Archive for April 16th, 2008

Chinese Culture – Cloth Art in China(1)

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

Cloth art is an important part of Chinese folk art. Women in the countryside usually fill cloth ware with grain or cotton to make certain symbolic moulds. Thanks to their exquisite techniques and beautiful patterns, Chinese cloth art products are well received by people from both home and abroad.

 Cloth-Piecing art

Cloth art contains almost all living arts forms and has close ties with our daily lives. If cloth art creates a natural beauty of life, cloth-piecing art creates the most appealing artworks.

Cloth-piecing art is said to be rooted in folk crafts in India. Artworks then mostly consisted of apparel and scarves, where patterns and color matching were formed in accordance with local religious customs. In the 12th and 13th centuries, when Europe fell prey to frequent cold snaps, people began making bedclothes by cloth piecing to stay warm. At the time, cloth-piecing techniques were more decorative rather than practical.

In the 17th century, as a result of the discovery of the New World, many European puritans immigrated to America, bringing with them the art of cloth piecing. From then on, the art has spread throughout the world.

By the middle of the 19th century, cloth-piecing art had become an international trend. Although the materials consisted of scraps of cloth, the art had developed form a utility to a handicraft art.

The basic tools for cloth piecing are: a canvas and palette, scissors, pen, bead needle, ruler, needle, thread, thimble, seam ripper, embroidery border, awl, gyro wheel and paper . The basic materials include thin silk, velour, fine knops, cloth of various kinds, fasteners, etc. To master the art of cloth piecing, one has to acquaint him/herself with drawing basic pictures, color-matching, types and characteristics of cloth, tools and cloth clipping, etc. Cloth-piecing works can be used as cushions, frescos, pillows, baskets, furniture and ornaments.

Source: chinaculture.org)

Chinese Conversation – lesson 48

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

恐龙曾遍布地球的每个角落,现在他们没了,全部都灭绝了。没有人确定这是怎么发生的。一些科学家认为气候变了,还有一些认为是疾病导致它们灭绝。我们所能确定的就是它们曾经生存过。

Dinosaurs were once found all over the earth. Now they are gone. They have all died out. No one is sure how this happened. Some scientists believe the weather changed. Some believe disease killed them all. All that we can be sure of is that once they lived.

(Source: wwenglish.com)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 115

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
 
 

    (2月14日播出)

  旁白: 在鲁迅的小说里,

  In Lu Xun’s stories,

  曾经诞生了很多著名的人物,

  there are many well-known characters,

  像阿贵、祥林嫂、鲁四老爷等等。

  such as A Gui, Sister Xianglin

  and Lu Siye.

  这些人物对于中国人来说,

  These characters are

  都是再熟悉不过的了。

  very familiar to Chinese readers.

  可他们对于渊源来说,

  But they may be unfamiliar

  就有些陌生了。

  to Yuanyuan.

  王渊源:快乐学汉语,万里海疆行!

  Learn Chinese the fun way and enjoy

  a Happy Journey across China!

  大家好,我是快乐的渊源。

  Hi, there! I’m Happy Yuanyuan.

  什么?你问我韩佳去哪儿了?

  What? Are you asking me

  where Han Jia is?

  这我可不知道。

  I have no idea.

  不过没关系。

  But it doesn’t matter.

  在这个鲁镇里走一走

  It is also very nice

  也挺好的。

  to take a stroll in this town

  called Luzhen.

  祥林嫂:阿毛!阿毛!

  A Mao! A Mao!

  王渊源:我看那边有个大嫂。

  I’m seeing a lady over there.

  好像在找人。

  She seems to be looking

  for someone.

  我得过去看看。

  Let me go over to

  take a look.

  祥林嫂:阿毛!

  A Mao!

  王渊源:这位大嫂,

  Ma’am,

  有什么事我可以帮忙吗?

  is there anything I can

  help you with?

  祥林嫂:我真傻。

  I’m such a fool.

  王渊源:您在找人吗?

  Are you looking for somebody?

  大嫂,您在听我说话吗?

  Ma’am, are you listening

  to me?

  有什么事你好好说嘛。

  Tell me if there is anything

  you want to say.

  郭老师:渊源,干吗呢?

  Yuanyuan, what are you doing?

  王渊源:这位大嫂她好像在找人。

  This lady seems to be

  looking for someone.

  但她不听我的话啊。

  But she doesn’t listen

  to me.

  郭老师:这是鲁迅小说里的祥林嫂。

  This is Lu Xun’s fictional

  figure, Sister Xianglin.

  祥林嫂的儿子被狼叼走以后就疯了。

  She becomes insane after her child

  is snatched away by a wolf.

  所以就变成这样了。

  That is why she became like this.

  王渊源:原来是这样的。

  Oh, I see.

  怎么鲁迅小说里的人物

  Why could one of Lu Xun’s

  fictional figures

  都到这儿来了?

  have come to this place?

