(西 方) 新 年 的 起 源

Tradition of New Year

在所有的节假日中,新年具有最悠久的历史. 庆贺新年始于公元前4000年的古巴比伦. 直到大约公元前2000年, 巴比伦人以春分后的第一轮弦月升起的日子作为新年的开始.  春分是春天的第一天.

The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring).

春天万物复生, 耕耘起始, 万紫千红, 以春天作为一年的开端适情合理. 而用1月1日作为元旦, 既不具星象上也没有农业方面的特殊含义. 纯粹是人为生成.

The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

古代罗马人保持了在(现代历)三月末庆祝新年的传统. 可是由于君主频更,国历最终与太阳作息脱节.

The Romans continued to observe the new year in late March, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun.

为了重整日历, 罗马国会终于于公元前153年宣布每年的1月1日为元旦. 但是历制紊乱直到公元前46年凯撒大帝建立了”凯撒历”后才真正停止. 凯撒历仍然使用1月1日为元旦,不过为了能够使得新历与太阳周期吻合,凯撒足足拖了445天才开始宣布新年伊始!

In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the new year. But in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days!