Archive for December 19th, 2008

China Travel – Iron Sutra Pillar in Changde

Friday, December 19th, 2008

The Iron Sutra Pillar in Changde is located in the Binghu Park of Changde City, Hunan Province.

 

Originally located on the left of the original Qianming Temple at the foot of Deshan Mountain, the Iron Sutra Pillar in Changde was moved to its current location in January 1979. The Iron Sutra Pillar is a unique religious construction in ancient times. This sutra pillar is unusual because it was cast in segments from white pig iron instead of stones or woods. The sutra pillar follows wood-like column style, with twelve floors and short eaves protruding between floors. With a small top and a large base, this sutra pillar looks like a pagoda, so it is commonly called Iron Pagoda. There are half-length statues of Warriors and the statue of Sakyamuni cast on the bottom part of the pillar, with pestle-like patterns, patterns of joined beads, tigers and dragons decorated around. The text of Prajna-paramita-hrdaya-sutra, together with the names and positions of the donors, is cast on the middle part of the pillar. The pillar is 4 meters high, with a base of 0.9 meters in diameter and 1,520.8 kilograms in weight. The base of the pillar is a pedestal built of red sandstone, with a height of 1.42 meters. It is decorated with layers of flower and grass patterns, with smooth lines, simple and elegant.

 

According to the design, patterns, analysis of inscriptions and recent sampling spectrum test, the iron pillar is a relic of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). It is very important for the research into the history of ancient Chinese metallurgy, Buddhism, community living of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and the local history of Hunan Province.

 (Source: chinaculture.org)

Chinese Culture – Tomb of Yuhong of Sui Dynasty

Friday, December 19th, 2008

 

Tomb of the Sui Dynasty (581-618)

 

Location: Taiyuan, Shanxi Province

 

Period: 592

 

Excavated in 1999

 

Significance: It has supplied important material objects to the study of the relationships and cultural exchanges between the Sui Dynasty and Central Asia.

 

 Introduction 

Relief of one man on camelback and seizing a lion, carved on the stone outer coffin: (right-up, height 96 cm, width 66 cm); Relief of one master and two servants having a rest, carved on the stone outer coffin: (mid, height 96 cm, width 52 cm); Relief of one man on horseback while the other holding canopy, carved on the stone outer coffin: (left-bottom, height 96 cm, width 70. 5 cm)

 

This tomb is so far the only archaeological find in the Central Plains that reflects Central Asian culture. It is also the only one to have been excavated in a scientific way and with an accurate chronological record. Rich in relics and well preserved, it is of great significance to the study of the cultural exchanges between China and Western countries during the Sui Dynasty.

 

The tomb is a single-chamber grave built with bricks and with a sloping passage leading to it. It is a plain square with arched sides. The relics include a white marble coffin, octagonal white marble columns and a stone sculpture of the heads of people offering a sacrifice. The most valuable aspect is the relief patterns on the base and four sides of the coffin, with color or gilt painting. The decorative figurines, costumes, fittings, vessels, flowers and birds in the patterns bear a strong flavor of Central Asian culture.

 

 Sarcophagus

 

The sarcophagus (Shi Guan or coffin) resembles a traditional wooden Chinese hall in construction, measuring three bays across, sitting atop a carved and painted base, and covered with an eaved or hipped gabled roof. The base of the structure also rests on top of eight stone beasts. Two leaves of a stone door, originally set in the center of the front facade under an archway, had fallen to the ground. Painted images on the exterior rear and side panels are all but faded, with only faint traces of outlined figures visible.

 

Carved on the inner panels and outer facade walls of this traditional Chinese structure, however, were fanciful images of foreign design, including scenes of hunting, tribute, feasting, music, and dancing. While many of these themes are not unfamiliar to Chinese funerary iconography, the manner of depiction, wildly energetic human and animal combat scenes, and the figures themselves, with deep-set eyes, high noses and distinctly non-Chinese hairstyles, clothing and accouterments, suggest a reference to non-Chinese cultures, specifically Sasanian-Persian and Central Asian.

Source: chinaculture.org

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 362

Friday, December 19th, 2008
 
 

  韩佳:快乐学汉语,轻松又好记。

  Learn Chinese with fun.

  It is much easy to remember.

  大家好,我是快乐的韩佳。

  Hello, I am the happy Han Jia.

  大牛:韩佳,你这是怎么了?

  Han Jia, what’s wrong with you?

  说起话来怎么这样?

  Why do you speak like this?