  郭老师:这整个鲁镇

  The entire town of Luzhen

  其实都是按照鲁迅小说设计的。

  was designed according to

  Lu Xu’s novels.

  有几个小说里的人物

  It isn’t strange for a few of

  such fictional figures

  一点儿也不稀奇。

  to appear in here.

  你先慢慢看。我先走了。

  Take your time to look.

  I’m leaving first.

  对了,

  Oh, yeah,

  韩佳让我捎话给你。

  Han Jia asked me to deliver

  a message to you.

  让你多和这些人物接触接触,

  She wants you to get in close

  contact with these figures

  会对鲁迅的小说多一些了解。

  so as to get to know more

  about Lu Xun’s novels.

  王渊源:等等。算了。

  Wait a second. Oh, forget it.

  我先照着韩佳的话做吧。

  Let me do as Han Jia suggested.

  对了,

  Oh, yeah,

  “捎话”就是指顺便带一个信息。

  ”shao hua” means to deliver

  a message.

  “捎话”就是指顺便带一个信息。

  ”shao hua” means to deliver

  a message.

  旁白: 在鲁镇,

  In Luzhen,

  不管是房屋的样子、街道的布置,

  the houses, the streets

  还是街上来往的行人,

  and the coming and going pedestrians

  都和鲁迅的小说有关。

  are all related to Lu Xun’s novels.

  鲁迅小说中的事件,

  Thus Lu Xun’s stories

  以这种独特的形式

  are vividly brought to life

  展现在人们面前。

  in this unique form.

  假老外:你好!

  Hello!

  王渊源:你好!

  Hello!

  假老外:你好吗?

  How are you?

  王渊源:我很好。谢谢!

  I’m fine. Thanks!

  这套西装很漂亮。

  That is sure a nice suit.

  假老外:谢谢!

  Thank you!

  王渊源:在这里能遇到会说英文的人,

  It’s so great to meet someone here

  真是太好了。

  who can speak English.

  假老外:好。

  Okay.

  王渊源:你能听懂我说的话吗?

  Can you understand what

  I am saying?

  韩佳: 渊源,你别费那劲了。

  Yuanyuan, don’t waste

  your time.

  他是个半瓶醋。

  He is a dabbler.

  就会说那几句英文。

  That’s all the English

  he can speak.

  王渊源:原来你不会说英语。

  Actually you can’t speak English.

  假老外:什么?

  What?

  你居然敢说我是半瓶醋!

  You dare say I am a dabbler!

  那你们等着。

  Just wait.

  我要报官抓你们去。

  I’ll notify the police to

  arrest you.

  王渊源:韩佳,“半瓶醋”到底是什么意思?

  Han Jia, what does “banpingcu” mean?

  为什么他一听

  Why did he want to notify

  the police

  就要报官抓我们啊?

  to arrest us after hearing

  the word?

  韩佳: 我刚才说的“半瓶醋”

  I said “banpingcu”

  就是指像他这样的,

  to refer to someone like him

  对某种知识或者是事情

  who knows very little

  只了解一点儿的人。

  about something.

  王渊源:“半瓶醋”就是指对某种知识

  So “banpingcu” refers to someone

  或者是事情只了解一点儿的人。

  who makes a great display

  of little knowledge.

  (他只会说这几句英文,是个半瓶醋。

  He can only speak a few sentences

  of English and is showing off.)

  那刚才那个人

  Is that man

  也是鲁迅小说里的人物吗?

  also one of Lu Xun’s

  fictional characters?

  韩佳: 对啊。

  Yes.

  在小说里,

  In the story,

  他是一个出过国的留学生。

  he studied abroad and has

  just returned.

  不过人品很差。

  But he is a man of

  bad character.

  你要小心他报复哦。

  Beware of his retaliation.

  王渊源:啊,报复?

  What, retaliation?

  旁白: 没想到在鲁镇

  I never imagined that

  in Luzhen

  还遇到了这种事情。

  I would have encountered

  this sort of thing.

  别想那么多了。

  I can’t care that much.

  还是先到别的地方去看看吧。

  I’d better go somewhere else

  for a look.

  王渊源:韩佳又不见了。

  Han Jia is nowhere to

  be seen again.

  刚才那人说要报复。

  That man threatened retaliation.

  怎么报复啊?

  What kind of retaliation

  would it be?

  这儿有间酒馆。

  There is a wine bar here.

  我先不想了。进去坐坐。

  I better think no more.

  Let me get inside.

  阿Q: 朋友过来,过来。

  Friend, come over here.

  一起喝杯酒吧。

  Let’s drink together.

  王渊源:你是?

  You are …?

  阿Q: 什么?你连我都不知道啊?

  What? Don’t you even know me?

  赵阿Q。

  My name is Zhao A Q.

