【备考资料】托福阅读备考常见素材-元宵节的来龙去脉The15thdayofthe1stlunarmonthistheChineseLanternFestivalbecausethefirstlunarmonthiscalledyuan-monthandintheancienttimespeoplecallednightXiao.The15thdayisthefirstnighttoseeafullmoon.SothedayisalsocalledYuanXiaoFestivalinChina.AccordingtotheChinesetradition,attheverybeginningofanewyear,whenthereisabrightfullmoonhanginginthesky,thereshouldbethousandsofcolorfullanternshungoutforpeopletoappreciate.Atthistime,peoplewilltrytosolvethepuzzlesonthelanternsandeatyuanxiao(glutinousriceball)andgetalltheirfamiliesunitedinthejoyfulatmosphere.元宵节正月十五吃元宵的的习俗由来已久，元宵也叫“汤圆”、“圆子”。据说元宵象征合家团圆，吃元宵意味新的一年合家幸福、万事如意。元宵节闹花灯的习俗起源于道教的“三元说”;正月十五日为上元节，七月十五日为中元节，十月十五日为下元节。主管上、中、下三元的分别为天、地、人三官，天官喜乐，故上元节要燃灯。元宵节的节期与节俗活动，是随历史的发展而延长、扩展的。就节期长短而言，汉代才一天，到唐代已为三天，宋代则长达五天，明代更是自初八点灯，一直到正月十七的夜里才落灯，整整十天。与春节相接，白昼为市，热闹非凡，夜间燃灯，蔚为壮观。特别是那精巧、多彩的灯火，更使其成为春节期间娱乐活动的高潮。至清代，又增加了舞龙、舞狮、跑旱船、踩高跷、扭秧歌等“百戏”内容，只是节期缩短为四到五天。HistoryUntiltheSuiDynastyinthesixthcentury,EmperorYangdiinvitedenvoysfromothercountriestoChinatoseethecolorfullightedlanternsandenjoythegala(节日的，庆祝的)performances.BythebeginningoftheTangDynastyintheseventhcentury,thelanterndisplayswouldlastthreedays.Theemperoralsoliftedthecurfew(宵禁令),allowingthepeopletoenjoythefestivelanternsdayandnight.ItisnotdifficulttofindChinesepoemswhichdescribethishappyscene.IntheSongDynasty,thefestivalwascelebratedforfivedaysandtheactivitiesbegantospreadtomanyofthebigcitiesinChina.Colorfulglassandevenjadewereusedtomakelanterns,withfiguresfromfolktalespaintedonthelanterns.However,thelargestLanternFestivalcelebrationtookplaceintheearlypartofthe15thcentury.Thefestivitiescontinuedfortendays.EmperorChengzuhadthedowntownareasetasideasacenterfordisplayingthelanterns.Eventoday,thereisaplaceinBeijingcalledDengshikou.InChinese,DengmeanslanternandShiismarket.Theareabecameamarketwherelanternsweresoldduringtheday.Intheevening,thelocalpeoplewouldgotheretoseethebeautifullightedlanternsondisplay.Today,thedisplayingoflanternsisstillabigeventonthe15thdayofthefirstlunarmonththroughoutChina.Peopleenjoythebrightlylitnight.ChengduinSouthwestChina’sSichuanProvince,forexample,holdsalanternfaireachyearintheCulturalPark.DuringtheLanternFestival,theparkisliterallyanoceanoflanterns!Manynewdesignsattractcountlessvisitors.Themosteye-catchinglanternistheDragonPole.Thisisalanternintheshapeofagoldendragon,spiralingupa27-meter-highpole,spewingfireworksfromitsmouth.Itisquiteanimpressivesight!元宵节是中国的传统节日，早在2000多年前的西汉就有了，元宵赏灯始于东汉明帝时期，明帝提倡佛教，听说佛教有正月十五日僧人观佛舍利，点灯敬佛的做法，就命令这一天夜晚在皇宫和寺庙里点灯敬佛，令士族庶民都挂灯。以后这种佛教礼仪节日逐渐形成民间盛大的节日。该节经历了由宫廷到民间，由中原到全国的发展过程。在汉文帝时，已下令将正月十五定为元宵节。汉武帝时，“太一神”的祭祀活动定在正月十五。(太一：主宰宇宙一切之神)。司马迁创建“太初历”时，就已将元宵节确定为重大节日。另有一说是元宵燃灯的习俗起源于道教的“三元说”;正月十五日为上元节，七月十五日为中元节，十月十五日为下元节。主...