  是不是昨天扮演恐龙给累坏了?

  Is it that you are too tired after

  playing the dinosaur yesterday?

  韩佳:你懂什么呀,

  You don’t understand

  我在听自己的回声呢。

  I was trying to listen to the echo

  of my voice.

  咱们头顶上的小穹顶

  The little canopy over our heads

  was built

  就是模拟了神秘莫测的宇宙。

  in imitation of the mysterious universe.

  那你应该知道这里是哪儿了吧?

  Do you know what place it is?

  大牛:当然知道了。

  Of course, I do.

  这里就是恐龙馆的地球与地质演变厅

  This is the dinosaur museum’s

  earth and geological evolution hall.

  韩佳,你看。

  Han Jia, look.

  韩佳:这是目前陆地上发现的

  This is the largest carnivore ever

  最大的肉食动物—霸王龙。

  found on land-Tyrannosaurus rex.

  只不过是个模型,你至于吓成这样嘛。

  It is only a model. You don’t have

  to be so scared like this.

  Zhǐ búguò shì ge fǎngzhìpǐn , nǐ zhìyú xià chéng zhèyàng ma?

  只 不过 是 个 仿制品, 你 至于 吓 成 这样 吗?

  It is just a replica,is it really that scary?

  大牛:我不过是看到它张着大嘴的样子

  It is just its gaping jaws

  感到有一些毛骨束然罢了。

  that made me a bit “mao gu su ran”.

  韩佳:什么什么?

  What did you say?

  大牛:毛骨束然。

  ”mao gu su ran”.

  韩佳:那叫毛骨悚然。

  It is “mao gu song ran”

  悚呢是害怕的意思。

  ”song” means to be scared.

  整个成语是说

  ”mao gu song ran” is a set phrase,

  因为害怕使毛管收缩,浑身发抖。

  which means that due to extreme fright,

  one trembles with contracted hair follicles.

  大牛:观众朋友们,

  Viewer friends,

  您可不要和我犯同样的错误啊。

  you’d better not make the same

  mistake as I dd.

  韩佳:大牛你快过来看。这是我们今天看到的

  Daniel, look. this is what is known

  as the museum’s most

  恐龙馆的镇馆之宝—许氏禄丰龙。

  valuable treasure, Lufengosaurus huenei.

  它可是中国发现的第一具恐龙化石。

  It was the first dinosaur fossil skeleton

  discovered in China.

  保留在地层中的骨骼完整度达到了60%呢。

  About 60% of the fossilized skeleton

  was found when it was unearthed.

  大牛:才60%啊?

  Only 60%?

  韩佳:什么才60%啊?你要知道

  What do you mean only 60%? You

  must know that

  如果一具恐龙化石出土时

  if 30% of a dinosaur’s

  骨架完整度达到30%的话,

  skeleton was found,

  地质学家们就可以确定

  geologists would consider it

  它是一具完整的恐龙化石了。

  a complete set of dinosaur fossils.

  这里就是恐龙馆里最大的展厅了。

  This is the largest exhibition hall

  of the dinosaur museum.

  在恐龙统治地球的漫长岁月中,

  During their lengthy reign over the earth,

  经历了由鼎盛到灭亡的一个过程。

  dinosaurs underwent a process of

  moving from their zenith to their demise.

  Kǒnglóng jīnglìle yí gè yóu dǐngshèng dào mièwáng de guòchéng.

  恐龙 经历了 一 个 由 鼎盛 到 灭亡 的 过程。

  The dinosaurs experienced a process

  rising to their zenith and falling to

  their eventual extinction.

  大牛,你怎么自己到处乱跑啊?

  Daniel, why are you running about alone?

  大牛:你看这具恐龙化石真的好大呀!

  Look, what a huge fossil dinosaur

  skeleton it is!

  韩佳:这是马门溪龙,

  This is Mamenchisaurus,

  它是馆内最大的展品。

  the largest exhibit in the museum.

  别看它身长有20多米,

  Although 20 meters in length,

  但却是个性情温和的庞然大物。

  it was a relatively mild colossus.

  在这个展厅里还有一件镇馆之宝呢。

  There is another showpiece.

  就是那边的巨型山东龙。

  It is Shantungosaurus over there.

  它出土的时候骨架完整度

  Its completeness exceeded 80%

  达到了80%以上。

  when it was unearthed.

  号称中国龙王。

  It is billed as the King of Chinese

  Dinosaurs.

