The Colorful Story of Koinobori日本兒童節：彩色鯉魚旗
Part 1
The Colorful Story of Koinobori
Many years ago, a school of koi fish found themselves at the bottom of a sacred stream.
許多年前，有一群鯉魚發現自己身在一條神聖的河川下游。
They were told that if they could swim to its source, they would be given magical powers.
有人告訴牠們如果可以游到河川的源頭，就會被賜予魔法般的能力。
Though the stream's current was strong, one swimmer managed to reach its source.
雖然這條河川的水流湍急，有一隻卻成功抵達了源頭。
As a reward, the koi was transformed into a golden dragon, the image of power and strength.
作為獎賞，這隻鯉魚化身成一條金色的龍，象徵力量與意志力。
The story of this spirited swimmer is the basis of an interesting part of Japanese culture：koinobori.
這個鬥志高昂的泳者的故事根源於某一個有趣的日本文化：鯉魚旗
For much of spring, these fish-shaped flags can be found flying outside family homes in honor of Children's Day.
大半個春天都能看見魚形的旗幟在各家門外飛揚以慶祝兒童節。
As reminders of the koi fish's strength, they are symbols of parents' hope that their children will grow up happy and healthy.
鯉魚旗提醒了人們鯉魚的堅毅精神，象徵父母希望小孩能健康快樂地成長。
Their use dates back to the Edo period.
鯉魚旗的使用可追溯到江戶時代
At that time, the shōgun, who led Japan's military government, would use images of the fish to celebrate the birth of a baby boy in his family.
當時領導日本軍政府的將軍會利用鯉魚的意象來慶祝家中男孩的誕生。
This practice caught on among wealthy families around the country , and soon found its way into the rituals of the imperial court.
這個做法流行於國內的富裕家庭，並且很快地成為朝廷儀式
Ever since then, the flags have appeared every year as colorful wishes for the success of the next generation.
從那時起，這些五彩繽紛的旗幟每年都會出現，祈求下一代的成功。
Reward
Transform
Image
sacred（adj.）[ˋsekrɪd] 神聖的
He made a sacred promise. 他作出了鄭重的許諾。
sacred relics/temples聖物／殿
神的，宗教（性）The Koran is the sacred book of Islam. 《可蘭經》是回教的聖典。
spirited （adj.）精神飽滿的；充滿活力的
She put up a spirited defence of her government's policies.
The home team's spirited playing ensured them a comfortable victory.
地主隊熱情四射的表現使他們輕鬆贏得了比賽的勝利。
（用以構成複合詞）有……精神的；情緒……的；心地……的
a mean-spirited man 一個卑鄙的人
low-spirited (= sad) 情緒低落的
The children are rather high-spirited (= excited and happy). 孩子們情緒非常高昂。
reminder（n.）提醒人⋯之物；使人記起⋯之物
to receive a reminder 收到通知單
to send/write a reminder 送／寫通知單
I've had another reminder from the library. 我又收到圖書館的催促還書的來函。
a reminder of sb/sth
a person or thing that makes you remember a particular person, event, or situation
使人想起…的東西；引起對…回憶的人；提醒人…的事物
Patricia's story is a reminder of how vulnerable women can be in what is still essentially a man's world.
派翠西亞的短篇小說提醒人們，在如今實質上仍屬於男性的世界裡，女性會是多麼的易受傷害。
ritual（n.）儀式；典禮
a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony
She went through her usual ritual of making sure all the doors were locked before she went to bed. 她上床之前按慣例檢查一下所有的門是不是都鎖上了。
Coffee and the newspaper are part of my morning ritual.
喝咖啡和讀報紙是我早晨必做的事情之一。
The birds were performing a complex mating ritual.
這些鳥在進行程式複雜的交配。
imperial court宮廷；朝廷
a school of +魚類
current（n.）水流；氣流；電流
a movement of water, air, or electricity in a particular direction
to swim against/with the current 逆流／順流而遊
He was swept out to sea by the strong current.
他被急流沖到了海裡。
Switch off the electric current before changing the bulb.
換燈泡前先把電源切斷。
current（n.）思潮；潮流
a particular opinion or feeling that a group of people have
There is a growing current of support for environmental issues among voters.
投票者對環境問題的支持呈增長趨勢。
current（adj.）現時的，當前的；現行的
of the present time
Have you seen the current issue of (= the most recently published) Vogue magazine?
