VOA慢速英语2020 越南人以放鱼的传统方式庆祝农历新年（在线收听）

Vietnam launched preparations for the Lunar New Year with a fish release on Thursday. The tradition involves releasing fish called carp into rivers and lakes in the country a week before the the holiday known as Tet officially begins.

越南人在周四放生了一条鱼，开始了农历新年的准备工作。春节的传统是在春节正式开始前一周将鲤鱼放生到江河湖泊中。

The tradition comes from an ancient story of three “Kitchen Gods.” The three, two males and a female, take a ride on the brightly colored carp at the end of the year. They go to Heaven to meet with the Jade Emperor, the God who rules there. The Kitchen Gods report news about the families they represent to seek the emperor’s care and protection. Their efforts help to keep the kitchen fires burning, and families happy and healthy.

这一传统来自于一个关于三位灶神的古老故事。在年底的时候，这3位灶神，两男一女，会骑着这条色彩鲜艳的鲤鱼兜风。他们去了天堂，与统治那里的天神玉皇大帝见面。灶神报道他们各自所代表的家庭的消息，以寻求玉帝的照顾和保护。他们的努力使厨房的火继续燃烧，使家庭幸福和健康。

Vietnamese believe the fish release brings good luck to their families.

越南人认为放生鱼会给他们的家人带来好运。

As the gods go to Heaven, families clean their houses in preparation to celebrate Tet. A clean house, Vietnamese believe, will bring luck in the new year. On Lunar New Year’s Eve, the gods will return to earth and their duties in the kitchen of the house.

众神升天后，家家户户都会打扫房屋，准备庆祝春节。越南人相信，干净的房子在新的一年里会带来好运。在农历大年夜，众神会回到人间，在家里的厨房里履行他们的职责。

“Releasing the fish makes me feel better about myself,” said Nguyen Hong Nhung of Hanoi. “It’s like I’ve done a good deed, so I’ll be luckier in the new year.”

河内的Nguyen Hong Nhung说:放生鱼让我感觉好一些。就好像我做了一件好事，所以我在新的一年里会更幸运。

Thursday’s event, which takes place across Vietnam, was more restrained than in years past because of the new coronavirus. It is spreading in several northern areas of the country.

由于新型冠状病毒的存在，周四在越南各地举行的活动比过去几年受约束的多。它在该国北部的几个地区蔓延。

However, Vietnam has increased contact tracing, mass testing, and quarantine measures to slow the spread. The aggressive action has limited infections in the country to 1,948 cases. Vietnam has reported only 35 deaths from COVID-19.

不过，越南加强了对接触者的追踪、大规模检测和检疫措施，以减缓病毒的传播。这种积极的行动将该国的感染病例限制在了1948例。越南报告只有35人死于COVID-19。

A fast-spreading coronavirus variant from Britain is the cause of the latest increase in cases.

来自英国的一种快速传播的冠状病毒变种是最新病例增加的原因。

“Vietnamese will still follow the tradition of releasing the fish, but COVID-19 has made people keep a safe distance,” said Tran Van Toi as he released carp from a plastic bag at Hanoi’s West Lake.

“越南人仍将遵循放生鲤鱼的传统，但COVID-19让人们保持了安全距离，”陈文泰(Tran Van Toi)在河内西湖里从塑料袋中拿出鲤鱼放生时说。

Thich Tinh Giac, a Buddhist monk, noted, “This year, due to COVID, there are fewer people releasing fish here, but there is a major change in attitude towards plastic bags,” Giac said.

佛教僧侣Thich Tinh Giac指出，“今年，由于新冠肺炎，在这里放生鱼的人减少了，但人们对塑料袋的态度发生了重大变化。”

“After years of persuasion, now they don’t throw the plastic bags into the water anymore but collect them to be recycled.”

经过多年的劝导，现在他们不再把塑料袋扔进水里，而是回收利用。

The Lunar New Year is also celebrated in China, Korea, Laos, Tibet and other Asian countries.

中国、韩国、老挝、西藏和其他亚洲国家也庆祝农历新年。