Archive for May 2nd, 2008

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 131

Friday, May 2nd, 2008
 
 

                           Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (3月14日播出)

  旁白: 我们的车队从奉化出发,

  After leaving Fenghua, our

  film crew

  继续南行,

  continued its southward journey

  就来到了宁波的宁海县。

  and arrived in Haining County

  near Ningbo.

  听说这里是大旅行家徐霞客

  It is said this is one of the places

  the great traveler Xu Xiake

  在他的游记开篇中就提到过的地方。

  mentioned in the opening chapter

  of his “The Travel Diaries”.

  那么,这里究竟是个什么样子呢?

  How exactly is it like?

  我们又将遇到哪些新鲜事呢?

  What interesting things will

  we encounter?

  王渊源:其实,我跟你一样充满了好奇。

  In fact, like you, I’m also full

  of curiosity.

  不过,我之前还是做了一些准备,

  But I still did some preparations

  in advance,

  这要去哪儿啊,我都选好了。

  including the choosing of the place

  we’re going to visit.

  就是宁海的前童古镇。

  That is the ancient town Qiantong

  in Ninghai.

  大家跟我走,准没错儿!

  Just follow me. I won’t be wrong!

  画外音:哎,等等。韩佳还没来呢。

  Hey, wait a minute. Han Jia

  hasn’t come yet.

  你怎么不等等她就要走啊?

  Why are you setting off without

  waiting for her?

  王渊源:她说要去打什么前站。

  She said she would go and

  do some “da qianzhan”.

  我都还没搞清楚这到底是什么意思,

  No sooner had I got clear about

  what it means

  她就急急忙忙地走了。

  than she left in a hurry.

  你说这“打前站”

  Tell me what “da qianzhan”

  到底是什么意思呀。

  really means.

  画外音:这个嘛,还是等见着韩佳了

  Well, you’d better wait until

  you see Han Jia

  你自己问她吧。

  and ask her yourself.

  王渊源:观众朋友们,

  Audience friends,

  我们现在就来到了

  we’ve arrived in

  宁海的前童古镇。

  the ancient town Qiantong

  of Ninghai.

  你们看,这里到处都是

  Look, everywhere is the scene

  小桥、流水、人家的景象。

  of small bridges, flowing water

  and old-style houses.

  真漂亮!

  What a beautiful sight!

  韩佳: 渊源!

  Yuanyuan!

  王渊源:韩佳,你不是去打前站嘛。

  Han Jia, you were supposed to

  do some “da qianzhan” work.

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:那你怎么会在这儿?

  But why should you be here?

  韩佳: 我是来打前站了呀。

  I’m here just as the advance party.

  所以才会在这儿等你们啊。

  That’s why I’m here waiting

  for you.

  哦,你肯定连“打前站”

  Oh, you absolutely don’t understand

  都不知道是什么意思吧。

  what “da qianzhan” means.

  王渊源:嗯。

  No.

  韩佳: 当行军或者集体出行的时候,

  For a military march or a

  group journey,

  比如像咱们这样,

  such as the one we’re having here,

  就要先派人到将要去的地方做安排,

  an advance party is usually sent

  to the destination

  安排吃啊、安排住宿啊、

  to make arrangements for food, lodging

  安排活动啊等等。

  and activities to have.

  这就叫“打前站”。

  This is what “da qianzhan” means.

  王渊源:“打前站”就是说

  ”Da qianzhan” means

  活动前的调查、安排一切事宜。

  to act as an advance party.

  那韩佳,你打前站的结果如何?

  Han Jia, what arrangements did

  you make as the advance party?

  韩佳: 我对前童古镇有了一些了解。

  I got some information about

  Qiantong Town.

  而且啊还打听到,

  And I also learned

  今天在这里

  that today

  要举行一场热闹的婚礼。

  there is going to be an exciting

  wedding here.

  王渊源:那我们赶紧去凑凑热闹吧。

  Let’s hurry and join the fun now.

  韩佳: 急什么呀。时候还没到呢。

  Take it easy. It’s still too early.

  我们可以先在这古镇里转转看看。

  We can take a stroll first around

  this old town.

