清明节（Qingming Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day）的由来

Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zitui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring to lead a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains. 

谈到清明节，有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子推。据历史记载，在两千多年以前的春秋时代，晋国公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艰苦，跟随他的介子推不惜从自己的腿上割下一块肉让他充饥。后来，重耳回到晋国，作了国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一），大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子推拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山。

Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain where he and his mother were burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit. 

晋文公无计可施，只好放火烧山，他想，介子推孝顺母亲，一定会带着老母出来。谁知这场大火却把介子推母子烧死了。为了纪念介子推，晋文公下令每年的这一天，禁止生火，家家户户只能吃生冷的食物，这就是寒食节的来源。

The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the "cold food" festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zitui who choose death over capitulation. 

寒食节是在清明节的前一天，古人常把寒食节的活动延续到清明，久而久之，清明取代了寒食节。拜介子推的习俗也变成了清明扫墓的习俗了。无论以何种形式纪念，为了使纪念祖先的仪式更有意义，我们应该让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先人过去的奋斗历史，当然，还要学习介子推宁死不屈的气节。

单词速记：

1.principality [ˌprɪnsɪˈpæləti] n.王公治理的国家;公国;侯国;威尔士

principal + ity名词后缀

principal [ˈprɪnsəpl]  adj.最重要的;主要的 n.大学校长;学院院长;本金;资本;主要演员;主角

prin (prime)第一 + cip 抓 + al 形容词或名词后缀 → 作为第一〔要务〕来抓 → 最重要的

The latest list includes citizens of 52 countries and one principality.

今年上榜的富豪来自52个国家和1个公国。

2.consternation [ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃn]  n.惊愕;惊恐

consternate + ation 复合名词后缀

The announcement of her retirement caused consternation among tennis fans.

她宣布挂拍告退的消息引起了网球迷的震惊。

3.capitulation [kəˌpɪtʃəˈleɪʃən] n.领事裁判权（条约），外侨权利，投降规约，投降书，（复）（投降条约的）全部条款，（有条件的）投降，（文件、声明等的）摘要，投降条约，协定

capitulate + ation 符合名词后缀

The invading army had massacred many of the garrison after capitulation.

侵略军在守军投降后仍将多人屠杀了。

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