  而且它也是世界上迄今为止发现最早、

  It is also the earliest, most complete

  最完整、最大的鸭嘴类恐龙化石。

  and largest of all fossil skeletons of the

  duck-billed dinosaurs ever discovered.

  大牛:居然占据了三个世界之最!

  A dinosaur with three superlatives!

  真是难以想象这么强大的生物

  It’s hard to imagine such powerful creatures

  最后竟然也会灭亡。

  could have perished in the end.

  韩佳:多年来,

  Over the years,

  科学家们对恐龙灭亡的原因

  scientists have raised various hypotheses

  也提出了许多假说。

  on the extinction of dinosaurs.

  但都没有确切的证据可以证明。

  But none of them has provided

  verifiable evidence.

  大牛:那是不是恐龙并没有灭绝,

  Does it mean that dinosaurs

  have not perished,

  而是进化成了别的动物呢?

  but evolved into other kinds of animals?

  韩佳:这个问题提得好。

  It is a nice question.

  我们现在就去找找答案?

  Should we go look for the answer?

  大牛,你来看看这块化石。

  Daniel, look at this.

  大牛:这块恐龙化石怎么这么小啊?

  Why is this fossil so small?

  韩佳:你再仔细看看嘛。

  Loot at it again carefully.

  大牛:韩佳,你是不是想考考我呀?

  Han Jia, are you quizzing me?

  这明明是一块鸟类的化石啊。

  This is obviously a bird fossil.

  Zhè míngmíng shì yíkuài niǎolèi de huàshí.

  这 明明 是 一块 鸟类 的 化石。

  It’s obviously that this is a bird fossil.

  韩佳:这就是中华龙鸟化石。

  This is the fossil of Sinosauropteryx prima.

  大牛:龙鸟?听起来好像出现在神话故事里的一种神兽。

  A bird dinosaur? It sounds like

  a magic creature in a myth.

  韩佳:这块化石是在辽宁省发现的。

  This fossil was discovered in

  Liaoning Province.

  你看它的牙齿、四肢,还有尾巴,

  Look at its teeth, limbs and tail,

  都保留着恐龙的基本形态。

  which all resemble those of a dinosaur.

  可是它的身上呢又出现了部分鸟类的特征。

  But its body shows some features

  of a bird.

  大牛:那你是说天上飞的小鸟

  Do you think those birds flying

  in the sky

  是恐龙进化来的?

  came from dinosaurs?

  韩佳:这块化石的发现

  The discovery of this fossil

  也只是提出了另一种假说。

  provided another hypothesis.

  但还没有更多的证据来证实

  But there hasn’t been any additional

  evidence

  恐龙并没有灭绝而是进化成了鸟类。

  proving that dinosaurs are not extinct

  and that they have evolved into birds.

  不过我相信将来科学家们

  However, we are sure that scientists

  总有一天能揭开这个谜团的。

  will one day solve this riddle.

  大牛:一定会的。

  Yes, they will.

  赏心悦目:

  中华恐龙馆是恐龙园的核心部分

  The Museum of Chinese Dinosaurs is

  the central part of the dinosaur park.

  外形好似三个龙头高昂

  Its exterior resembles three dinosaurs

  holding their heads erect.

  由五个主厅和六个辅厅组成

  The museum consists of five main halls

  and six annexes.

  许氏禄丰龙 巨型山东龙 中华龙鸟

  The various specimens on display include

  众多珍贵恐龙标本在此陈列

  Lufengosaurus, Shantungosaurus

  and Sinosauropteryx.

  仿佛使游客重新回到恐龙时代

  They make visitors feel as if they had

  returned to the Age of Dinosaurs.

  韩佳:现在又到了给观众朋友们出问题的时候了。

  It’s time again for us to give a question

  to our viewers.

  您听好了。问题是这样的。

  Listen carefully. The question is

  as follows.

  (问题部分略)

  大牛:精美礼品等您拿。

  A beautiful gift is waiting for you.

  韩佳:当然了,

  Of course,

  你也可以通过以下地址写信给我们。

  you can also use the following address

  to write a letter to us.

  期待着您的来信。

  We are looking forward to hearing

  from you.

  大牛:感谢您收看今天的《快乐中国》。

  Thanks for watching today’s Happy China.

  别忘了明天同一时间,

  Don’t forget to continue to tune in for

  继续收看我们的节目。

  our program tomorrow at the same time.

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下。

  Learn Chinese and have friends everywhere.

(Source: cctv.com)