Archive for January 22nd, 2009

China Travel – Dayun Hall

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

The Dayun Hall lies on Long’er Mountain, 23 kilometers northwest of Pingshun County in Shanxi Province.

 

The Dayun Hall is also known as Dayun Temple. Leaning on the mountains and facing the water, the hall was built according to a Chinese traditional geomantic omen, with the front part constructed lower than the rear. Originally called Fairy Rock Hall, the Dayun Hall was built in 938 and changed its name to Dayun Buddha Hall in 983. The hall was gradually abandoned and the present construction scale has lost its former grandeur, even after many renovations by later generations.

 

Main constructions in the current hall include the temple gate, the God Hall, the back hall and two side rooms — all built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Dafo Hall, erected during the Five Dynasties (907-960), is three bays wide and has a single-eaved gable and hip roof. Twenty-one-square-meter frescos of the period can still be seen in the hall. They include pictures of magnificent palaces encircled by floating clouds and eight beautiful performers — some depicted dancing gracefully as others accompany them with musical instruments. On the horizontal partition wall is a painting of Kwan-yin with the flying Apsaras dancing on the clouds above. The frescos use blue, green and reddish-brown as background colors, mimicking the frescoes of the late Tang Dynasty (618-907), which are kept in the Dunhuang Grottos. Stone-carved censers from the Five Dynasties period also remain in the hall.

 

Stone scriptures from 966 of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and a stone-carved Budda statue dating to 999 were erected in front of the Dafo Hall. Both are precious examples of traditional stone carvings.

 

Qibao Tower, which stands outside the mountain gate, was built in 954. Carved in hard, black stone, the seven-storied tower only has five stories remaining and stands at a height of six meters. The first three floors of the tower assume an octagonal shape. The first floor has carvings of lotus flowers, lions, kylins and flying horses; the second floor includes lifelike carvings depicting performers dancing gracefully; and the third floor features dragons snaking around columns. Carvings of two dragons playing with a huge pearl adorn the arched doors located on all four sides of the tower, with two statues of gods standing on both sides. The fifth floor is covered with a pearl-shaped top. The tower reveals its originality with its quaint designs and the beauty of Tang-style architecture, with its finely carved patterns and figures.

(Source: en.beijing2008.cn)

Chinese Character – chicken (fowl):鸡

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

chicken (fowl):

Chinese Pinyin: ji1

(Source: about.com)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 396

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
 
 

   合: 快乐学汉语,轻松又好记。

  Learn Chinese the fun way.

  It’s much easier to remember.

  韩佳:大家好。

  Hi, everyone.

  《快乐中国》又和您准时见面了。

  Welcome to Happy China again.

  我是快乐的韩佳。

  I am the happy Han Jia.

  大牛:我是快乐的大牛。

  And I am the happy Daniel.

  韩佳:我们现在呢是在齐齐哈尔的扎龙湿地。

  We are now standing at the

  Zhalong Wetland of Qiqihar.

  大牛:没错。这里有美丽的丹顶鹤,

  Yes. The red-crested cranes here

  非常吸引人。

  are very fascinating.

  韩佳:哎,可是我们今天啊不是来看鹤的。

  But today we did not come here

  to see the birds.

  大牛:那我们去看什么呀?

  Then what did we come here for?

  韩佳:我们要去了解了解这片神奇的湿地。

  We are here to get some understanding

  about this mysterious wetland.

  大牛:韩佳,我们还是去看鹤吧。

  Han Jia, I prefer to see the cranes.

  韩佳:嗨,急什么。

  We are in no hurry to do that.

  先来看看扎龙的风光。

  Let’s see Zhalong’s scenery first.

  大牛:嗯,好辽阔的一片沼泽!

  Mm, what a vast marshland!

  韩佳:哎,辽阔这个词用得好。

  Yeah, the word “liao kuo” was used aptly.

  我们在形容宽广而空旷的时候啊,

  When we want to describe a place

  which is vast and expansive,

  就要用辽阔。

  we should use the word “liao kuo”.

  大牛:嗯。辽阔,辽读二声,阔读四声,

  Yeah. “liao kuo”, sceond tone,

  fourth tone,

  形容宽广而空旷。

  means vast.

  例如,我们来到了辽阔的扎龙湿地。

  For example, we’ve come to the

  vast Zhalong Wetland.

  Wǒmen láidàole liáokuò de zhālóng shīdì

  我们 来到了 辽阔 的 扎龙 湿地。

  We’ve arrived at the vast Zhalong Wetlands.

