11-22-07

美国人庆一年一度感恩节 (US Marks Annual Thanksgiving Holiday)

大多数美国人星期四休假庆祝一年一度的感恩节。许多美国人旅行几百公里、甚至几千公里，与家人和朋友大团聚，并享用火鸡为主菜的大餐。在这一天，他们会在电视上观看全国直播的传统假期活动，包括梅西百货公司赞助的纽约大游行以及全国美式足球联盟的比赛。

尽管感恩节的庆祝活动早有记载，但是人们一般会把这项传统追溯到1621年。那一年，在位于现在的麻萨诸塞州的普利矛斯定居点，来到美洲的英国殖民地开拓者与一个当地印第安部落聚餐。这个部落教会了他们如何在新家园种植和狩猎。

Most Americans are off work Thursday to celebrate the nation's annual Thanksgiving Day. Many Americans travel hundreds -- even thousands -- of kilometers to enjoy the day with a large gathering of family and friends, and a huge feast with turkey as the main dish. They also watch traditional, nationally televised holiday events, including a parade in New York City sponsored by Macy's department store, and National Football League games.

Although there is a record of earlier Thanksgiving celebrations, the tradition is often traced back to 1621. That year, British colonists at the Plymouth settlement in what is now Massachusetts held a feast with a Native American tribe, who taught the colonists how to grow food and hunt for game in their new home.

中国谴责达赖喇嘛对继任人选的说法 (China Condemns Dalai Lama's Remarks on Succession)

中国指责西藏流亡精神领袖达赖喇嘛违反藏传佛教的传统。达赖喇嘛最近暗示他可能会在自己去世前指定继承人，而不是等待转世灵童。中国外交部星期四说，这样的安排将违反藏传佛教的习俗以及历史惯例。

达赖喇嘛不久前说，他的继承人可能会像推举教皇那样产生，或者他会在去世前指定自己的继承人。达赖喇嘛这个星期在接受日本产经新闻采访时再次重复了上述的说法。他还说，西藏人民不会接受中国政府指定的继承人。

China is accusing Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, of violating Buddhist religious tradition after he suggested recently that he might appoint his successor before his death, instead of relying on reincarnation. China's foreign ministry Thursday said such an arrangement would violate Tibetan religious rituals and historic conventions.

The Dalai Lama said lately his successor could be chosen like the Pope, or that he may decide to declare his own successor before he dies. The Dalai Lama repeated those remarks this week in an interview with Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun and said the Tibetan people would not support a Chinese-appointed successor.