Old poems describing traditional Chinese festivals include: "Yuan Day", "Qingming Night", "Heavy Snow", "Guizhou December Night", "New Year's Eve", etc.
1. "Yuan Ri" by Wang Anshi of the Song Dynasty
Original text: The sound of firecrackers marks the end of the year, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu. Thousands of households always replace old talismans with new peaches.
Translation: The old year has passed with the sound of firecrackers, and we happily drink Tusu wine in the warm spring breeze. The rising sun shines on thousands of households, and they all take off the old peach charms and replace them with new ones.
2. "Qingming Night" by Bai Juyi in the Tang Dynasty
Original text: On the Qingming night with a good wind and dim moon, the blue-green pavilion and the red pavilion were built to assassinate the historian. Walk around the corridor alone and rest, listening to string instruments in the distance and looking at flowers in secret.
Translation: On the Qingming night, the breeze is blowing and the moonlight is hazy. The bluestone steps and red railings are the governor's mansion. I walked alone in the winding corridor, listening to the distant string music and silently admiring the blooming flowers in the courtyard.
3. "Heavy Snow" by Lu You in the Song Dynasty
Original text: The north wind blows snow at the beginning of the fourth watch, Jiarui Tianjiao and the new year. Half of the Tusu lamp has not yet been lifted, and peach symbols are written on the grass in front of the lamp.
Translation: When the fourth watch arrives at the beginning of the day, the north wind brings a heavy snow; this auspicious snow given to us by God arrives just on New Year's Eve, indicating a good harvest in the coming year. Before I could raise the half-filled glass of Tusu wine to celebrate the New Year, I used the light to write the Chinese New Year peach symbols in cursive script.
4. "Guizhou Late Night" by Rong Yu of the Tang Dynasty
Original text: Wait until the end of the third watch, and return with ten thousand miles of credit. The sound of snow is close to the bamboo, and the cold dreams never leave home. The dawn corner is broken and broken, and the solitary lamp falls into pieces. For two years, I followed Qiusi and worked hard towards the end of the world.
Translation: On New Year’s Eve, I stayed up until the end of the third watch, and the road back home was thousands of miles long and narrow. The snowflakes rustled and fell beside the bamboo forest, and I returned to Zongguan's house several times in the cold night. The horn of dawn replaces the leaking sound in the remaining night, and the solitary lamp is about to burn out and drop the broken core flowers. In the past two years, I have been away from home and followed the Hussars. After hard work, I was still stranded at the end of the world at the end of the year.
5. "New Year's Eve" by Dai Fushi in the Song Dynasty
Original text: Sweep away the hustle and bustle, and worship the sky with a stick of fragrance. All things welcome the spring and send off the remaining wax, and the year ends tonight. Make a pot of fire and roar the bamboo, keep the rice cooker open and listen to the singing of pepper. The wild traveler predicts that farming will be good, and that the auspicious snow of three winters has not yet completely disappeared.
Translation: As the old year comes to an end and the new year begins, clean the house, wash away the dust of the past, burn a pillar of fragrance, and worship the heaven and earth. Everything in the world is bidding farewell to the remaining winter and welcoming the arrival of the New Year. After tonight, a year will be over. The fire in the brazier was burning brightly, and the sound of firecrackers was endless. The New Year's Eve dinner started, and I heard everyone toasting to the elders with pepper wine. The farmer has already known in advance that next year will be a good harvest year, because the auspicious snow in winter has not yet melted.