万圣节(All Hallows' Day)
万圣节,每年的11月1日,是西方的传统节日;而万圣节前夜的10月31日是这个节日最热闹的时刻 。而我们经常将两者混为一谈,统称为万圣节。
在万圣节这天,小孩子们会装扮成各种可爱的鬼怪向逐家逐户地敲门,要求获得糖果,否则就会捣蛋(Trick or Treat?)。而同时传说这一晚,各种鬼怪也会装扮成小孩混入群众之中一起庆祝万圣节的来临,而人类为了让鬼怪更融洽才装扮成各种鬼怪。
Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celtic peoples lived over 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France.
在2000多年前的爱尔兰地区及法国北部,住着一群凯尔特人,而万圣节就是起源于古塞尔特人的一个叫做Samhain的节庆。
For the Celtic peoples, the New Year was celebrated on November 1st of every year. This date marked the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter. This time of year was often associated with human death.
凯尔特人选在每年11月1日庆祝新年,正值夏天结束,冬天刚开始的时节多半让人联想到黑暗的死亡。
The Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred as the dead searched for the afterlife. Thus, on the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to Earth to cause mischief and trouble.
凯尔特人相信在新年的前一晚,阴间和阳间的大门不再门禁森严,此时阴间的鬼魂会趁机跑出来,为阳间的人们带来厄运。所以,在十月三十一日晚上,凯尔特人会庆祝Samhain这个节日,以趋魔避邪。
To commemorate the event, people built huge sacred bonfires where animals and crops were sacrificed to the Gods for protection, and to help scare ghosts away. The Celts also wore costumes to disguise themselves, in an attempt to confuse the spirits roaming the Earth.
凯尔特人借着神圣的营火,燃烧献祭的动物和尸体,以赶走可怕的鬼魂并祈求神的保护。同时,凯尔特人也会假扮成鬼的样子,企图混淆跑到阳间的鬼魂。
By the A.D. 800’s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st All Saints Day, a time to honor Saints and Martyrs. It was known as All Hallowmas. Thus, October 31st became known as All Hallows Eve, and eventually was shortened to the current day title, Halloween.
公元八百年时,基督教传入塞尔特人居住的区域。当时的教宗明定十一月一日为万圣节All Saints Day,又称All Hallowmas,来纪念所有的圣人和骑士。因此,十月三十一日就成了万圣节前夕,英文称之All Hallows Eve,而后來人们便简称十月三十一日为Halloween。
万圣节主要流行于英语世界,如不列颠群岛和北美,其次是澳大利亚和新西兰。如今一些亚洲国家的年轻一辈也开始倾向于过万圣节,到了每年十月底,一些大型外资超市都会摆出专柜卖万圣节的玩具,小商贩也会出售一些跟万圣节相关的玩偶或模型,吸引年轻人的眼光。
万圣节的服装起源于恶作剧,大人带孩子一起出门,一般是大人驾车停在路边,小孩说:“不给糖就捣蛋(trick or treat)。大人事先要求孩子只许去门口有节日布置的并点了灯的人家,否则不许打扰。另外讨糖过程中必须始终站在大门口等待,不许进屋,讨回的糖也要交给大人检查后才许吃。对接待孩子的人家也要求不给自家制作的食品,也不给未包装的食品。
最早的穿上化妆服,戴上面具的恶作剧,渐渐地发展成为现在的万圣节化妆舞会。在化妆舞会上,人们会扮演成万圣节主题的鬼怪庆祝节日。在各式各样的装扮角色中,以女巫僵尸一族最多人扮演,而那些专卖万圣节用品的店铺也特别准备这类衣饰出售,以迎合大众所需,例如电影《哈利波特》的小巫师造型,已是许多孩子必选的扮演角色。
关于南瓜灯 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。
在古老的爱尔兰传说里,这根小蜡烛是在一根挖空的萝卜里放着,称作“Jack Lanterns”,而古老的萝卜灯演变到今天,则是南瓜做的Jack-O-Lantern了。据说爱尔兰人到了美国不久,即发现南瓜不论从来源和雕刻来说都比萝卜更胜一筹,于是南瓜就成了万圣节的宠儿。