  旁白: 前童古镇正好坐落在

  The ancient town Qiantong

  is situated

  两山两水之间的盆地上。

  in a basin between two mountains

  and two rivers.

  七百多年来,

  In the past more than

  700 years,

  前童人祖祖辈辈都生活在这里。

  Qiantong residents have lived

  here for generations.

  王渊源:韩佳,你觉不觉得

  Han Jia, don’t you feel

  这儿有点儿像云南的丽江古城啊?

  it looks a bit like the old town Lijiang

  in Yunnan?

  也是家家户户门前有流水。

  There is also flowing water in

  front of every home.

  韩佳: 还真有点儿像。

  Surely it does.

  你知道吗?

  You know what?

  据说,这前童人的祖先

  They say the ancestors of Qiantong

  会选择在这里安家,

  chose to settle here

  就是看中了村前长流不断的白溪。

  just because of this ever-flowing

  Baixi River.

  他们按照八卦的原理,

  Based on the Eight-Diagram pattern,

  把白溪水引进了村子里。

  they diverted the water from

  the Baixi River into the village.

  所以呢,就称为水八卦。

  Locals call the waterways here

  Eight Water Diagrams.

  这样白溪水就流经了家家户户,

  Thus, the water from the Baixi River

  flows past every home here,

  解决了人们日常生活用水的问题。

  having solved the daily water-

  supplying problem.

  王渊源:这样的布局真是又巧妙又合理。

  This layout is both ingenious

  and rational.

  韩佳: 对啊。而且前童人

  Yes. And Qiantong residents

  还非常注重环境保护。

  pay great attention to environmental

  protection.

  从来不会有人去污染这水渠的。

  No one would pollute these canals.

  王渊源:“注重”意思是重视、注意,对吧?

  ”Zhuzhong” means to lay stress on

  or pay attention to, right?

  韩佳: 对。“注重”是个动词,

  Right. “Zhuzhong” is a verb

  跟重视的意思是一样的。

  meaning the same as “zhongshi”.

  Zhèli de rénmen fēicháng zhùzhòng huánjìng bǎohù

  这里 的 人们 非常 注重 环境 保护。

  People here pay a lot of attention

  to environmental protection.

  前童人不仅注重环境保护,

  People in Qiantong not only pay attention

  to environmental protection,

  而且还很重视保护这里的每一座古建筑。

  they also attach great importance to

  protecting every ancient structure.

  所以直到今天还能看到前童

  That’s why even today visitors

  can still see

  “家家有活水,户户有雕墙”的美景。

  running water and carved walls

  in every home.

  王渊源:家家有雕墙?

  Carved walls in every home?

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:那咱们赶紧去看看这里的古建筑吧。

  Let’s hurry and take a look at some of

  the ancient structures here.

  韩佳; 好啊。

  Okay.

  渊源,这里就是前童古镇

  Yuanyuan, this is Qiantong’s

  非常著名的“群峰簪笏宅”了。

  very famous Qunfeng Zanhu Residence.

  你注意到没有,

  Did you notice

  这墙上有一种很特别的装饰?

  there is a kind of special decoration

  in the wall?

  叫石花窗。

  It’s called the stone floral window.

  王渊源:我猜,“户户有雕墙”指的应该就是

  I guess the carved wall in

  every home

  用它们作装饰的墙壁吧。

  must refer to this kind of

  decorative window.

  韩佳: 没错儿。那它们呢

  Precisely. This kind of window

  是用一整块石板雕刻而成的。

  is carved out of a whole piece

  of slab-stone.

  雕工精湛,而且图案各不相同,

  The carvings are exquisite and

  vary in design,

  这就是前童古建筑当中的一大特色。

  which is a significant feature of

  Qiantong ancient architecture.

  王渊源:有意思。

  That’s interesting.

  韩佳: 那另外还有一大特色呢,

  There is another salient characteristic.

  就是窗子上面的浮雕木刻了,

  That is, the relief wood carvings

  on windows

  不仅图案精美,

  are not only beautiful,

  而且寓意还很深刻呢。

  they also have deep connotations.

