Archive for May 1st, 2008

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 130

Thursday, May 1st, 2008
 
 

                          Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (3月13日播出)

  王渊源:快乐学汉语,

  Learn Chinese the fun way!

  韩佳: 万里海疆行!

  And enjoy a Happy Journey

  across China!

  大家好,我是快乐的韩佳。

  Hello! I’m Merry Han Jia.

  那今天我尤其快乐。

  And today I’m especially happy.

  王渊源:大家好!

  Hi, there!

  我是快乐的王渊源。

  I’m Happy Yuanyuan.

  韩佳: 渊源,你发现没有,

  Yuanyuan, did you find

  我今天有没有什么不一样的?

  today is different in any way?

  王渊源:我知道了。你换了新发型。

  I know you’re wearing a

  new hairstyle.

  韩佳: 哪有啊。

  That’s not true.

  我今天啊是人逢喜事精神爽。

  Today I’m happy because happy

  events make people cheerful.

  王渊源:什么?人逢喜事精神爽?

  What? “Ren feng xishi

  jingshen shuang”?

  韩佳: 对啊。“爽”就是爽快、高兴的意思。

  Yes. “Shuang” means cheerful

  and happy.

  “人逢喜事精神爽”就是说

  ”Ren feng xishi jingshen

  shuang” means

  人遇到高兴的、喜庆的事情,

  happy events make people

  精神就特别好。

  happy and cheerful.

  王渊源:“人逢喜事精神爽”就是说

  ”Ren feng xishi jingshen shuang”

  means that

  人遇到高兴的、喜庆的事情,

  happy events make people

  精神就特别好。

  feel happy.

  韩佳: 那我今天呢

  And today I am very happy

  就是人逢喜事精神爽。

  as happy events make people cheerful.

  Rén féng xǐ shì jīngshén shuǎng

  人 逢 喜 事 精神 爽。

  Happy events make people cheerful.

  王渊源:那韩佳,你到底遇上了什么高兴事?

  Han Jia, what happy event did you

  come across?

  快说出来,

  Tell us quickly

  让我陪你高兴高兴。

  so as to let me be happy

  for you, too.

  韩佳: 告诉你吧,

  Let me tell you

  我呢马上就要成为滕头村的新村民了。

  I’ll soon become a new villager

  of Tengtou.

  王渊源:滕头村是什么地方?

  How special is Tengtou Village?

  韩佳: 啊,你连滕头村都不知道啊!

  What, you even don’t know anything

  about Tengtou Village!

  它是奉化一个非常有名的村子。

  It is a very well known village

  in Fenghua.

  不仅经济发展得很快,

  Not only does its economy

  develops rapidly,

  而且还被联合国列入了

  it has also been listed by

  the United Nations

  “全球生态五百佳”。

  among the “Global Ecological

  Habitats 500″.

  王渊源:还有这么好的农村啊?

  Is there such an amazing village?

  韩佳: 对啊。我带你去看看。

  Yes. Let me take you there

  for a look.

  王渊源:好。

  Okay.

  韩佳: 我们村是一座生态环境优美

  Our village has a beautiful

  ecological environment

  人民生活富裕。

  and people here are leading

  a life of affluence.

  非常适合度假的花园式村庄。

  This garden-style village is most

  ideal for holidaymakers.

  究竟有多好,我就不自夸了。

  I won’t be self-boasting about

  how good it is.

  大家一起去看看就都清楚了。

  You’d better go there and

  see for yourselves.

  王渊源:我发现这里的环境

  I find the environment here

  真的很不错。

  is indeed very nice.

  街道也干净整齐。

  The streets are also clean

  and tidy.

  韩佳: 那当然了。

  That’s for sure.

  我们村特别注重环境保护和绿化。

  Our village pays special attention to

  environmental protection and greening.

  村子里的绿化率非常高,

  The village has very high

  vegetation coverage,

  应该在百分之六十五左右。

  surely about 65%.

  王渊源:那这些小别墅呢,

  Do those small villas

  都是村民们自己住的房子吗?

  belong to the villagers here?

