The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, is traditionally a time when Chinese people visit the graves of their ancestors, sprucing up the tombs and remembering their loved ones.
清明節(jié)是中國人掃墓祭祖、懷念逝去至親至愛的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日。

But this year, the day also included a national mourning, which offered people a chance to remember those who lost their lives in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
而今年的清明節(jié)也是全國哀悼日，表達全國各族人民對抗擊新冠肺炎疫情斗爭犧牲烈士和逝世同胞的深切哀悼。

This is the first time that China has launched national mourning due to a major public health emergency, noted Xinhua.
新華社報道指出，這是我國首次因重大突發(fā)公共衛(wèi)生事件啟動全國性哀悼。

Starting at 10 am on April 4, Chinese people – from the leaders of the Communist Party of China to schoolchildren and from Wuhan to every corner of the country – observed a three-minute silence to mourn the deceased.
4月4日上午10時起，全國人民 —— 從中共中央領導人到學校學生，從武漢到全國各地 —— 為逝者默哀3分鐘。

With all national flags lowered to half-mast, all public entertainment suspended and air raid sirens – and horns of automobiles, trains and ships – wailing in grief, “China paused for three minutes, making the world see the unity and strength behind the 1.4 billion Chinese people,” People’s Daily reported.
在此期間，全國下半旗志哀，全國停止公共娛樂活動，汽車、火車、艦船鳴笛，防空警報鳴響，“中國暫停了三分鐘，讓全世界讀懂了14億中國人集體情感釋放背后的團結與力量，”《人民日報》如此報道。

According to Xinhua, more than 3,300 lives were lost due to COVID-19 on the Chinese mainland. On April 3, 14 people who died on the frontline of fighting the virus in Hubei province, including Li Wenliang and Liu Zhiming, have been identified as the first batch of martyrs.
據(jù)新華社報道，新冠肺炎疫情新冠肺炎在中國已經(jīng)奪去了3300多條生命。4月3日，李文亮、劉智明等14名犧牲在新冠肺炎疫情防控一線人員被評定為首批烈士。

“The national mourning makes people deeply realize that the good results of fighting against COVID-19 don’t come easily. Everyone should treasure life, and understand the significance of those hard struggles,” People’s Daily commented.
“全國性哀悼使人們更深切地體會到今天的戰(zhàn)‘疫’成績來之不易。人人都應珍惜美好生活，懂得艱苦奮斗的深刻意義，”《人民日報》評論道。

As Zhang Xiang, associate dean of the School of Law, Renmin University of China, pointed out, “People can mourn the loss of compatriots and pay tribute to those brave fighters. The national mourning can soothe the public, and more importantly, it encourages people alive to forge ahead,” said Zhang.
正如中國人民大學法學院副院長張翔所指出的那樣，“人們能夠緬懷同胞、致敬奮戰(zhàn)者。全國性哀悼能夠撫慰公眾情緒，更重要的是，激勵生者繼續(xù)奮力前行，”張翔表示。

Chinese people treasured the chance to show their respect for the heroes in harm’s way. “Today, I’m bidding in my heart a final farewell to the deceased,” said community worker Deng Linghao from Wuhan. “We, who are alive, must stay strong.”
中國人民也十分珍視這次致敬逆境英雄的機會?！敖裉?，我在心中與逝者們作了最后的道別，”武漢社區(qū)工作者鄧凌浩（音譯）說道?！吧弑仨殘詮?。”

Meanwhile, many teachers took the chance to teach their students about the meaning of death.
與此同時，許多老師也借此機會教育學生死亡的意義。

Huang Xi, 16, from Liyang High School of Jiangsu province, and her classmates were asked to write an obituary. She hoped that those no longer with us can rest in peace, the living can keep a brave and positive attitude, and the world can get back to normal as soon as possible.
江蘇省溧陽中學的16歲學生黃希（音譯）與同學們寫起了悼文。她希望逝者能夠安息，生者能夠積極勇敢，世界能夠盡快恢復正常。

“We mourned to soothe the sorrow inside, and by mourning, we can move forward with a grateful mind and awe to life,” she said.
“我們以哀悼來撫慰內(nèi)心的傷痛，通過這次哀悼，我們能夠懷著一顆敬畏生命的感恩之心繼續(xù)前行，”她說道。

以上文章內(nèi)容選自《21世紀學生英文報高中版》，詳情請見《21世紀學生英文報高中版》高二787期