Archive for March 10th, 2008

China Travel – Nanxun

Monday, March 10th, 2008

Nanxun, situated in Huzhou City, is a famous historical and cultural town in Zhejiang Province. It is in the hinterland of the Hangjiahu Plain. It faces the Taihu Lake to the north, and borders on Jiangsu Province to the east. Nanxun is only 51 kilometers away from Suzhou. One will pass the famous Tongli Town from Nanxun to Suzhou.

It is recorded by Records of Gardens South of the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River that Nanxun is the only town south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River with five large gardens in one town. Nanxun boasts numerous historic sites and enchanting natural landscapes, and has both historical and cultural details as well as poetic charm of watery regions south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Since ancient time, Nanxun has been a place with flourishing culture and has turned out many talents. During the Song (960-1279), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Nanxun turned out 41 successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations.

With a history of 745 years, Nanxun has places of interests such as the Jiaye Book-Collecting Building, Liu Yong’s Xiaolian Manor, Zhang Jingjiang’s former residence, Zhangshiming’s former residence, the Baijian Building and ancient stone bridges of the Song Dynasty.

(Source: chinaculture.org)

Chinese Culture – Tri-colored Duck Potteries of the Tang Dynasty

Monday, March 10th, 2008

The history of raising duck in China can be dated back to the Neolithic Age four or five thousand years ago. Primitive Chinese at this stage began to settle and tame wild animals for husbandry. Gradually, wild ducks were transformed into domesticated ducks.

China’s earliest duck potteries ever found were unearthed from the remains of Yangshao Culture 4,000 years ago, located in Shanxian County, central Henan Province. In 1954, a painted gray duck pottery was excavated from the remains of Eligang Culture 2,000 years ago, located in Zhengzhou, Henan. Now collected in the National Museum of China, the ceramic duck stands in a plate, about to fly. It is obviously a domesticated duck.

China became one of the world’s most powerful empires in the Tang Dynasty . Animal husbandry developed rapidly at that time, thanks to luxurious life of noblemen and landlords. Among unearthed tri-colored Tang potteries from noblemen’s tombs near the capitals of the Tang Dynasty, livestock accounts for the largest part. A green gilded duck pottery was excavated from a Tang tomb in Shaanxi in the 1950s. Gilded with green and dotted with yellow and brown, the pottery features a Hedging duck. It looks ripen and awkward, with innocent and funny facial-expression.

Tri-colored Tang potteries are painted gilded potteries burned in low heat and facilitated with lead catalyst. They were developed on the basis of gilded potteries of the Man Dynasty. Usually a tri-colored Tang pottery features yellow, green, white or brown. But it does not necessarily use three colors. Potteries using two colors are also called tri-colored Tang potteries.

Tri-colored Tang potteries were mostly unearthed from tombs of landlords or noblemen of the Tang Dyansty. Tombs of ordinary people usually only have common potteries. According to archeological discoveries, kilns producing tri-colored Tang potteries are mainly located in Gongxian County of Henan, Tongchuan of Shaanxi, suburb of Xi’an and Renqiu County of Hebei.

For animal-shape tri-colored Tang potteries, they were first cast in molds and then carved in detail. Those animal-shape potteries usually feature realistic styles, with much emphasis on lines and grandeur.

Author: Wang Jianhua

(Source: chinaculture.org)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 78

Monday, March 10th, 2008

                         Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (12月12日播出)

  旁白: 说起鸟类自然保护区,

  Speaking about birds nature reserves,

  一路上走来倒也看过好几个,

  we’ve surely seen several of

  them on the way,

  只可惜时间不对。

  but only the timing was not right.

  都没有看见多少鸟。

  We didn’t see many birds in fact.

  但是听韩佳说,

  But Han Jia told me

  今天我们要去的

  the Sheyang Rare Bird Nature Reserve

  射阳珍禽自然保护区,

  we’re going to visit today

  可是有种特别的鸟呢。

  has a special kind of bird.

  韩佳: 渊源,你找什么呢?

  Yuanyuan, what are you

  looking for?

  王渊源:你不是说这保护区

  Didn’t you say this nature reserve

  有种特别的鸟嘛?

  has a special kind of bird?

  我找了半天还没发现呢。

  I looked for them for a long time

  but in vain.

