Lantern Festival celebrations light up Taiwan 全台多個縣市 歡慶元宵佳節

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. lantern n.花燈 

2. animal sign phr. 生肖動物

3. Disneyland n. 迪士尼樂園

4. parade n. 遊行 (

5. sky lantern phr. 天燈 

The 2019 Taiwan Lantern Festival will kick off on Tuesday in Pingtung County. Although the festival celebrates the Year of the Pig, it will feature a giant tuna-themed main lantern, Pingtung being known for its tuna. The event marks its 30th anniversary this year, this being the first year the main lantern is not based on an animal sign of the Chinese zodiac. 二○一九年台灣燈會下週二將在屏東縣登場，雖然燈會是為了慶祝「豬年」舉辦，巨型主燈卻是以屏東名產鮪魚為主題。在燈會今年邁入三十週年之際，這也是主燈首次未配合黃道十二宮的生肖動物而設計。

The 2019 Taipei Lantern Festival begins tomorrow in Taipei’s Ximending area. Visitors will have a chance to meet with Mickey Mouse and other characters from Tokyo Disneyland, who will do surprise performances beside the Mickey Mouse-themed lantern and join the parade scheduled for Sunday next week on the closing day.二○一九年台北燈節明日亦將在台北市的西門町登場，遊客將有機會和來自東京迪士尼樂園的米奇與其它角色見面。他們將會在米奇主題花燈附近進行驚喜表演，並預計加入下週日閉幕當天的大遊行。

Meanwhile, the 2019 Pingsi Sky Lantern Festival will take place tomorrow and on Tuesday in New Taipei City’s Pingsi District. Participants from home and abroad are set to release thousands of sky lanterns from Pingsi Junior High School and Shihfen Sky Lantern Plaza to pray for good luck. 同時，二○一九年新北市平溪天燈節將在明日與下週二，在新北市平溪區舉行。來自國內外的參加者，將分別在平溪國中、十分廣場施放數千盞天燈，藉以祈求好運。

(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)（台北時報張聖恩〉

Diwali 排燈節

Diwali, or Deepavali, is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, celebrated throughout India and in many other countries around the world.

A longstanding tradition dating back to ancient times in India, it is celebrated every year over five days between mid-October and mid-November in the northern hemisphere. This year, it started on Tuesday and wraps up today. The main festivities took place on Thursday, the third day of the festival.

The name diwali derives from the Sanskrit words dipam, meaning “light, lamp” and oli, for “glow of light.” The festival signifies the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil, hope over despair, and of knowledge over ignorance.

The first day, Dhanteras, is all about celebrating wealth. People clean their houses thoroughly in preparation for this day, in order to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, into their homes.

On the main day, the third of the five days, fireworks are set off, and diyas — small clay lamps — and candles are placed around the home. This is what gives diwali the name “the festival of lights.”

(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)

排燈節是最受歡迎的印度教節慶之一，印度各地和許多國家都過排燈節。

排燈節的傳統由來已久，可追溯至古印度時期，每年十月中至十一月中北半球都會舉行五天的慶祝活動。今年的慶典自本週二開始，到今天結束；主要的慶祝活動是在第三天，也就是本週四舉行。

排燈節的原文diwali源自梵文的dipam和oli：dipam意指「光」和「燈」，而oli指「光芒」。此節慶象徵光明戰勝黑暗、良善戰勝邪惡、希望戰勝絕望，以及知識戰勝無知。

慶典的第一天是慶祝財富的財神節。人們為了準備這天會把房子徹底清掃乾淨，以迎接印度教繁榮昌盛之神吉祥天女的來訪。

在這為期五天的慶典中，主要的活動是在第三天，當天會放煙火，也會在住家各處擺放陶土製小燈以及蠟燭。這就是為什麼排燈節又叫做「光明節」。

（台北時報編譯林俐凱譯）

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