中國古代皇家如何慶祝春節

Like common people, the ancient emperors would wear special clothes and arrange a special dinner for the big occasion.
和普通人一樣，古代帝王也會穿特別的衣服，並安排特別的年夜飯。

On the Chinese New Year's Eve, the final day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar, the emperor would solemnly wear a bright yellow dragon robe stitched with gold and colored thread, and embroidered with dragon patterns and 12 ornaments. The emperor would also wear a fur coat, a crown on the head and court beads on chest. The whole garment in bright colors symbolizes auspiciousness and a prosperous nation.
在除夕這天，皇帝會穿上莊嚴的亮黃色龍袍，上面用金線和綵線繡出龍的圖案及其他12種裝飾圖案和花紋。皇帝還會穿一件毛皮大衣，頭上戴皇冠，胸前掛朝珠。這套顏色鮮豔的服飾象徵着國家繁榮昌盛。

The first dinner in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal court was dumplings, just like common families. During the early Qing Dynasty, the emperor would eat dumplings with vegetable filling in Zhaoren Hall after the worship ceremony on New Year's Eve.
和普通人家一樣，清代皇宮的年夜飯中也有餃子。在清代早期，皇帝在除夕的祭拜儀式過後，會在昭仁殿內吃素餡餃子。

Until the late Qing Dynasty, the Guangxu Emperor changed the dumpling eating location to the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin Dian) and the stuffing became various kinds of meat. The Empress Dowager Cixi would invite wives of royal families and princesses to the royal court to make dumplings together on New Year's Eve and sit together for a dumpling feast on the early morning of the New Year's Day.
到了晚清時期，光緒皇帝就把吃餃子的地方挪到了養心殿，餃子餡也改爲各種肉餡。慈禧太后會在除夕邀請王公貴族的福晉和格格們進宮一起包餃子，並在大年初一一大早坐在一起吃餃子。

In addition, family feasts were also indispensable. The emperor would host family feasts with the queen, concubines and princes respectively. The feasts were held strictly in accordance with etiquette, such as the number of dishes, the color and quality of the tableware as well as the order of seats. Though called a family feast, the form and etiquette are more important than appetite.
此外，家庭聚餐也是必不可少的。皇帝會分別和皇后、妃嬪和阿哥們聚餐。家庭聚餐會嚴格遵守禮節，包括碗碟數量、餐具的顏色和質地以及入座順序等都有規定。儘管被稱作家庭聚餐，但是進餐的形式和禮節比食慾更爲重要。

The royal court also obeyed the traditional custom of staying up all night on New Year's Eve, so a midnight snack would be prepared for the emperor, which always included fresh and dried fruit displayed in auspicious patterns.
宮廷也要遵守除夕守歲的傳統習俗，所以還會爲皇帝準備夜宵，夜宵裏少不了擺成吉利樣式的新鮮水果和乾果。

At the end of the New Year's Eve, also the start of the Chinese New Year, the emperor would wear formal dress and walk to the Dongnuan Pavilion in the Yangxin Dian, lighting a jade candle, pouring wine into the Cup of Solid Gold and then write auspicious words for the new year such as "Peace reigns over the country" or "Propitious weather for the crops". Then the emperor would drink Tusu wine, specially made for the Spring Festival, meant to get rid of plague and strengthen the body for the new year.
到了除夕的尾聲，也就是農曆新年的開端，皇帝會穿上正式的服裝，走到養心殿的東暖閣點亮一枝玉燭，往純金的杯子中倒酒，爲新年寫一些吉利的字詞，比如“天下太平”，或者“風調雨順”。接下來皇帝會飲用爲春節特製的屠蘇酒，寓意是祛除瘟疫，強健身體。

From the second day of the first lunar month to the 10th day, an auspicious day would be chosen to hold a tea party, in which the emperor would invite dukes and ministers to create poetry under his rule and well-performed officials would be rewarded.
正月初二到初十期間，會選擇一個吉利的日子來舉行茶會，皇帝會邀請諸侯百官，定下規則請大家作詩，表現出色的官員將獲得嘉獎。

During the ancient times when there was no television, a major recreation in the royal court was watching Chinese operas, which had to be lively and auspicious. Several emperors in the Qing Dynasty would act in operas themselves, such as the Qianlong Emperor, Daoguang Emperor and Tongzhi Emperor. The Guangxu Emperor could even beat drums.
古代沒有電視，皇宮裏主要的娛樂活動就是看戲，劇目要熱鬧喜慶。清代的幾位皇帝還會親自參演，比如乾隆皇帝、道光皇帝和同治皇帝。光緒皇帝甚至還會打鼓。

Hanging spring couplets and pasting door gods is a major custom during the Spring Festival. But in the Forbidden City, with its many palaces and doors, that would require a great deal of labor.
掛春聯、貼門神是春節期間的重要傳統。但在紫禁城有這麼多的宮門，都貼上還真得費不少力氣。

The spring couplets in the royal court were mainly written by members of the Imperial Academy who were scholars of calligraphy. However, as there were many taboos in writing spring couplets, they could not showcase their talents entirely.
皇宮中的春聯主要由翰林院的書法大師寫就。但是，因爲寫春聯有諸多禁忌，他們不能完全施展出自己的才華。

The Ministry of Works and the Imperial Household Department were in charge of making the spring couplets and door gods in the royal palace, which would usually be expensive.
詹事府和內務府負責製作皇宮裏的春聯和門神，通常都花不少錢。

Unlike folk families, the spring couplets in the royal palace were written on white silk using ink, then framed and hung on the bright red pillars of the palaces. Thus the color contrast was enhanced to make the spring couplets more clear.
和民間不同，皇宮裏的春聯是用墨寫在白絹上，然後裝裱加框後掛在皇宮的紅柱上。白色和紅色的強烈對比讓春聯上的字更鮮明。

The couplets in the royal palaces were quite numerous and were mostly themed on eulogizing peaceful and flourishing eras, the emperor's merits and virtues, or blessings for a prosperous country and contented people.
皇宮裏的春聯很多，主題大多數是歌頌和平昌盛的年代，稱讚皇帝的功德，或祈禱國泰民安。

No matter the superior emperor or common people, whether the ancient royal palace or modern families, the joyous mood and blessing for a better year during the Spring Festival has never changed.
無論是高高在上的皇帝還是普通老百姓，無論是在古代皇宮還是在現代家庭，春節期間的喜悅心情和對更美好的來年的祝福從來不曾改變過。