  我们进去看看吧。

  Let’s go inside and take a look.

  王渊源:好。

  Okay.

  韩佳: 这座宅子建于清朝乾隆年间。

  This house complex was built during

  the Qianlong Era of the Qing Dynasty.

  是前童很常见的四合院式民居建筑。

  It is a typical courtyard house

  common in Qiantong.

  你看那些窗子上面。

  Look at those windows.

  不但有精美的木雕,

  There are not only exquisite

  woodcarvings on them,

  而且还一律配着一句

  but also, without exception,

  a saying next to it

  劝戒和教育下一代的话。

  intended to admonish the

  younger generations.

  王渊源:“一律”表示

  ”Yilǜ” means

  适用于全体,一个都不例外,对吧?

  without exception, right?

  韩佳: 对。“一律”是个副词。

  Right. “Yilǜ” is an adverb.

  表示适用于全体,一个都不例外。

  It means without exception.

  Zhè xiē mùdiāo páng yílǜ pèi zhe yí jù géyán

  这 些 木雕 旁 一律 配 着 一 句 格言。

  Each woodcarving has a saying

  next to it.

  其中,有一扇窗子上面就刻着:

  One of the widows bears

  the inscription:

  “一粥一饭,当思来处不易。”

  ”We should bear mind every

  meal does not come easily.”

  王渊源:哎,你听听。

  Hey, listen.

  韩佳: 哦,对了,婚礼要开始了。

  Oh, yeah, the wedding is

  about to begin.

  王渊源:好热闹啊,韩佳!

  What a scene of excitement,

  Han Jia!

  你看这送亲的队伍好长啊!

  The bridal procession is so long!

  不过这些人挑的是什么呢?

  But what are all these men carrying?

  怎么那么多呀!

  Wow, a lot of things!

  韩佳: 这些都是新娘子的嫁妆啊。

  These are all bridal dowries.

  王渊源:全部都是啊?

  All of them?

  韩佳: 对啊。结婚嘛,是人生大事。

  Yes. Marriage is a big event

  in life.

  所以浙东宁绍地区,

  So in the Ningbo and Shaoxing

  area of Zhejiang,

  对嫁妆是非常讲究的。

  people pay a lot of attention

  to dowries.

  据说,以前这些送亲的队伍

  It is said a bridal procession

  in the past

  可以排出十里之外呢!

  could be as long as five kilometers!

  王渊源:十里之外?

  Five kilometers?

  韩佳: 嗯。

  Yes.

  王渊源:那不是把一辈子要用的东西

  That would be tantamount to

  having all the things

  都准备齐了嘛!

  needed by a girl for a lifetime!

  韩佳: 对啊。而且这些嫁妆又都是红色的,

  Yes. And as all these dowries

  were wrapped in red,

  所以人们给它起了一个

  people gave them

  很好听的名字叫“十里红妆”。

  a beautiful name, “shi li hong zhuang”.

  王渊源:十里红妆?

  The “Five-Kilometer Red Dowry Procession”?

  够壮观的呀!

  What a spectacular sight!

  以前听人提起过,

  I heard about it before,

  没想到今天在这前童古镇上看见了。

  but I never imagined I could see it

  one here in Qiantong.

  韩佳: 嗯。那我们去凑凑热闹吧。

  Yeah. Let’s go join the fun.

  赏心悦目:

  前童镇是历史悠久的江南古镇

  Qiantong is an ancient town in the

  Jiangnan area.

  石花窗图案精美 手工打制 绝无雷同

  The finely carved stone windows are

  all different from one another.

  透过寓意丰富的雕刻

  These meaningful carvings help

  解读前童深厚的文化积淀

  interpret the rich local cultural tradition.

  古朴细腻的木制雕刻

  So finely crafted wooden carvings

  曲径通幽的卵石小道

  and do the winding cobble-stoned roads.

  十里红妆前呼后拥 浩浩荡荡

  A local bridal procession can be as long

  as five kilometers,

  嫁妆的外表大多用朱砂涂染

  delivering dowries often contained in boxes

  painted in red,

  透着喜气 蕴着吉祥

  a color that symbolizes festivity

  and good luck.

