Archive for June 12th, 2008

China Travel – Temple of Heaven (3)

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

The main building in the temple is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, where emperors would hold ceremony of worshiping the Heaven and pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest appears round, 38 meters high, with a diameter of 32 meters. It is a round hall followed the style of a three-eaved pavilion, with fine gold roof covered with blue glazed tiles. The sunk panels of nine dragons are very exquisitely designed, gorgeous and splendid. The construction of the hall is quite unique without the long purling and crossbeams. The roof is totally supported by the poles and square rafters. There are four poles in the middle, 19.2 meters high each, representing four seasons of a year, and 12 poles on each row outside, representing 12 months and hours. The hall is built on a three-floored white marble platform, 6 meters high. If one stands under it, he or she will be suddenly shocked at the majestic momentum of the hall as if it reached into the clouds.

 

The Sacrificial Palace is inside the western gate, where emperors fast and bathe three days before the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the God. There are double imperial channels outside the Sacrificial Palace, surrounded by 163 sections of cloister on all sides. On the Moon Altar of the main hall are the Pavilion of Fast Bronze Person and Pavilion of Time Tablet. The bronze man holds the tablet of fast, which is said to be molded on Wei Zheng, a famous prime minister in the Tang Dynasty. In the Bell Tower of the northeast corner is hung a bell named Taihe that was built during the reign under Emperor Yongle. During the ceremony, the bell would began to ring when emperors left from the Sacrificial Palace, and the bell stopped ringing as soon as emperors went upon the Circular Mound Altar. When the ceremony ended, the bell would ring again to create an atmosphere for the ceremony.

 

The Temple of Heaven covers an area of 270,000 square meters, large in scale, looking splendid and magnificent, which is the largest extant group of ancient sacrifice buildings in China. It is famous for the compact layout, unique structure and gorgeous decoration over the world. It not only holds an important position in the history of architecture in China, but also is a piece of precious cultural relics of architectural art in the world.

(Source: chinaculture.org)

Chinese Characters: adventure (take a chance) 冒险

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

adventure (take a chance):

Chinese Pinyin: mao4 xian3

(Source: about.com)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 172

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

     

                                        Click to Watch Video Podcast

   

 

    (5月24日播出)

    旁白: 寿山石是福州的特产之一。

    Shoushan stone is one of Fuzhou’s

    special products.

    它是一种漂亮的彩石。

    It is a type of pretty

    colored stone.

    除了大量用来生产

    As a large amount of such

    stone is used

    千姿百态的印章外,

    to make various kinds of seals,

    还广泛用以雕刻人物、动物、

    it is also widely used as materials

    for carvings of figures, animals,

    花鸟、山水风光等多种工艺品,

    flowers and birds and landscapes,

    具有非常高的欣赏和收藏价值。

    which have high artistic and

    collection values.

    王渊源:韩佳,

    Han Jia,

    你手里拿的就是寿山石吧?

    is it a Shoushan stone in

    your hand?

    韩佳: 嗯,没错儿。

    Yes, exactly.

    王渊源:你让我看看。

    Let me have a look.

    韩佳: 小心点儿。

    Be careful.

    王渊源:你真小气。

    You are so miserly.

    不就是一块石头嘛?

    Isn’t it just a piece of stone?

    你至于那么担心。

    You needn’t worry so much.

    韩佳: 不是我小气。

    I’m not miserly.

    要知道这寿山石非常珍贵。

    You ought to know Shoushan

    stone is very precious.

    我费了很大的工夫

    I took me a lot of effort

    才从人家那里借来观赏的。

    to borrow it from someone

    to enjoy it.

    王渊源:“观赏”就是观看、欣赏的意思。

    ”Guanshang” means to enjoy

    looking at something.

    韩佳: “观赏”就是观看、欣赏的意思。

    ”Guanshang” means to enjoy

    looking at something.

    这样吧,

    Well, I suggest

    我今天就带你去

    letting me take you to

    a place

    好好了解了解寿山石。

    to have a thorough understanding

    of Shoushan stone.

    王渊源:好啊。

    Okay.

    韩佳: 渊源,你看,

    Yuanyuan, look,

    这些大大小小的石头就是寿山石。

    these big and small rocks are

    all Shoushan stone.

    王渊源:可是看起来,

    But they all look

    它们的样子都不相同啊,

    different from one another

    什么颜色都有。

    and have different colors.

    韩佳: 其实,这寿山石只是一个大的总称。

    Actually, Shoushan stone is a

    general term.

    在福州市的北部,

    In the north of Fuzhou,

    有一个村庄叫寿山村。

    there is a village called

    Shoushan Village.

    在那个村子的周围,

    In the village’s surrounding areas,

    开采出了大量各种各样彩色的石头。

    a large amount of various colorful

    stones have been quarried.

    所以人们就把那些石头

    So people call these stones

    都叫做寿山石了。

    Shoushan stone.