  韩佳:哎,大牛,

  Daniel,

  那你知道扎龙这个名字是什么意思吗?

  do you know what the name,

  Zhalong, means?

  大牛:扎龙这个名字?

  The name, Zhalong?

  说实话,我还真不知道。你说说?

  To be frank, I have no idea. What

  does it mean?

  韩佳:你看看,扎龙湿地啊

  As you see, the vast Zhalong Wetland

  面积辽阔,水草丰美。

  has plenty of water and aquatic plants.

  在蒙语里啊,扎龙就是指饲养牛羊的圈。

  In Mongolian, Zhalong means a

  pen for keeping cattle or sheep.

  大牛:哦,我还以为这里是一片泥潭呢。

  Oh, I thought it means a marshland.

  韩佳,你说说这扎龙湿地究竟有多大?

  Han Jia, do you know how vast

  the Zhalong Wetland is?

  韩佳:扎龙湿地啊,一共有21万公顷大。

  Altogether, the wetland covers

  210,000 hectares of land.

  是世界的第三大湿地。

  Zhalong is the world’s third

  largest wetlands.

  我们从这头走到那头啊,

  It would take us several days to walk

  要花好几天的时间呢。

  from one end to the other.

  走,我们去看看。

  Let’s go and take a look.

  大牛:啊,韩佳,算了吧。

  Hey, Han Jia, we’d better give it up.

  韩佳:嗨,不用怕。

  Don’t be afraid.

  我们是坐船去看,来。

  We are going there by boat.

  大牛:这里的芦苇长得十分茂密。

  How densely the reeds here are growing.

  而且一望无边。

  And the thicket is just endless.

  韩佳:是啊,扎龙是中国面积最大的芦苇沼泽湿地。

  Yeah, Zhalong is China’s largest

  reed swamp wetland.

  芦苇当然多啦。

  Naturally, there are so many reeds here.

  而且芦苇还是当地人主要的收入来源呢。

  Actually, the reeds here provide

  the main income for local people.

  大牛:哦,芦苇都有什么用处呢?

  Oh, what uses does the plant have?

  韩佳:用处可多了。

  It has many uses.

  它可以用来编织东西、盖房子,

  It can be used as materials for weaving

  mats and building houses.

  还可以当燃料呢。

  The stalks can be used also as fuel.

  大牛:哦,那我倒是挺好奇啊。

  I’m getting curious about the plant.

  这里怎么会有这么大一片芦苇沼泽呢?

  How come there is such a vast

  reed marshland here?

  这里的水都是从哪里来的?

  Where does the water come from?

  韩佳:扎龙湿地的上游啊有一条乌裕尔河。

  In the upper reaches of the Zhalong Wetland,

  there is a river called Wuyur River.

  这条河的河水流进扎龙漫溢开来,

  Water from the river flows down

  into the area,

  就形成了湿地。

  thus turning it into a stretch of wetland.

  大牛:是这样啊。

  Oh, I see.

  虽然这里的风景很独特,

  Despite the uniqueness of the scenery,

  只可惜太安静了看不到什么动物啊。

  the place is a bit too quiet and I can

  hardly see any animals here.

  韩佳:谁说的啊。这里啊到处都有鸟的踪影。

  You are wrong.There are traces

  of birds everywhere.

  Zhèli dàochù dōu yǒu niǎo de zōngyǐng.

  这里 到处 都 有 鸟 的 踪影。

  There are birds everywhere here.

  哎,你看你看。那儿不就有吗?

  Look over there. Is there a bird there?

  大牛:哎,真的。

  Oh, yeah.

  我们再往里走一走,看看还有什么鸟。

  Let’s get further inside and see what

  kind of other birds we can find.

  韩佳:这里的芦苇这么深,怎么观鸟啊?

  The reeds here are so tall, how can

  we watch the birds here?

  大牛:说得是,还真不好进去。

  Absolutely, it’s really difficult

  to move on.

  韩佳:不过这对鸟儿来说啊,非常有利。

  But this is an advantage for the birds.

  你看,这些芦苇和沼泽啊

  As you see, the reeds and the water here

  它把鸟儿的天敌挡在了湿地的外面。

  can fend off the birds’ predators.

  这样呢,就留出了一大片安全的地方

  Thus they have a vast and safe haven

  让它们栖息。

  of their own.

  大牛:那扎龙不就成了鸟的天堂了吗。

  The Zhalong Wetland is surely

  a paradise of birds.

