在西方国,每年的十月三十一日,叫做Halloween,辞典解释为“The eve of All Saints'Day”,中文译作:万圣节之夜。
Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits. Witches flying on broomsticks with ghosts, goblins and skeletons have all evolved as symbols of Halloween. Bats, owls and other nocturnal animals are also popular symbols of Halloween. They were originally feared because people believed that these creatures could communicate with the spirits of the dead.
万圣节前夜起源于与邪恶幽灵相关的庆祝活动,所以骑着扫帚的女巫、幽灵、小妖精和骷髅都是万圣节的标志物。蝙蝠、猫头鹰和其他夜间活动的动物也是万圣节的普遍标志。起初,这些动物让人觉得非常可怕,因为人们认为这些动物能和死者的幽灵进行交流。
Black cats are also symbols of Halloween and have religious origins as well. Black cats were considered to be reincarnated beings with the ability to divine the future. During the Middle Ages it was believed that witches could turn themselves into black cats. Thus when such a cat was seen, it was considered to be a witch in disguise. All these are popular trick-or-treat costumes and decorations for greeting cards and windows.
黑猫也是万圣节的标志物,并且也有一定的宗教起源。人们认为黑猫可以转生,具有预言未来的超能力。在中世纪,人们认为女巫可以变成黑猫,所以人们一看到黑猫就会认为它是女巫假扮的。这些标志物都是万圣节服装的普遍选择,也是贺卡或橱窗上很常用的装饰。
Black is one of the traditional Halloween colors, probably because Halloween festivals and traditions took place at night.
黑色是传统的万圣节颜色,这可能是因为万圣节前夜的各种传统或仪式都是在晚上举行。
Pumpkins are also a symbol of Halloween. The pumpkin is an orange-colored squash, and orange has become the other traditional Halloween color. Carving pumpkins into jack- o'-lanterns is a Halloween custom also dating back to Ireland. A legend grew up about a man named Jack who was so stingy that he was not allowed into heaven when he died, because he was a miser. He couldn't enter hell either because he had played jokes on the devil. As a result, Jack had to walk on the earth with his lantern until Judgement Day. So Jack and his lantern became the symbol of a lost or damned soul. To scare these souls away on Halloween, the Irish people carved scary faces out of turnips, beets or potatoes representing "Jack of the Lantern," or Jack-o-lantern. When the Irish brought their customs to the United States, they carved faces on pumpkins because in the autumn they were more plentiful than turnips. Today jack-o-lanterns in the windows of a house on Halloween night let costumed children know that there are goodies waiting if they knock and say "Trick or Treat!"
南瓜也是万圣节的标志性象征。南瓜是橘黄色的,所以橘黄色也成了传统的万圣节颜色。用南瓜雕制南瓜灯也是一个万圣节传统,其历史也可追溯到爱尔兰。传说有一个名叫杰克的人非常吝啬,因而死后不能进入天堂,而且因为他取笑魔鬼也不能进入地狱,所以,他只能提着灯笼四处游荡,直到审判日那天。于是,杰克和南瓜灯便成了被诅咒的游魂的象征。人们为了在万圣节前夜吓走这些游魂,便用芜菁、甜菜或马铃薯雕刻成可怕的面孔来代表提着灯笼的杰克,这就是南瓜灯(Jack-o'-lantern)的由来。爱尔兰人迁到美国后,便开始用南瓜来进行雕刻,因为在美国秋天的时候南瓜比芜菁更充足。现在,如果在万圣节的晚上人们在窗户上挂上南瓜灯就表明那些穿着万圣节服装的人可以来敲门捣鬼要糖果。
万圣节知识点津:
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“All Hallow E'en”、“The Eve of All Hallows”、“Hallow e'en”,或者“The eve of All Saintas'Day”。最终约定俗成演变成了“Halloween”,中文意译成了万圣节之夜。
“trick or treat”的传说:孩子们今天着装挨家要糖的习俗,据说起源于爱尔兰。古西欧时候的爱尔兰异教徒们,相信在万圣节前夜鬼魂会群集于居家附近,并接受设宴款待。因而,在“宴会”结束后,村民们就自己扮成鬼魂精灵,游走村外,引导鬼魂离开,避邪免灾。于此同时,村民们也都注意在屋前院后的摆布些水果及其他食品,喂足鬼魂而不至于让它们伤害人类和动物或者掠夺其他收成。后来这习俗一直延续下来,就成了孩子们取笑不慷慨之家的玩笑。
南瓜灯的由来:至于南瓜灯也至少有两种说法。一种说是人挖空了南瓜又刻上鬼脸点上烛火用以驱散鬼魂的;另一种说是鬼魂点上的烛火,试图骗取人们上当而跟着鬼魂走,所以人们就在南瓜表面刻上一个嘲讽的脸面,用以调笑鬼魂:哼!傻瓜才会上你的当。传说因为首用南瓜的是一位爱尔兰人Jack,所以人们又将鬼脸南瓜灯叫做Jack-O-Lantern。