Today is May 1, the International Labor Day, and this year we still have a 5-day vacation. As one of the idea raisers, France played a significant role in the founding of this holiday, in the meantime, as a student of French, I would like to introduce the origin of this day and how people in France celebrate it.
今天是5月1日，国际劳动节，今年五一我们还有五天长假。法国作为国际劳动节的发起者，在这个节日确立的过程中也发挥了重要的作用，以及，作为一名法语学生，我也想为大家讲解一下劳动节的起源还有法国人是怎样庆祝这个节日的。
Being called as “Fête du Travail”（the day of work) in French, it is actually one of the most serious holidays in France. May 1 is only the national mandatory non-working paid public holiday there, on this day nearly all of the companies as well as the public systems stop running, including the bus, metro and most of the stores, of course, except these essential ones, for instance, the hospitals.
劳动节在法国被称为“Fête du Travail”（即工作节），是法国最为严肃的节日之一。五一节也是法国唯一一个全国性的强制有薪的公共节假日，在这一天，法国几乎所有公司和公共系统都会关闭，包括公交车，地铁和大多数商场，当然，必要性的场所例如医院除外。
In June 1889, the Congress of the Second Socialist International was gathered in Paris for the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Then, they decided to make May Day into a day of the struggle across the world with the 8-hour work day as its goal. And this date was chosen to honor Chicago’s May 1, 1886 movement, in which the unions, simultaneously, the workers went on strike in order to be offered an 8-hour work day. Though the demand has been met, this tradition of protesting for the workers’ right remains.
在1889年7月，第二共产国际在巴黎集会庆祝法国大革命100周年。随后，他们决定将5月1日作为世界人民为8小时工作日而奋斗的纪念日，只一天也被定为1886年芝加哥工人起义纪念日。在1886年5月1日，芝加哥工会工人罢工游行，要求8小时工作制。尽管现在工人们的诉求达到了，保护工人权益的传统依然被保留了下来。
On the contrary of the most people’s decision to gather with the family during the rest time in China, a large quantity of demonstrations take place all around France especially in Paris in this day. Plenty of people surge to the streets to parade, shouting out the slogans and carrying the placards which show their political appeals.
与大多数中国人五一节选择与家人团聚相反，在这一天，法国尤其是巴黎会爆发许多游行抗议。大量人群涌入街头，他们拿着标语同时喊着口号，以此表达他们的政治诉求。
In the meantime, it is also the day of lilies in France. This custom began in 1561 by Catherine de Medici, when her son offered a sprig of lilies to the ladies at home, which is kept in France till now. Now, people make the lilies, which represent happiness and luck，as a gift to the love and even wear them to participate in the demonstrations.
同时，5月1日也是法国的铃兰日。 这个习俗始于1561年5月1日， Catherine de Medic的儿子给家中的女性成员赠送铃兰花，并且一直保留到现在。今天，在这一天给爱人赠送象征快乐与幸运的铃兰花，甚至有许多人佩戴铃兰花参加游行。
So this is the Labor Day in France, and its various activities as well as its customs. In this country, this day means far more than a rest day. And what kinds of habits do you have on this day? I would be rather delighted if you share them with me.
这就是法国的劳动节，在这里，劳动节会有许多风俗和活动，这个节日的意义也非同一般。大家在劳动节都有怎样的习惯呢，记得分享给我呀。