  韩佳: 对啊。在不久的将来,

  Yes. In the nearest future,

  我也会有一套这样的房子的。

  I’ll also have such a house

  of my own.

  到时候请你来玩儿啊。

  At that time, I’ll invite you

  here as guest.

  王渊源:好啊,好,一言为定。

  Okay. Then it’s a verbal

  agreement reached.

  韩佳: 一言为定!

  A verbal agreement!

  那刚才说的“一言为定”是个成语。

  I just said “yi yan wei ding” as

  an idiom.

  意思就是事情说好了就不再变化了,

  It means to reach a binding agreement

  双方要按照约定的来做。

  verbally.

  王渊源:“一言为定”意思就是

  ”Yi yan wei ding” means

  事情说好了就不再变化了,

  to reach a binding agreement

  双方要按照约定的来做。

  verbally.

  哎呀,你们村这么好。

  Wow, your village is so good.

  干脆我也就留在这儿,

  I’ll just stay here, too,

  当个新村民吧!

  to become another new villager!

  韩佳: 哦,那你会什么呀?

  Oh, what skills do you have?

  王渊源:还得会点儿什么呀?

  Do I need to have some skills?

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:我想想。

  Let me think it over.

  当农民一定要会种地。

  A farmer must be able to

  grow crops.

  没错儿。我会种地。

  No problem. I can grow crops.

  韩佳: 我不知道

  I’ not sure

  你是不是真的会种地。

  whether you can really grow

  crops or not.

  不过我们这里的农业生产

  But the agricultural production here

  可不那么简单。

  is no easy job.

  是需要高科技的。

  It requires high-tech.

  这你也懂吗?

  Do you understand it?

  王渊源:那当然了。

  Of course, I do.

  不过还是你先给我讲讲吧。

  But you’d better explain

  to me first.

  韩佳: 那就跟我走吧。

  Okay, follow me.

  就这么跟你说吧。

  Let me put it this way.

  我们这里依靠的

  What we relay on

  可不是传统的农业,

  is not traditional agriculture,

  而是结合了高科技的高效农业。

  but high-efficiency agriculture

  incorporating high technology.

  王渊源:高效农业?

  High-efficiency agriculture?

  韩佳: 对啊。

  Yes.

  我们村子里有花卉苗木基地、

  Our village has a flower seedling

  cultivation base

  蔬瓜种子种苗基地。

  and a vegetable and melon seed

  and seedling cultivation base.

  那你呢

  And you are required

  就要学会什么是立体种植,

  to know what three-dimensional

  planting is,

  什么是无土栽培,

  what soil-less planting is,

  什么是组织培养,

  what tissue cultivation is,

  什么是…

  and what …

  王渊源:等等,等等。

  Wait, wait.

  怎么听起来这么复杂呀?

  Why, it sounds so complex?

  我看我还是算了吧。

  I think I’d better forget about it.

  韩佳: 怎么?

  What?

  你不想当滕头村的村民了吗?

  Don’t you want to be a

  Tengtou villager?

  王渊源:才不是呢。

  Not exactly.

  我得再想一想,

  Let me think

  换一个特长

  if I can apply to be a new villager

  来当滕头村的新村民。

  on the strength of a different skill.

  韩佳: 那我也帮你想想。

  Let me help you think about it.

  会表演节目也行啊。

  Being able to perform on

  stage will also do.

  王渊源:哇,好厉害呀!

  Wow, that’s amazing!

  韩佳: 这还不算什么呢。

  This is nothing extraordinary.

  更精彩的在后面。

  What’s more wonderful is

  still ahead.

  王渊源:没想到滕头人不仅农业搞得好,

  I never imagined Tengtou villagers

  are not only good at farming,

  还会表演杂技呢!

  they can also perform acrobatics!

  韩佳: 对啊。他们的拿手绝活儿多着呢。

  Yes. They are adept at many

  special skills.

  王渊源:“拿手”什么意思?

  What does “nashou” mean?

  韩佳; “拿手”是个形容词,

  ”Nashou” is an adjective,

  就是指对某种技艺很擅长。

  meaning to be adept or good

  at something.