  韩佳: 你没发现这个保护区的名字

  Didn’t you find the name of

  this nature reserve

  就很特别吗?

  quite special?

  王渊源:不就是珍禽自然保护区嘛。

  Isn’t it called Rare Bird Nature Reserve?

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:哎,对了,

  Oh, yah,

  “珍禽”是什么意思啊?

  what does “zhenqin” mean?

  韩佳: 原来你连这个名字都没弄明白啊!

  Actually you even don’t understand

  its name!

  这“禽”就是指鸟类。

  ”Qin” refers to birds.

  “珍禽”就是指珍稀的鸟类。

  ”Zhenqin” means rare and

  valuable birds.

  王渊源:原来要找的是一种珍稀的鸟类。

  We’re actually looking for a kind

  of rare bird?

  韩佳: 对,就是这样。

  Yes, that’s true.

  王渊源:那你给我一个提示吧?

  Can you give me a hint?

  韩佳: 这可不行。

  No, I won’t.

  你还是自己慢慢找吧。

  You better take time to find them.

  我先走一步了。拜拜。

  I have to go now. Bye-bye.

  王渊源:韩佳!

  Han Jia!

  你看她,一个提示都不给啊。

  You see, she refused to

  give me a hint.

  你说我怎么去找啊?

  How could I find them?

  组员: 别担心,渊源。

  Don’t worry, Yuanyuan.

  我们大家一起帮你找。

  We’ll help you find them.

  对,我帮你找。

  Yes, I’ll help you.

  来,跟我们走。

  Come on, let’s go.

  王渊源:那我就安心多了。

  Now I’m a bit relieved.

  好,走吧。

  Okay, let’s go.

  组员: 嗨,渊源,干什么呢

  Hey, Yuanyuan, what are you

  standing there

  这一动不动的?

  motionless for?

  王渊源:嘘!你看那边有个白鹭。

  Sh! Look at the egret over there.

  可能就是它呀!

  Perhaps that’s the bird!

  组员: 可算找到了!

  You made it!

  韩佳: 这白鹭虽然珍贵,

  The egret is indeed a rare bird,

  但它可不是你们要找的对象哦。

  but it isn’t the bird you’re supposed

  to look for.

  组员: 嗨,不是啊!

  Hey, it is not!

  王渊源:不是啊?

  It is not the bird, eh?

  你怎么不早说啊?

  Why didn’t you tell me earlier?

  害得我在这儿白白待了半天!

  You made me spend a long time

  here all for nothing!

  韩佳: 嗨,我是看你看得那么认真,

  Oh, I saw you staring at it

  so intently

  所以没好意思打扰你。

  I though it’d be impolite to

  disrupt you.

  渊源刚才说的“白白”呢

  Yuanyuan just now said “baibai”.

  是个副词,

  It is an adverb,

  是指花费的时间

  meaning to spend time

  或者是精力没有意义,

  or energy in vain

  没有效果。

  or for nothing.

  王渊源:“白白”是指花费精力没有意义,

  ”Baibai” means in vain

  没有效果。

  or for nothing.

  Tā bái bái dāi le bàntiān lián yìzhī niǎor dōu méi kànjiàn

  他 白白 待 了 半天, 连 一只 鸟儿 都 没 看见。

  He spent a long time all for nothing,

  as he didn’t even see a single bird.

  韩佳: 不过没关系。

  But that doesn’t matter.

  渊源,你这么认真,

  Yuanyuan, since you are

  so serious,

  相信一会儿就能找到了。

  I’m sure you’ll find it soon.

  王渊源:是吗?

  Really?

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:怎么又走了呀?

  Why are you leaving again?

  组员: 渊源,有什么新发现吗?

  Yuanyuan, did you have any

  new discovery?

  王渊源:哎呀,我一路上倒是看见了很多鸟,

  Oh, I’ve seen a lot of birds

  on the way,

  但也没有发现什么特别的。

  but none of them is any special.

  组员: 别灰心。

  Don’t be disheartened.

  说不定待会儿就见着了。

  Perhaps you’ll soon find it.

  渊源,快过来。

  Yuanyuan, come over here.

  我们找着了!

  We’ve found it!

  你看,我说的没错儿吧?

  Look, am I right?

