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韩佳：快乐学汉语，

Learn Chinese with fun.

大牛：轻松又好记。

It’s much easier to remember.

韩佳：大家好，我是快乐的韩佳。

Hello there! I am the happy Han Jia.

大牛：我是快乐的大牛。

And I am the happy Daniel.

韩佳：这里啊可真热闹。

What a hilarious scene it is here!

您可千万别以为我们是在赶庙会啊！

You mustn’t think that we are visiting

a temple fair.

我们身后的这些人呢，

The people behind us

是在表演祭祀窑神的舞蹈。

are performing a Kiln God worshiping dance.

看来今天，

Obviously, today …

大牛：看来今天是祭神开窑的好日子。

Obviously today is a nice day to worship the god

and ignite the kiln.

韩佳：嗯，没错儿！

Yeah, exactly.

来得早不如来得巧。

This is indeed “coming early isn’t as good

as coming at the right time.”

我们一起来好好看看吧。

Let’s watch their performance together.

大牛： 哎，韩佳！

Eh, Han Jia.

韩佳：嗯。

Yes.

大牛：刚才你说的

Just now you said “lai de zao

“来得早不如来得巧”是句俗语吧？

bu ru lai de qiao”. Is it a common saying?

韩佳：嗯，没错儿。

Yes, it is.

而且啊，还经常用呢。

And it is used very often.

“来得早不如来得巧”意思就是说

“lai de zao bu ru lai de qiao” means

来的时间刚刚好，

to have arrived at the right time,

不早也不晚，正合适。

not too early nor too late.

大牛：哦，“来得早不如来得巧”

Oh, “lai de zao bu ru lai de qiao”

意思是不早也不晚，正合适。

means neither early nor late, perfect timing.

来得早不如来得巧。

“lai de zao bu ru lai de qiao”.

Lái de zǎo bùrú lái de qiǎo.

来 得 早 不如 来 得 巧。

perfect timing

大牛：韩佳，这窑神在哪儿呢？

Han Jia, where is the Kiln God?

韩佳：哦，正中间那位风火仙师啊，

Oh, it’s the one in the center,

the Immortal Master of Wind and Fire.

就是窑神。

He is revered as the Kiln God.

他可是窑工们祭拜的一位非常特殊的神。

He is a very special god worshiped by kiln workers.

大牛：韩佳，

Han Jia.

韩佳：嗯。

Yes.

大牛：你为什么说窑神非常特殊呢？

Why did you say the Kiln God is very special?

韩佳：你想啊，

You can imagine.

一般人们祭拜的神啊都出自于神话传说，

The gods people worship are normally mythical.

而这位风火仙师呢却是现实中的人物，

But the Immortal Master of Wind and Fire

叫童宾。

was a real man, called Tong Bin.

原来啊也是景德镇的一位窑工，

Originally, he was also a kiln worker here.

后来为了抗议恶势力

In protest of the evil force’s

对窑工们的欺压，

oppression of the kiln workers,

而献出了自己的生命。

he lay down his life.

大牛：难怪窑工们这么尊敬他。

That’s why kiln workers respect him so deeply.

韩佳：嗯，没错儿。

Yes, exactly.

在窑工们的强烈要求下啊，

At the adamant demand of kiln workers,

朝廷为童宾立了祠堂，

the imperial government built a temple

to honor him

封他为风火仙师。

and conferred on him the title of Immortal Master

of Wind and Fire.

一会儿祭拜完窑神啊，

After the Kiln God worshiping ceremony,

就要点火烧窑了。

fire would be lit in the kiln.

大牛：那我们也跟着去看看吧！

We’d better go over and take a look.

韩佳：好啊，走！

Good. Let’s go.

大牛，这就是景德镇窑。

Daniel, this is the Jingdezhen Kiln.

人们把它简称为镇窑，

People here call it the Town’s Kiln.

是一座保存十分完好的古窑。

It’s a well-preserved ancient kiln.

Zhè shì yízuò bǎocún shífēn wánhǎo de gǔyáo.

这 是 一座 保存 十分 完好 的 古窑。

This is a perfectly preserved ancient kiln.

大牛：那待会儿开窑仪式就要在这里举行了。

Will the kiln ignition ceremony be held here?

韩佳：不，这可是重点文物保护单位。

No, this is a key relic site under protection.

一会儿的开窑仪式呢，

The kiln ignition ceremony

会在那边小一点的窑里举行。

will be held in a smaller kiln over there.

这里啊，是不可能再烧了。

This kiln is no long in use.

大牛：那趁着仪式还没有开始，

Since the ceremony has not started yet,

我们先进古窑看看吧！

let’s take a look inside this ancient kiln.

韩佳：好啊！

Good!

大牛：这里面比我想象的大很多。

It’s much larger inside than I expected.

可是韩佳，这些柱子怎么都是倾斜的啊，

But, Han Jia, why do all these poles stand

in a slanted position.

