浴佛節 Bath the Buddha Festival

今天，2023年5月26日，農曆四月初八，是中國佛誕，又稱“浴佛節”，是慶祝佛教創始人釋迦牟尼佛誕辰的日子。 相傳佛祖在藍毘尼出生時，眾龍都來噴水給佛祖洗澡，以示祝福和崇拜。佛誕期間，寺廟會開放供信眾燒香禮佛、沐浴佛像、供養僧人。

Today, 26 May 2023, the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, is the Chinese Buddha's Birthday, also known as the "Bath the Buddha Festival", which is the day to celebrate the birth of the founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni Buddha. It is said that when the Buddha was born in Lumbini, all the dragons came and sprayed water to bath the baby Buddha as an expression of blessing and worship. On the period of Buddha's Birthday, temples will be open for believers to burn incense, worship Buddha, bath in the figure of Buddha, and make offerings to monks. 

在信奉上座部（小乘）佛教的國家，佛陀的誕生、出家、成道、涅槃都在同一天，稱為“衛塞節”。通過曆法的換算，這一天應該是農曆四月十五。 然而，曆法的轉換，或“衛塞節”，不是本文的主題。

In the countries which follow Theravada Buddhism, the birth, renunciation, enlightenment, and Nirvana of the Buddha are all on the same day, which is called "Wesak Day". Through the conversion of the calendars, this day should be the fifteenth day of the fourth lunar month. However, the conversion of the calendars, or "Wesak Day", is not the topic in this article.

然而，在中國佛教中，佛陀誕生後的第七天，與衛塞節同一天，被稱為“佛吉祥日”。 關於這個節日有兩個傳說。 其一是佛陀的母親摩耶夫人在佛陀誕生的第七天離世，佛陀寶寶放出吉祥光芒來祝福她升天；另一種說法是經過多年的修行和冥想，佛陀終於在這一天開悟了，由此，自然地放出了吉祥的光芒。 “佛吉祥日”在中國被視為佛誕的餘慶，一般不單獨慶祝，而是與佛誕一起慶祝。

However, in Chinese Buddhism, the seventh day after the Buddha's birth, which is the same day as Vesak Day, is called "Buddha's Auspicious Day". There are two legends about this festival. One is that Mrs. Maya, the Buddha, passed away on the seventh day of the Buddha's birth, and the baby Buddha released auspicious light to bless her to ascend to heaven; the other is that the Buddha finally became enlightened in this day after years of practice and meditation, and thus naturally emitted auspicious light. "Buddha's Auspicious Day" is regarded as the aftermath of Buddha's birthday in China, and is generally not celebrated separately, but together with Buddha's birthday.

澳門獨有的傳統節日“醉龍節”，恰逢在中國佛誕節這一天。“醉龍節”。部分魚商會休業一天，以參加在街市附近表演的“醉龍舞”。要想演好醉龍，參賽者必須讓自己喝醉。

The traditional festival unique to Macau, the "Drunken Dragon Festival" , which meet the day of the Buddha's Birthday in China. Some of the fish merchants will be closed for the day to participate in this day for the show near the vegetable market. For performed well as a drunken dragon, the participants must make themselves drunk.