  走,过去看看。

  Come on, let’s go over and

  have a look.

  快看,是天鹅!

  Look, swans!

  王渊源:哎呀,还真是啊!

  Wow, indeed!

  我怎么忘了它们呀?

  Why should I have forgotten them?

  天鹅可是候鸟啊。

  Swans are a migrant bird.

  现在正是它们往南方

  It is the right time for them

  迁移的时候了。

  to migrate to the south here.

  组员: 多漂亮的天鹅啊!

  What beautiful swans they are!

  真不愧是优雅的代名词!

  No wonder the bird is the synonym

  of “grace”!

  王渊源:天鹅怎么又成了一个代名词呀?

  Why, a swan has become

  a “daimingci”?

  韩佳: “代名词”就是指代替某种名词,

  ”Daimingci” means a synonym

  或者是说法的词语。

  or a similar expression.

  王渊源:“代名词”就是指代替某种名词。

  So “daimingci” here means synonym.

  这下你没话说了吧?

  Now what would you say?

  天鹅这么珍贵的鸟啊,

  Swans are a very rare bird.

  别的地方可不多见。

  It isn’t easy to see them everywhere.

  组员: 这下可算是找着了吧!

  Now we’ve finally found the bird!

  韩佳: 这天鹅虽然也是珍禽,

  Sure, the swan is a rare bird,

  但它还不是这片自然保护区的主角。

  but it isn’t the protagonist in this

  nature reserve.

  组员: 还不对?怎么可能?

  Why still incorrect? How come?

  王渊源:就是啊。

  Right.

  这也不对,那也不对。

  It isn’t this bird, it isn’t that bird.

  那这儿到底是

  What on earth is the bird

  哪种鸟的保护区啊?

  that this nature reserve is to protect?

  韩佳: 怎么,准备放弃啦?

  Hey, you want to give up?

  王渊源:谁说我要放弃啊?

  Who says I want to give up?

  之前就算是热身。

  All we did was just a warm-up.

  我现在就要认真起来。

  From now on, I’ll be really serious.

  韩佳: 是嘛。等等。

  Right. Wait a minute.

  恐怕你呀没这个机会喽。

  I don’t think you’ll have

  the chance for that.

  王渊源:怎么啦?

  Who not?

  韩佳: 你们看,主角登场了!

  Look, the protagonists are

  on stage!

  旁白: 哎,原来丹顶鹤

  Oh, actually these red-crowned cranes

  才是这片保护区的主角!

  are the real protagonists of this

  nature reserve!

  没想到它们飞起来的样子

  I didn’t know the way they

  are flying

  这么好看。

  could be so beautiful.

  这场面真是让人印象深刻!

  What an impressive sight!

  看它们在空中飞舞的姿态

  The way they are flying in the sky

  确实是既优雅,又飘逸。

  is both graceful and elegant.

  韩佳: 中国有两个最大的

  China has two biggest

  丹顶鹤自然保护区,

  red-crowned crane nature reserves,

  一个在黑龙江的扎龙,

  one in Zhalong of Heilongjiang

  另外一个就是江苏的盐城了。

  and the other in Yancheng

  of Jiangsu.

  王渊源:一个在北边,一个在南边。

  One in the north and one

  in the south.

  那这丹顶鹤也是候鸟啊?

  So the red-crowned crane is also

  a migrant bird?

  韩佳: 没错儿啊。

  Exactly.

  每到秋天它们就会离开北方,

  In autumn they leave the north

  到南方来过冬。

  for the south to spend their wintertime.

  王渊源:我觉得这个自然保护区

  I’m sure this nature reserve’s

  真的是生态环境不错。

  eco-environment must be very good.

  韩佳: 这片自然保护区

  This nature reserve

  是由滩涂湿地组成的。

  is comprised of tidal mudflats.

  降雨量和阳光照射啊

  There is abundant rainfall

  都非常充足。

  and sufficient sunshine.

  所以这里的动植物种类很丰富。

  So there are also many wildlife

  species here.

  光是鸟类就有三百多种呢。

  There are more than 300 species

  of birds alone.

  王渊源:哎,你刚才说的“光”

  Eh, you just said “guang”

  是表示仅仅、单是,对吗?

  means “solely” or “merely”, right?