  你去鲁镇去打听打听。

  Go ask anyone in Luzhen.

  谁不认识我啊。

  Everybody knows me.

  王渊源:你就是阿Q啊!

  You are A Q!

  我记起来了。

  Now I have remembered.

  阿Q就是鲁迅小说里面

  A Q is the most well-known of

  最有名的人物。

  all the characters in Lu

  Xun’s novels.

  阿Q: 对。小伙子记性不错。

  Yes. Young man, you have

  a nice memory.

  王渊源:可是我记得阿Q好像很穷啊。

  But I remember A Q seems

  very poor.

  你怎么会有钱在这儿喝酒呢?

  How can you have money

  to buy wine here?

  阿Q: 什么?你说我没钱?

  What? You say I have

  no money?

  老子革命了。我造反了。

  I have joined the revolution.

  I’m a rebel now.

  官差: 就是他。就是他。

  That’s him. That’s him.

  走,走。

  Come on.

  王渊源:你们干吗把他抓走啊?

  Why are you arresting him?

  你们抓我干吗啊?

  Why are you arresting me?

  官差: 走,走!进去!

  Move! Get in!

  升堂了!

  The court is in order!

  王渊源:韩佳,多亏你来了。

  Han Jia, fortunately you’re here.

  否则,真不知道会发生什么事情。

  Otherwise, I don’t know what

  will happen.

  韩佳: 渊源,你怎么一会儿不见,

  Yuanyuan, how did you

  get arrested

  就被抓走了呀?

  the moment I didn’t see you?

  王渊源:你别提了。

  Oh, terrible.

  我到现在还不知道是怎么回事呢。

  Even now I have no idea what

  it’s all about.

  韩佳: 那我猜啊

  I guess

  肯定是那个所谓的留学生告的状。

  it must be that returned student who

  sued against you.

  王渊源:肯定是他。

  Right, it must be him.

  他可真不是个好人。

  He is indeed a bad guy.

  韩佳: 好了,好了。消消气吧。

  Okay, okay. Take it easy.

  你看,跟这些人物接触过一次之后呢,

  You see, after getting in close

  contact with these characters,

  你就会知道

  now you know

  他们在小说里是什么样的人了。

  what kind of persons they

  all are.

  王渊源:这倒是。

  That’s true.

  他们每个人的性格、脾气

  Each of them is different

  都很有特点。

  in character and disposition.

  韩佳: 对啊。鲁迅塑造的人物

  Yes. All the characters created

  by Lu Xun

  都给读者留下了非常深刻的印象。

  have left a deep impression

  on the readers.

  王渊源:韩佳刚才说的“深刻”

  Han Jia just said “shenke”

  就是指内心感受的程度很深。

  means deep or profound.

  韩佳: “深刻”就是指

  ”Shenke” means

  内心感受的程度很深。

  deep or profound.

  Lǔxùn de xiǎoshuō gěi wǒ liú xià shēnke de yìnxiàng

  鲁迅 的 小说 给 我 留 下 深刻 的 印象。

  Lu Xun’s novels left a deep impression

  on me.

  王渊源:这回和他们接触之后,

  After the contact with them,

  再看鲁迅的小说,

  now it would be a lot easier

  to understand

  肯定就更容易理解了。

  Lu Xun’s novels when

  I read them again.

  赏心悦目:

  鲁镇位于鲁迅的故乡绍兴

  Luzhen is part of Shaoxing, Lu Xu’s hometown.

  也是读者最熟悉的地名

  It is one of the places familiar to most readers.

  富有江南风情的民居

  There are houses typical of the Jiangnan region

  惟妙惟肖的人物塑像

  and vivid statues of Lu Xun’s novels.

  漫步鲁镇

  Strolling in Luzhen,

  一个亦真亦幻的小说世界

  the visitor sees a real as well as a fictional

  展现在人们眼前

  world before his eyes.

  王渊源:他们刚才表演得太好了。

  They all performed very well.

  韩佳: 是啊。

  Yes.

  我们今天可算是大饱眼福了。

  Today we surely had a feast

  for our eyes.

  王渊源:好。那我给观众朋友们

  Okay. Now let me set today’s

  出今天的有奖问答题吧。

  award-winning question for

  our audience.

  (问题部分略)

  韩佳: 节目的最后,还是要提醒您,

  At the end of this program,

  we’d still want to remind you

  口号不能忘啊。

  not to forget the slogan.

  王渊源:等等。

  Wait a second.

  韩佳: 怎么了?

  What’s the matter?

  王渊源:咱们得叫上今天认识的新朋友。

  We have to invite our new

  friends here.

  韩佳: 对对对。

  Yes indeed.

  王渊源:来吧,大家。

  Come on, you guys.

  来吧。

  Come on.

  韩佳: 我们的口号是:

  Our slogan is:

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

  Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

  再见。

  So long.

 (Source: cctv.com)