最新一期《時尚》雜誌你看過了嗎？
The word is no longer in current use.
這個單詞現在已不再使用了。
far cry from＋sth相去甚遠
Completely different from the other
catch on 跟上流行
Part 2
The Colorful Story of Koinobori
Today, koinobori are a common sight across Japan from April to early May.
現今，鯉魚旗在四月至五月初已是日本各地常見的景象。
They come in many shapes and sizes.
鯉魚旗有各種形狀和大小，
However, the traditional design is a tall flag pole, topped with a spinning golden ball and two arrow-spoked wheels.
但傳統設計是一個高高的旗竿，頂端有個旋轉的金色圓球以及箭形幅輪，
Under this is the fukinagashi streamer, followed by at least three fish flags.
下面有五色風幡和至少三面鯉魚旗
These have different colors and are ordered from largest to smallest, each symbolizing a family member.
每一隻都有不同的顏色，從大到小排列，象徵不同的家庭成員。
Aside from their usual places above family homes, huge numbers of koinobori are displayed at public fairs around Japan.
除了一般家庭屋頂，也可以在日本各地的公共市集看見為數不少的鯉魚旗。
Often, the flags are strung across rivers so that the koi appear to be swimming upstream.
通常這些旗幟會橫跨河流懸掛，看起來就有如鯉魚逆流而上。
One of the most popular places to observe this tradition is Takatsuki, Osaka, where 1,000 koinobori are assembled every year.
其中一個可以奉行此傳統的熱門地區是大阪府高槻市，這裡每年都會聚集千面鯉魚旗
The event draws crowds numbering in the thousands, and is filled with food vendors selling famous local dishes.
這個活動吸引上千名遊客
並且可見諸多食物攤販販售當地著名美食。
Meanwhile, Oguni-machi—a small hot-spring town in Kumamoto Prefecture
此時，熊本縣的溫泉小鎮──小國町，
offers something really special.
也有相當特別的看點
There, with steam rising from its mineralrich stream, visitors can stroll under a school of 3,500 koi flags floating in the breeze.
遊客可以在3500隻隨風飄浮的鯉魚旗下漫步。
Though experiences such as this are a far cry from koinobori's military past, the flags will likely remain part of Japanese culture for years to come.
雖然這樣的體驗與鯉魚旗從前的軍事背景大不相同，這些旗幟作為日本文化的一部份仍可望延續數年
come in 有甚麼形狀、顏色、尺寸
describe something
以（樣式、形式）被出售；被生產
The new cellphone comes in different sizes and colors. Which one is your favorite?
這些新手機以不同尺寸及顏色上市，你最喜歡哪一種？
streamer（n.）裝飾用彩帶
We decorated the office with streamers for Paul's leaving party.
為了替保羅辦個告別會，我們用彩帶裝飾了一下辦公室。
symbolize（v.）象徵;代表
The lighting of the Olympic torch symbolizes peace and friendship among the nations of the world.
奧林匹克聖火的點燃象徵著世界各國人民的和平與友誼。
The dove symbolizes peace. 鴿子象徵和平
upstream（adv.）向上游;逆流地
Salmon swim upstream against very strong currents to reach their breeding areas.
鮭魚會迎着湍急的水流游向它們在上游的産卵區。
He was making his way upstream. 他正逆流而上。
prefecture （n.）（某些國家的）縣
（日本，法國，義大利等國的行政區劃）縣，州，區
stroll（v.）散步；閒逛
stroll along the street
We could stroll along the beach after dinner.
晚飯後我們可以去海灘散散步。
mineral（n.）礦物；礦物質
a chemical that your body needs to stay healthy
A healthy diet should supply all necessary vitamins and minerals.
健康的飲食應該提供所有必要的維生素和礦物質。
a mineral supplement補充的礦物質
mineral（adj.）礦物的
Those countries are rich in mineral resources. 那些國家礦物資源很豐富。
float飄動；漂浮
You can float very easily in/on the Dead Sea because it's so salty.
因為死海含鹽量很高，人可以輕鬆浮在水面上。
We spent a lazy afternoon floating down/along the river.
我們沿河漂流而下，懶洋洋的度過了一個下午。
Since he lost his job, he's just floated around/about doing nothing.
自從失業後，他就四處遊蕩，無所事事。
Laura has floated the idea that we should think about expanding into Europe next year.
蘿拉提議，我們應該考慮明年拓展打入歐洲市場。
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