  韩佳: 这下可好了。

  Now I feel relieved.

  送亲的任务已经完成了。

  The task of sending off

  the bride is over.

  那接下来是不是应该…

  Up next, I think we should …

  王渊源:请大家回答今天的有奖问答题。

  Please answer today’s award-

  winning question.

  请听好。题目是这样的。

  Listen carefully. Here’s the question.

  (问题部分略)

  今天的节目就到这里。

  Our program for today has

  to end here.

  明天会有更加精采的内容奉献给您。

  Tomorrow, the program will be

  more wonderful for you.

  韩佳: 所以千万不要错过。

  So you mustn’t miss it.

  最后还是提醒您,口号不要忘。

  Lastly, 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)

Beijing Olympic – Food and Drink in China

Friday, May 2nd, 2008

Chinese and French cooking, according to the French and Chinese, are the best and the most famous in the world. Such a statement wouldn¡¯t go down well in Italy and might well affront a whole host of other gastronomically proud nations around the globe. And rightly so, yet even the most stubborn of them would be hard pressed not to admit that in terms of variety Chinese cooking outstrips them all.

Split for convenience into four main styles; Cantonese, Mandarin, Shanghainese and Sichuanese, Chinese food is actually as refracted and localized as the countries thousands of linguistic dialects. For basic reference however the dividing characteristics between them are as follows:

Cantonese food (because of Hong Kong and Canton migration generally taken generically in the west as “Chinese Food”) is light and colorful, not particularly hot and almost always stir fried. Dim Sum, a type of small, often sweet, steamed bread, is also big on the menu.

Mandarin food harks from northern China and Beijing, in Hebei province, can perhaps be pinpointed as its home. Predominantly wheat based, including numerous dumplings, steamed buns and varieties of noodles it tends to be heavy, not light on oil and often fried, stewed or braised. Vinegar and garlic are used lavishly yet the food can only really be described as mild in taste.

Sichuan is representative of the whole of South Western China¡¯s culinary preference; hot and spicy.  Food throughout the western regions of China are liberal in their use of garlic, scallions, and chilies. When prepared in a traditional manner, many of the dishes are very hot, although banquet dishes tend to be milder.

Shanghai cuisine is Central-Eastern Chinese food. Because of its proximity to the sea, lakes and inland rivers trhe region excels in the preparation of both fresh and saltwater seafood. The foods here are heavier than their Cantonese counterparts, and are generally lightly spiced and relatively oily with rich and often dslightly sweet sauces. Emphasising its bridge position between the stodgy north and the delicate south Shanghai food is split about fifty-fifty between wheat and rice based dishes.

To give you an idea of China as an international food market we thought we would do a quick comparison with the middle kingdoms main rival for culinary dominance; France.

* In 2002 the Chinese dining out market was worth approximately RMB914.2billion (US$110.4 billion) compared to a market worth US24billion in France. That works out at about US$24 a head per Chinese on restaurants every year as opposed to US$400 a head spent eating out by the French. However when you consider that both cost of living and per capita GDP are much higher in France, whilst only the urban section of the Chinese population really have the opportunity to eat out this gap narrows considerably and points to just how important food culture is to the Chinese.

* As one might expect from these bastions of culinary creativeness both the French and Chinese restaurant markets are both highly fragmented and dominated by individual restaurant owners. In China 4 top chain stores controlled just 1.4% of the market. In France the five top brands take up 8.7 percent of the market.

* Some might suggest that a country in which McDonalds is popular is surely a country which lacks real-food appreciation. If that is the case then China remians ahead of France since in China McDonalds turned over US$15.4 billion, up 3.4% on the year before, whilst France, with a much smaller population and possibly the most anti-American country in Europe, also drummed up $15.4 billion in turnover for Mcdonalds, up 24% on the year before.

(Source: ebeijing.gov.cn)

Chinese Characters: abet (abetment, abetting) 教唆

Friday, May 2nd, 2008

abet (abetment, abetting):

Chinese Pinyin: jiao4 suo1

(Source: about.com)