  韩佳: 没错儿。

  Right.

  “光”是我们常用的口头语,

  ”Guang” is often used in everyday

  conversation,

  表示仅仅、单是。

  meaning “alone”, “solely” or “merely”.

  就好像我们刚才说的。

  Just as we said.

  Zhèli dòng zhíwù zhǒnglèi hěn fēngfù guāng shi niǎolèi jiù

  yǒu sānbǎi duō zhǒng

  这里 动 植物 种类 很 丰富, 光 是 鸟类 就

  有 三百 多 种。

  There are many species of plants and

  animals here, including more than

  300 species of birds alone.

  王渊源:这么多种鸟啊!

  There are so many birds here!

  幸亏我没有继续找下去啊。

  Fortunately I didn’t go on

  with the search.

  韩佳: 不过你跟丹顶鹤

  But it must be fate that you

  came across

  还是挺有缘分的。

  these red-drowned cranes.

  你看,你没有找到它们,

  Look, you failed to find them,

  它们倒是找上你了!

  but they came to look for

  you instead!

  王渊源:我觉得它们真是挺欢迎我的!

  I think they surely sort of

  welcome me!

  那我去跟它们打个招呼吧。

  Let me say hello to them.

  韩佳: 好啊。

  Okay.

  王渊源:嗨,你真的很漂亮!

  Hey, you’re so beautiful!

  过来,你们叫什么名字?

  Come here, what’s your name?

  哎呀,韩佳,

  Wow, Han Jia,

  你看,原来这里还有这么多种鹤呢!

  look, there are so many cranes here!

  韩佳: 那当然了。

  Of course.

  这了除了丹顶鹤啊,

  In addition to these red-crowned cranes,

  还有白头鹤、灰鹤、白枕鹤等等。

  there are also hooded cranes, common

  cranes and white-naped cranes.

  怎么样,这个保护区没白来吧?

  Well, did you come to this nature

  reserve for nothing?

  王渊源:那当然了。

  Of course, not.

  这可是个好地方。

  This is indeed a very nice place.

  我要多去看看。

  I’d like to see some more.

  韩佳: 哎,这回轮到他不见了。

  Hey, this time it was he

  who disappeared.

  那这样吧,

  Well, I suggest

  我们一块儿去看看今天的赏心悦目。

  we watch together today’s Feast

  for the Eyes.

  赏心悦目:

  射阳因后羿射日而得名

  Sheyang was named after a mythical hero,

  美丽的传说世代相传

  who shot down nine of the ten suns in the sky.

  射阳珍禽自然保护区 生态环境优越

  The beautiful Sheyang Rare Birds Nature Reserve

  是世界上最大的丹顶鹤越冬地之一

  is one of the world’s largest winter habitats

  丹顶鹤以繁殖地和越冬地为家

  of red-crowned cranes.

  一年一度 南北迁徙

  Migrating from the north once a year,

  这里是丹顶鹤的家园 是鸟类的天堂

  these birds come here as their southern home.

  韩佳: 渊源,这回看够了吧?

  Yuanyuan, did you see enough?

  王渊源:那些鹤可真逗啊。

  These cranes are so funny.

  我走的时候,

  When I left,

  它们还冲着我叫个不停。

  they still kept calling to me.

  韩佳: 哎,这你就不懂了吧,

  Oh, you obviously don’t understand

  它们是在提醒你呢。

  they were calling because they

  wanted to remind you of something.

  王渊源:提醒我?

  Remind me of something?

  韩佳: 嗯,提醒你要出今天的

  Yes, they’re reminding you to

  有奖问答题啊。

  set today’s award-winning question.

  王渊源:这个不用提醒。我记着呢。

  They needn’t. I remember that.

  观众朋友们,

  Audience friends,

  今天的题目是这样的。

  today’s question is like this.

  (问题部分略)

  韩佳: 哎,你听,它们又叫起来了。

  Hey, listen, they’re calling again.

  王渊源:哎,这回我听懂了。

  Oh, now I understand them.

  韩佳: 哦,是什么?

  Oh, what do they mean?

  王渊源:当然是:学说中国话,

  They certainly mean: Learn Chinese

  朋友遍天下!

  and make friends everywhere!

     (Source: cctv.com)