不会随时有倒塌的危险吧？

Are they likely to collapse anytime?

韩佳：这些柱子可不是随便倾斜的。

They are not in a disorderly slanted position.

你仔细观察，

Look carefully

看看能不能找出里面的规律。

and see if there is a rule you can find.

大牛：好像它们都是从两侧往中间倾斜的，

They all seem to lean toward the center.

对不对？

Am I right?

韩佳：嗯，没错儿。

Yes, you are right.

这样的设计原理呢，

The rationale for this structural design

就类似于拱桥的建筑原理。

is the same as that for an arch bridge.

两边的柱子有规律地往中间倾斜，

The poles on both sides lean towards the center

达到力的平衡。

to achieve an equilibrium of forces.

这样啊，窑的顶部就能承受更多的重量了。

This way, the top of the kiln can bear

a much heavier weight.

大牛：原来是这样。

Oh, I see.

看来设计这座窑的人比我还聪明。

It seems the designer of this kiln must have been

more intelligent than I am.

韩佳：嘿！

Hey!

大牛：哎，韩佳！

Eh, Han Jia,

那边就是烧制瓷器的地方吧？

is that section used for firing the bisques?

Nàbiaān jiù shì shāozhì cíqì de defang ba.

那边 就 是 烧制 瓷器 的 地方 吧。

That must be where the porcelain is fired.

韩佳：牛，这就是炉膛。

Daniel, this is the furnace tank.

烟囱呢，在它的尾部。

The chimney is located at its tail part.

你看，这些一层层排列的东西啊，

Look. These layers of box-like things

就叫匣钵。

are called saggers.

大牛：匣钵？没听说过。

Saggers? I’ve never heard of them before.

它们是做什么用的呢？

What are they used for?

韩佳： 匣钵呢，是一种用耐火土制成的容器。

A sagger is a kind of container made

of heat-resistant clay.

当开窑烧瓷的时候啊，

Before the bisques are fired, to prevent

为了避免火焰直接接触瓷坯，

the flames touching the bisques directly,

就要把瓷坯啊搁在这里面烧制。

they have to be placed in these saggers.

大牛：哦，原来是这样。

Oh, I see.

哎，韩佳！

Eh, Han Jia.

韩佳：嗯。

Yes.

大牛：那边就是放燃料的地方吧？

Is that the place for the fuel?

韩佳：嗯，没错儿！

Yes, exactly.

开窑的时候啊，要把门封起来，

After the kiln is ignited,

the entrance should be sealed,

只留下一个投柴口。

leaving only a fuel-filling hole.

大牛：可是门都封起来了，

But if the entire kiln is sealed,

外面的人怎么知道

how people can know

该添柴，该添多少柴呢？

it is time to refill fuel and how much to refill?

韩佳：这就要问一个很重要的人物—

It all depends on a very important person,

把桩师傅了。

the chief master.

大牛：把桩师傅？

The chief master?

韩佳：关于把桩师傅的问题啊，

As for the chief master,

我们待会儿再讨论。

we’ll discuss it later.

现在啊，开窑仪式要开始了。

Now the kiln ignition ceremony is about to start.

我们还是去看看吧！

Let’s go over and take a look.

大牛：好。

OK.

没想到，第一捧柴居然由我大牛来添。

I didn’t expect it would be me to refill

the first handful of fuel in the kiln.

韩佳：哎，我这儿还有一捧呢！

Eh, I also have a handful of fuel here.

那窑上面啊有三个观火孔，

There are three fire observation holes

in the kiln wall.

一会儿把桩师傅呢就从那观火孔里啊

In a moment, the chief master will look through

观察窑里的情况。

these holes to observe the inside.

大牛：没错儿。接下来的工作，

Exactly. Now we’ll hand over

我们就交给把桩师傅了。

the rest of the job to the chief master.

下面呢我们一起来看看赏心悦目。

Next let’s watch the day’s Feast for the Eyes.

韩佳：哎，我们去添柴火吧！

Eh, let’s go and refill the fuel.

大牛：好。

OK.

好了。观众朋友们，

Well, audience friends,

看完了精彩的赏心悦目，

after the Feast for the Eyes,

我们又要给您出今天的问题了。

time now for you to answer today’s question.

今天的问题是这样的：

Here’s today’s question.

(问题部分略)

韩佳：如果您知道答案，

If you know the answer,

就赶紧用屏幕上的方式

please let us know now

跟我们联系。

using the method given here.

大牛：当然了，除了您的答案，

Of course, in addition to your answer,

您还可以告诉我们

you can also let us know

您的想法和意见。

your suggestions and comments.

韩佳：嗯，别忘了，

Yes. Don’t forget

有精美的纪念品在等着您哪！

there is a classy souvenir awaiting you.

大牛：最后别忘了我们的口号—

Lastly, don’t forget our slogan-

合：　学说中国话，朋友遍天下！

Learn Chinese and have friends everywhere.

(Source: cctv.com)