  王渊源:“拿手”就是指对某种技艺很擅长。

  ”Nashou” means to be adept or

  good at something.

  Tāmen yǒu hěn duō náshǒu de juéhuór

  他们 有 很 多 拿手 的 绝活儿。

  They are adept at many special skills.

  韩佳: 那渊源,

  Well, Yuanyuan,

  你有没有什么拿手的节目?

  are you adept at any special skill?

  要是节目表演得好,

  If you are good at stage performance,

  也能当滕头村的新村民。

  you can also be a new

  villagers here.

  王渊源:啊,这个?

  Oh, really?

  嘉宾: 那么接下来,

  Next,

  我们要请一位游客

  we’d like to invite a tourist

  参与一个游戏。

  to participate in a game.

  那么哪位游客

  Which of you tourists

  要参与这个游戏呢?

  would like to participate in

  this game?

  好,接下来有请这位

  Okay, let’s invite this

  穿蓝衣服的外国朋友。

  foreign friend in blue, okay?

  王渊源:是说我吗?

  Do you mean me?

  韩佳: 加油,渊源!

  Come on, Yuanyuan!

  嘉宾: 谢谢你啊。非常感谢!

  Thank you. Many thanks!

  来,请从这边下去。

  Come on and get down this way.

  韩佳: 感觉怎么样,渊源?

  What do you think, Yuanyuan?

  王渊源:那位姑娘真厉害啊!

  That girl was just amazing!

  她居然能把我连人带缸都顶起来。

  She was able to juggle the vat

  even with me in it.

  韩佳: 要不然怎么说是

  That’s why we say

  她的拿手绝活儿呢。

  that’s the special skill she

  is good at.

  王渊源:那怎么样,韩佳,

  Well, Han Jia,

  我节目都表演过了,

  I already gave a performance,

  是不是可以和你一样

  do you think I can be a

  new villager

  就当这儿的新村民?

  like you now?

  韩佳: 这个嘛,

  As for this request,

  那小朋友们欢不欢迎啊。

  we have to ask these little friends

  whether he is really welcome.

  小朋友:欢迎!

  He is welcome!

  王渊源:谢谢。

  Thanks.

  赏心悦目:

  滕头村被联合国评为“全球生态五百佳”

  Tengtou Village was listed by the United Nations

  among the “Global Ecological Habitats 500″.

  集生产 休闲 观光 旅游于一体

  Locals are engaged in tourism as well

  agricultural production.

  美化绿化村容村貌

  They plant trees

  改良农业生态环境

  to improve the agro-ecological environment.

  绿树成荫 花果相间

  The woods and orchards

  百鸟和鸣 欣欣向荣

  are echoing with the chirping of birds.

  传统农俗别开生面 饶有风趣

  People here have fascinating customs.

  走进滕头 亲近自然

  Come and visit Tengtou to get close to nature,

  尽享生态自然之美

  to enjoy its natural beauty

  感受农家风情之乐

  and get a feel for the village’s idyllic charm.

  嘉宾: 来吧。

  Come on here.

  王渊源:哇,真神奇!

  Wow, that’s wonderful!

  说来还就真来了呀!

  Talking about being a villager,

  and now I am a real one!

  你看,还真热情啊。你看它们。

  Look, they are really friendly.

  Look at them.

  韩佳: 对啊。它们在欢迎你呢。

  Yeah. They are welcoming you.

  王渊源:没想到鸽子还这么热情呢。

  I never imagined these pigeons

  are so friendly.

  韩佳: 是啊。

  Yes.

  既然你已经快成为滕头村的村民了,

  Now that you are already a villager

  in Tengtou,

  那今天的有奖问答题…

  today’s award-winning question

  will be …

  王渊源:当然是我来出了。

  Of course, I’ll set the question myself.

  今天的有奖问答题是这样的。

  Here’s today’s award-winning question.

  (问题部分略)

  节目的最后,

  At the end of this program,

  还是要提醒您,口号不能忘。

  we still want to remind you

  not to forget our slogan.

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

  Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

  韩佳: 明天见。

  See you tomorrow.

