行竞赛，主要活动是串寨子，走亲访友。清晨，龙船开始在江水中游动，所到之处，亲尤们纷纷到岸边“接龙”。龙船过寨，鸣放铁炮传告亲友，岸上以鞭炮声相呼应。亲友们上前，向船上的人各敬两杯米酒，并将礼品--鹅鸭、彩绸挂于龙头。如系女婿、姑舅等至亲，送上的礼物则是猪羊。
TheMiaoDragon-BoatFestivaldiffersfromtheHancelebration. Theyarenotcelebratedonthesamedate (theHans'takesplaceonthefifthdayofthefifthlunarmonth), andtheyfollowdifferenttraditions. WhiletheHansonlyholddragon-boatracesduringthefestival, theMiaostaketheopportunitytovisitfriendsandrelatives. Beforeadragon-boatsetsout, somebodysingsanauspicioussongtotheboatmen, wishingthemagoodvoyage. Youngmensetoutinboatsearlyinthemorning. Whentheyapproachavillage, theyfiregunstoannouncetheirarrival. Thevillagerssetofffirecrackersinresponseandthengotomeetthem. Thehostspresenttwocupsofricewinetoeachoarsmanandthentiegiftsfortheirrelatives-ducks, geese, andcoloredsilks-ontotheheadsofthedragons. Thetradi-tionalgiftsforsons-in.law, uncles, andnephewsarepigsorsheep.
下午四时左右，龙船靠岸休息，水手们将糯米饭团和肉类放置船帮上就餐。不用碗筷，双手捏出的糯米饭团格外清香可口。岸上的妇女和小孩纷纷前来“讨路边饭”。传说，吃了龙船上的食品，能消灾免难，百事如愿。后来，这就成为传统的风俗习惯。
At 4 p.m. theboatsstopalongsidetheriverbank. Thedrummersandoars~menontheboatseatglutinousriceballsandmeatwiththeirfingers. Womenandchildrenontheshoreasktheboatmentosharetheirfood. Itissaidthateatingfoodfromadragon-boatprotectsonefromdisasterandgivesgoodluck.
岸上，还有苗家传统的赛马、斗牛、踩鼓等活动。姑娘们身着节日盛装，应着木鼓鼓点翩翩起舞。飞歌往来，昼夜不绝，青年男女通过对歌，互相了解，建立感情，增进团结和友谊，以致结成幸福家庭。
Horseracesandbullfightsareheldduringthefestival. Girlsinholidaydressdancetotheaccompanimentofdrums. Itisnotunusualforyoungpeopletomeettheirfuturespousesatthesongfestsheldonfestivalnights.
更多翻译学习资源，敬请关注可可英语。