双语科普：为什么一到清明节就下雨？

多年统计数据显示，我国南方地区在清明节这天，降雨概率非常高。看来“清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂”并非一句虚言啊。那么，这到底是为什么呢？来看看今天的日常英语新闻吧！

一、最经典的清明古诗英译版

Qingming Festival

清明（唐）杜牧

The ceaseless drizzle drips all the dismal day,  

清明时节雨纷纷，

So broken-hearted fares the traveler on the way.  

路上行人欲断魂。

When asked where could be found a tavern bower,   

借问酒家何处有，

A cowboy points to yonder village of the apricot flower.

牧童遥指杏花村。

二、对于清明节为什么下雨的解释

1.文学版

The two poets of Du Mu, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, were familiar with the poet's description of the Qingming weather at the time and included strong emotions. I thinks it is very possible that Rain God Xiao Jingteng was the original reincarnation of Du Mu. It seems that it is raining and it can't escape the spell.

唐代大诗人杜牧的两句诗，大家都耳熟能详，诗人描述了当时清明的天气，也包含了自身强烈的情感。小编觉得很有可能，雨神萧敬腾就是当初的杜牧转世，似乎清明下雨，已经逃不开这个魔咒了。

2.传说版

According to legend, an old man had saved a snake before. Then it didn't know why the old man let the snake go. But the snake is not willing to leave. The old man could only pick up an axe and cut off the snake's tail. The snake was crying away. Later, the snake became a dragon, and the old man died. He cried over the old man's grave and he went to worship his master every year. So every year Ching Ming will rain because he misses its owner.

传说以前有个老头救了一条蛇，后来不知道为什么老头不得已要蛇走，可是蛇不舍得老头，怎么赶都不走。老头只能拿起斧头砍断了蛇的尾巴，蛇哭着走了。后来蛇化成了龙，老头也死了，他在老头的坟前哭得天昏地暗，以后每年这天他都去拜祭他的主人。所以每年的清明都会下雨就是因为他在怀念它的主人。 

3.实用版

During the Qing Ming, frequent fires in the mountains and forests were caused by burning paper on the tombs. Such news emerged in an endless stream. On the day of Qinming Ming, it was a reasonable matter to burn some paper money for their own ancestors. But not everyone can "beware of fire." Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary catastrophes, God will always patter the next bit of rain, and it will be able to fire without losing the mood.

清明期间山林频发火灾，皆因上坟烧纸引起，这样的新闻层出不穷。清明那天，都要给自己老祖宗烧点纸钱，这都是情理之中的事情，但是并不是每个人都能“小心火烛”。所以，老天爷为了避免不必要的灾难，总会淅淅沥沥的下一点小雨，不失情调也能防火。

4.科学版

The warm and humid air currents of the sea before and after Ching Ming are constantly being transported to the mainland, and there is more water vapour in the atmosphere. As soon as the water vapor condenses into drizzle at night, the low pressure in the spring is very high. The clouds in the low pressure go very fast. When the low pressure passes once, there will be gloomy, rainy weather. Therefore, the weather in Qingming is particularly heavy.

清明前后海洋的暖湿气流不停的向在大陆输送，大气层里的水汽比较多。水汽一到晚上就凝结成毛毛雨，再者春天低气压非常多，低气压里的云走得很快，每当低气压经过一次，就会出现阴沉、多雨的天气。因此清明下雨的天气特别多。

三、清明节相关英文表达

作为节日的清明节一般翻译为"Tomb Sweeping festival"或者"Tomb-sweeping Day"，扫墓节或扫墓日。这个翻译着重强调了清明节的重要习俗“扫墓”。这种说法的好处是，老外一听就能大概明白这个节日的背后含义。

也有人把清明节翻译为"All Souls'Day"，这是一种站在对方文化角度考虑做出的翻译。因为"All Souls'Day"在西方是确实存在的节日，一般称为“万灵日”。这是一个宗教节日，在有的教派里甚至不止一天。教会会在这一天为那些去世后无法进入天堂的信徒祈祷，希望他们早日进入天堂。其基本意义和清明节相似，也是祭奠死者的节日。

另外再谈到作为节气的清明，它被译为"Clear and Bright"，清洁和明亮。我们也不难发现，这种译法强调的是清明时节的气候状况，和其他节气的翻译出发点一致。比如立夏被译为"Summer begins"、小寒、大寒分别被译为"Slight cold"和"Great cold"。

以上就是每年清明下雨的原因。清明节除了回家扫墓，也是一个出游放松的好时期，希望大家度过一个愉快的假期！