    你看,这叫坑头黑。

    Look, this is called Kengtou Black.

    这叫连江黄。

    And this is called Lianjiang Yellow.

    还有,这叫牛蛋。

    And this one is called Niudan.

    其实,它们的这些名字

    Actually these different types

    of Shoushan stone

    都是按照石头的颜色,

    were all named according

    to the color,

    还有开采的地点,

    the excavation site

    以及外部的特征来取的。

    and exterior distinctions of

    each type.

    王渊源:韩佳,

    Han Jia,

    我刚才看那些寿山石

    those types of Shanshan

    stone that I just saw

    也没有显得有多珍贵啊。

    did not look very precious.

    韩佳: 你看,

    You see,

    你说这话就外行了吧。

    what you just said showed your

    lack of knowledge of the subject.

    王渊源:外行?什么意思啊?

    ”Waihang”? What does it mean?

    韩佳: “外行”是个形容词。

    ”Waihang” is an adjective.

    就是指对某种技能、事务不懂,

    It means to have little

    understanding of

    没有经验。

    or experience in a certain area.

    王渊源:“外行”是个形容词,

    So “waihang” here is an adjective

    就是指对某种技能、事务不懂,

    that means to have little

    understanding of

    没有经验。

    or experience in a certain area.

    韩佳: 不过,如果一个人对某种技能

    But if someone is very

    familiar with

    或者是事务非常熟悉,

    or experienced

    很有经验的话,

    in a certain area,

    我们就说那个人很内行。

    we call him “neihang”.

    王渊源:“外行”的反义词是“内行”,

    So the opposite of “waihang”

    is “neihang”,

    指对某种技能、事务很熟悉,

    which means to be very

    familiar with

    很有经验。

    or experienced in a certain area.

    韩佳: 好,那我们再来复习一遍。

    Okay, let’s have a review of

    what we’ve just learned.

    Tā gāngcái shuō de huà hěn wàiháng

    他 刚才 说 的 话 很 外行。

    What he just said showed his lack

    of knowledge of the subject.

    首先,寿山石的产量不高。

    Firstly, the amount of Shoushan

    stone quarried is not very big.

    无论什么东西,

    Anything

    数量一少自然就显得珍贵了。

    rare is naturally precious.

    其次呢,

    Secondly,

    寿山石的质地、光泽和纹路

    Shoushan stone’s texture,

    color and grain

    都很有特点。

    are all very special.

    非常适合雕刻各种工艺品。

    It is very suitable for carving

    various art objects.

    王渊源:都能雕刻出什么样的工艺品呢?

    What kind of art objects can

    the stone be carved into?

    韩佳: 我们还是去看看吧。

    We’d better go to find out.

    王渊源:这些都是用寿山石雕刻出来的吗?

    Are they all Shoushan stone carvings?

    韩佳: 对啊。

    Yes.

    要知道这寿山石雕作品啊

    The subjects and shapes of

    Shoushan stone carvings

    都是利用了石料的天然色泽,

    are all designed and made

    雕刻出与之相应的造型来。

    according to the stone’s

    natural color and tone.

    你看,比如这里。

    Take this piece for example.

    他把黄色雕刻成了亭台楼阁,

    The yellow part was carved into

    a pavilion and other structures

    把深色雕刻成了丛林。

    and the darker part into trees.

    王渊源:那韩佳,你能不能带我去看看

    Han Jia, can you take me to

    石雕制作的现场啊?

    a stone carving studio for

    a look?

    韩佳: 这个没问题。走吧。

    Sure, no problem. Let’s go.

    渊源,这位就是孙先生。

    Yuanyuan, this is Mr. Sun.

    孙先生,您好。

    Hello, Mr. Sun.

    王渊源:您好,孙先生。

    Hi, Mr. Sun.

    嘉宾: 您好。

    Hello.

    韩佳: 你看,这店里的雕刻作品很大一部分

    Look, a lot of the stone carvings

    in the shop

    都是孙先生自己雕刻的。

    are works by Mr. Sun himself.

    王渊源:是吗?

    Really?

    那我特别想跟您学学。

    I really want to learn

    from you.

    您现在雕的是什么呀?

    What are you carving now?

    嘉宾: 我现在雕的就是个花果篮。

    I’m carving a flower and

    fruit basket.

    王渊源:花果篮?

    A flower and fruit basket?

    为什么要雕花果篮啊?

    Why do you want to carve

    such a basket?

    嘉宾: 它因为这块石头有四种颜色,

    Because this stone has four

    different colors,

    它比较适合雕花果篮。

    it is suitable for carving a

    flower and fruit basket.

    比如说像这样的,

    For instance,

    这个是红的荔枝。

    the red part is for litchis.

    这个是黄色的桃子。

    The yellow part is for peaches.

    黑色的这叫葡萄。

    The black part is for grapes.

    白的藕梨。

    And the white is for lotus

    roots and pears.

    雕出来比较饱满。

    So the color will look

    quite saturated.