  韩佳:你还真说对了。扎龙啊就是鸟的天堂。

  You are right. Zhalong is indeed

  a paradise of birds.

  大牛:哎哟,真是把我累坏了。

  Oh, I am really tired.

  扎龙湿地实在是太大了。

  Zhalong is so large.

  韩佳:嗯,正因为面积辽阔,

  Just because of its large size,

  所以扎龙啊也是世界上一片重要的湿地。

  Zhalong has been recognized as

  an important wetland in the world.

  很受重视的。

  It is very important.

  大牛:不就是一片沼泽嘛。

  But it’s just a stretch of swamp.

  怎么会那么受重视呢?

  Why is it so important?

  韩佳:这你就有所不知了吧。

  This shows your ignorance.

  湿地对于全球环境啊,意义重大。

  Wetlands are of great significance

  for the global environment.

  Shīdì duì quánqiú huánjìng yìyì zhòngdà.

  湿地 对 全球 环境 意义 重大。

  Wetlands play a significant role in

  maintaining the global environment.

  大牛:有什么意义?是因为蓄水吗?

  Why? Just because it stores water?

  韩佳:不光是蓄水,

  Wetlands not only preserve water,

  它还可以调节河流的水量、

  but also regulate the flow of

  rivers while

  调节气侯、降低污染等等。

  modifying the climate and

  reducing pollution.

  作用呢,就好比人类的肾脏。

  They function as human kidneys.

  所以啊,人们又管湿地叫做地球之肾。

  So people call them the kidneys

  of the earth.

  大牛:可这么多作用,一片沼泽也负担不过来啊。

  But to perform so many functions,

  just one stretch of swamps isn’t enough.

  韩佳:哎,大牛,这湿地可不等于沼泽啊。

  Hey, Daniel, wetlands are not

  just swamps.

  像海边的滩涂、河边的洼地,

  Tidal flat area, riverside low-lying areas

  还有人工水塘,

  and artificial ponds

  这都算是湿地。

  are all wetlands.

  大牛:哦,原来我们身边的这些都算是湿地啊。

  Oh, the areas behind us are also

  part of the wetland.

  韩佳:对啊。这下你对湿地有所了解了吧。

  Yes. Now you’ve got some

  understanding of wetlands.

  大牛:嗯。你不说我还真不了解。

  Yes. If you didn’t tell me this, I

  wouldn’t know anything about it.

  湿地对我们大家有多么的重要。

  Wetlands are so important to us all.

  韩佳:那好。现在就让我们走进扎龙,

  Good. Now let’s get deeper into Zhalong

  感受一下湿地的魅力吧。

  to feel the charms of the wetland.

  大牛:请看赏心悦目。

  Please watch the Feast for the Eyes.

  赏心悦目:

  水面开阔 浮萍飘荡

  The vast expanse of water covered

  with duckweeds

  这里就是世界第三大湿地–扎龙湿地

  is the Zhalong Wetland, the third

  largest of its kind in the world.

  据不完全统计 扎龙栖息着230多种禽鸟

  According to incomplete statistics, more

  than 230 bird species live in the area.

  泛舟水上

  Aboard a boat, the visitor can see

  观浮萍 赏芦苇

  the water-borne duckweeds and

  thickets of reeds.

  扎龙以它优越的自然条件为禽鸟提供了一个天堂

  Zhalong has provided an ideal haven for birds.

  怎么样,

  Do you find the mysterious

  您是不是被神奇的湿地所吸引呢?

  wetland fascinating?

  韩佳:如果有时间的话,

  If you have the time,

  不妨亲自来看一看。

  we suggest you come here and

  see for yourself.

  好了,接下来呢

  Okay, next

  就要回答我们今天的问题了。

  please answer today’s question.

  本期问题:

  下面哪个词语是用来形容宽广而空旷的呢?

  Which of the following words should be used

  to describe the vastness of a place?

  Kuān chǎng

  A.宽 敞 Spacious

  Liáo kuò

  B.辽 阔 Vast and expansive

  Kuò qì

  C.阔 气 Luxurious and showily rich

  大牛:赶快行动吧,精美礼品等您拿。

  Act now because a beautiful gift

  is waiting for you.

  韩佳:如果您还有什么问题或者是建议,

  If you have any questions or suggestions,

  可以用屏幕上的方式随时跟我们联系。

  please let us know using the method

  given on the screen.

  大牛:今天节目到这里了。别忘了我们的口号:

  That’s all for today. Don’t

  forget our motto:

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下。

  Learn Chinese and have friends everywhere.

(Source: cctv.com)