元宵节的由来-英语作文1800字
【参考译文】：关于元宵节的由来有不同的观点。但是其中一点是确定的，它与宗教信仰有关。一个传说告诉我们从前的人崇拜古代的天上的神太一。人们相信天上的神主宰者人类的世界。他有16只龙听命于他，并决定何时让世界有干旱、风暴、饥荒和瘟疫。从统一六国的秦始皇开始，所有后来的皇帝都下令每年举行隆重的仪式。皇帝会祈求太一让人间风调雨顺、人们健康。汉武帝让这个事情更加引人注意。在公元前104年，他宣布元宵节为最重要的节日之一，而整个仪式要持续一夜。另外一个传说把元宵节与道教相联系。天官是道教掌管好运的神。他的生日是农历正月十五。据说天官喜欢各种娱乐活动。所以信教的人就准备各种活动并在这个过程中祈求好运。第三个传说是这样的。佛教在一世纪东汉汉明帝时传入中国。然而，在中国人中并未有很大的影响。一天，汉明帝梦见他的宫殿里出现个金人。当他想问那人是谁时，金人却升到天空，在西方消失了。第二天，明帝就派人到印度去寻找佛教经书。在经过上千里的长途跋涉，他终带回了经书。汉明帝下令兴建庙宇供奉佛和储藏经书。信众认为佛能驱除黑暗。所以汉明帝就下令群臣都点起灯笼，后来便演变成了元宵节
【正文】：
There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. But one thing for sure is that it had something to do with religious worship. One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient times. The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world. He had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought, storms, famine or pestilence(瘟疫)upon human beings. Beginning with Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unite the country, all subsequent emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people. Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty directed special attention to this event. In 104 BC, he proclaimed it one of the most important celebrations and the ceremony would last throughout the night. Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tianguan is the Taoist god responsible for good fortune. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is said that Tianguan likes all types of entertainment. So followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune. The third story about the origin of the festival is like this. Buddhism first entered China during the reign of Emperor Mingdi of the Eastern Han Dynasty. That was in the first century. However, it did not exert any great influence among the Chinese people. one day, Emperor Mingdi had a dream about a gold man in his palace. At the very moment when he was about to ask the mysterious figure who he was, the gold man suddenly rose to the sky and disappeared in the west. The next day, Emperor Mingdi sent a scholar to India on a pilgrimage(朝圣)to locate Buddhist scriptures. After journeying thousands of miles, the scholar finally returned with the scriptures. Emperor Mingdi ordered that a temple be built to house a statue of Buddha and serve as a repository for the scriptures. Followers believe that the power of Buddha can dispel darkness. So Emperor Mingdi ordered his subjects to display lighted lanterns during what was to become the Lantern Festival.