(Source: cctv.com)

Chinese Culture – Sand Sculpture(3)

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

When the form is mold is filled, lift it slowly while tapping the base with a mallet or another tool. You can create the upper form directly on top of the base form.

When your rough structure is ready for carving, start from the top, working your way down, and always carving outward to retain structural integrity. Remove unwanted sand from all sides of the sculpture. Do not attempt to complete one side at a time, and concentrate first on building a simple shape as the main structure. You can add sand later to make other structures.

Cut away the tops from empty aluminum cans to form smaller structures, such as outposts, turrets, and whatever other can-shaped structural additions you can devise for sandcastles.

Source: chinaculture.org

Beijing Olympic – Festive Food and Its Fate(2)

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Jiaozi are believed to bring fortune and good luck to their eaters, perhaps because of their appearance as shoe-shaped gold or silver ingots. There is no doubt that Jiaozi will appear on most tables during any given Spring Festival. Generally, people prepare them before midnight on the last day of the previous year, before eating them after the New Year’s bell is sounded.

Zhao Rongguang is the head of Institute for Chinese Food Culture and writer of “Research on the History of Chinese Food”. He says that nowadays the symbolic significance of Jiaozi have even surpassed their taste in importance.

“At the juncture of the passing and new year, Jiaozi are given special significance. These dumplings have always been regarded as the best food that people can ever have. So enjoying the best food wraps up the past and welcomes in good luck for the coming year.”

In the old sayings, the year’s end is referred to as Nianguan, or as “a pass difficult to cross.” The poor usually dreaded the approach of a year’s end, for fear of hard time still ahead.

Zhang Lixian is the chief editor of Entertainment Weekly, a Beijing based journal. He jokingly argues that the Chinese are extremely efficient in their food digestion, due to long periods of scarcity and hardship.

“I think the more prosperous a region grows, the less it cares about ceremonialism. It’s always the backward regions that are picky about food, because people there can rarely enjoy a big meal all year round. Therefore they tend to pay lots of attention to their end-of-year feast.”

Zhang himself comes from the countryside of Hebei province. He recalls the times when his whole family would eagerly prepare for the most important meal of the year. Besides Jiaozi, Niangao is also very popular in his hometown. This staple food is made of glutinous rice flour and comes in thumb sized nuggets. Niangao’s popularity during Spring Festival has come about since it has a homonym, which translates as “getting higher and higher year after year.” This preserved food is therefore a must-eat in many parts of China, especially its southern provinces. This food is completely hand-made: the sticky rice is soaked in water, then grinded, drained using a muslin cloth, and steamed with various ingredients.

The taste of Niangao varies from region to region. In the south, Niangao can be either sweet or salty, depending on how it’s cooked. Mint, sweet osmanthus and roses are all usable as ingredients. In the north, Niangao is usually served sweet with sugar, dates or bean paste.

Zhang Lixian says that Niangao was one of his favorite foods when he was a little boy. He says that he misses the dishes he ate in the countryside, which were cooked in a large iron pot, using the straw of corn for fuel.

Besides our aforementioned foodstuffs, fish is another indispensable dish during the Spring festival. Part of the symbolism surrounding fish comes from the fact that the Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds similar to the word for riches or abundance. In the Yangliuqing area of Tianjin city, festive paintings from the Ming Dynasty show boys and girls holding fishes, attesting to this food’s long festive history.
Today there is plenty of food to choose from in China, and many traditional dishes have become common all year round. People are therefore turning to other methods of celebration. Here’s Zhang Lixian again.

“Now if you like, you can eat Jiaozi or Niangao at any time. So whom you dine with is of more significance. For people like me, who are far from their parents, it’s not an easy thing to find an opportunity to be with their parents. So it doesn’t matter what we eat, but whom we eat with.”

Although the role of some traditional foods seems to be fading, gastronomist Zhao Rongguang believes that some things will never disappear.

“Traditions are changing, but not vanishing. The entertaining function of these traditions will remain and even be strengthened. However, they will appear in new forms. The changes in lifestyle will inevitably bring changes in eating habits and food culture. This is quite normal.”

(Source: ebeijing.gov.cn)