    王渊源:真不错。

    That’s just great.

    嘉宾: 然后黄色的现在还可以雕蝴蝶,

    And then some of the yellow part can

    also be used for carving a butterfly

    趴在这牡丹花上面。

    perched on a peony flower.

    韩佳: 对呀,这牡丹花上面还有一只蝴蝶!

    Yes, there is also a butterfly on

    a peony flower!

    王渊源:我听你这么解释,

    Hearing your explanation,

    我发现这块石头

    I find this stone

    的确很适合雕花果篮呢。

    is surely suitable for carving

    a flower and fruit basket.

    韩佳: 那刚才说到的“适合”呢

    The word “shihe” that Yuanyuan

    just said

    就是指符合实际情况,

    means to suit or to be

    suitable for

    或者是客观要求。

    something.

    王渊源:“适合”就是指符合实际情况

    So “shihe” means to suit or

    或者是客观要求。

    to be suitable for.

    Zhè kuài shítou hěn shìhé diāo huā guǒ lán

    这 块 石头 很 适合 雕 花 果 篮。

    This rock is very suitable for carving

    a fruit and flower basket.

    本来,我还想学学

    Originally I did want to learn

    这个寿山石的雕刻呢。

    Shoushan stone carving.

    不过,我发现好像太难了

    But I found it a bit too difficult

    对我来说。

    for me to learn.

    嘉宾: 我们寿山石雕刻实在是太难了。

    Shoushan stone carving is

    indeed very difficult.

    你要想学会,

    If you want to master

    the skills,

    肯定要经过一段时间学艺,

    you’ll definitely need to undergo

    a period of apprenticeship

    然后还要实践。

    and also a lot of practice.

    你如果想学,

    If you want to learn,

    只能学一些简单的。

    you can only learn some

    simple skills.

    王渊源:那简单的有什么呢?

    What simple skills?

    嘉宾: 简单的比如说印章、刻字什么。

    Such as seal carving and

    character engraving.

    韩佳: 早就听说这寿山石

    I’ve long heard Shoushan stone

    非常适合雕刻印章啊。

    is very suitable for carving seals.

    王渊源:好,那孙先生,

    Okay, Mr. Sun,

    我就跟你学刻字吧。

    I’ll just learn character engraving

    from you.

    嘉宾: 那好。印章我们如果刻字,

    Good. Before carving characters

    on a seal stone,

    肯定要先打光。

    we have to polish the

    stone material first.

    然后根据它这个

    And then according to

    印章的造型旁边画出来…

    the shape of the seal …

    韩佳: 这师傅教得认真,

    The teacher is teaching seriously

    徒弟学得也认真。

    and the student also learning seriously.

    那这样吧,

    Well,

    我们还是先来看看今天的赏心悦目。

    we’d better take a look at today’s

    Feast for the Eyes.

    一会儿再见。

    We’ll be right back.

    赏心悦目:

    福州自古盛产名石

    Fuzhou has been a producer of precious

    stones since ancient times.

    其中尤以寿山所产最佳

    Stones produced at Shoushan are the best.

    故而称为“寿山石”

    They are known as Shoushan stone.

    寿山石石质温润 品种多样

    Shoushan stone, good in texture

    and having many varieties,

    极具欣赏价值

    has high ornamental values.

    而丰富的色彩 适中的硬度

    Rich in color and ideal in hardness,

    更是艺术家们的最爱

    the stone is a favorite material

    for many stone carvers.

    一块块石头在艺术家手中

    In the hands of these artists,

    变成了造型灵动的艺术精品

    such stones turn into vivid works of art,

    也成为了人们争相收藏的珍品

    becoming craved items for collectors.

    韩佳: 好了,

    Well,

    赏心悦目我们已经看完了。

    we’re through with the Feast

    for the Eyes.

    那渊源,你刻得怎么样了?

    Yuanyuan, how is your seal

    carving going?

    王渊源:你还是先给大家

    You’d better set today’s

    出今天的有奖问答题吧。

    award-giving question first.

    韩佳: 那好吧。

    Okay.

    您听好了。

    Listen carefully.

    今天的题目是这样的。

    Here’s today’s question.

    (问题部分略)

    好吧,那现在可以拿出来

    Now you can take it out

    给我们看看了吧?

    and show it to us, okay?

    王渊源:说实话,韩佳,

    To tell the truth, Han Jia,

    这刻印章也不是一时半会儿

    seal carving isn’t something

    就能学会的呀。

    that you can learn very quickly.

    所以我准备把这个拿回家好好练习。

    So I want to take this home and

    practice real hard.

    刻好了再给大家看看。

    I’ll show it to you after I’ve

    carved it really well.

    韩佳: 那好吧。

    Okay.

    好了,节目的最后呢,

    Well, at the end of the program,

    还是要提醒您

    we’d still want to remind you

    我们的口号不能忘哦。

    not to forget our slogan.

    合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

    Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

(Source: cctv.com)