Japan’s Obon Festival: Honoring Ancestors with Light and Dance

课文

1. Obon is a Buddhist festival in Japan that lasts for three days each summer.

   盂兰盆节是日本每年夏季为期三天的佛教节日。

2. Families clean graves, offer food, and light small paper lanterns called chochin.

   家人会清扫墓地、供奉食物，并点燃名为“提灯”的小型纸灯笼。

3. Many people return to their hometowns during Obon, making it one of Japan’s busiest travel periods.

   许多人在盂兰盆节期间返乡，使其成为日本最繁忙的出行时段之一。

4. Bon Odori dances are performed in yukata—light cotton kimonos—under open skies.

   人们身着轻便棉质浴衣，在露天跳起盆踊舞。

5. These circular dances symbolize joy, gratitude, and the gentle return of ancestral spirits.

   这种环形舞蹈象征喜悦、感恩，以及祖先灵魂的温柔归来。

6. Unlike Western holidays focused on celebration, Obon emphasizes quiet reflection and filial duty.

   与侧重欢庆的西方节日不同，盂兰盆节强调静思与孝道。

7. Children often join elders in lighting lanterns, learning how respect flows across generations.

   孩子常随长辈一起点灯，在代际间传承敬意。

8. In Kyoto, the famous Gozan no Okuribi sends giant fire characters down mountains at dusk.

   在京都，著名的“五山送火”仪式于黄昏时分在山上燃起巨大的火焰文字。

9. Though modern life has shortened some rituals, most Japanese still observe Obon with sincerity.

   尽管现代生活缩短了一些仪式，大多数日本人仍真诚地过盂兰盆节。

10. Visitors who watch silently or join a dance circle are welcomed as part of the shared memory.

    静静观看或加入舞蹈圈的访客，都被视为共享记忆的一份子。