Archive for September 7th, 2009

Chinese Culture – Chinese Lang and Ting(2)

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Ting: Pavilion

The Chinese pavilion, Ting, which is also named a kiosk, is built normally either of wood or stone or bamboo and may be in figures of square, triangle, hexagon, octagon, a five-petal flower, and a fan, etc.

Ting has a long history in China. Differing from the present functions, in the Zhou Dynasty (11th contrary-256 BC), Ting was a sentry at the frontier fortress for defense. Later, in the Qin and Han dynasties (about 200 AD), Ting changed into a name for a certain institution in the countryside. It was in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) that Ting finally developed into a typical architectural style in Chinese landscape gardening.

All pavilions described as Ting have this in common: they have columns to support the roof, but no walls. In parks or at scenic spots, pavilions are built on slopes to command the panorama or on lakeside to create intriguing images in the water. They are not only part of the landscape but also belvederes from which to enjoy the scenery.

Ting also functions differently. The wayside pavilion is called Liang Ting (cooling kiosk) to provide people with shade from the sun and protection from the rain, and also a place to rest. The Shibei Ting (stele pavilion) gives a roof to a stone tablet usually on which were engraved records of an important event. Ting also stands on some bridges or over water-wells.

Rare among pavilions are those built of bronze. The most famous of this kind is Baoyun Ge (Pavilion of Precious Clouds) in Beijing‘s Summer Palace. The entire structure including its roof and columns is cast in bronze. Metallic blue in color, it is 7.5 meters tall and weighs 207 tons. Elegant and dignified, it is popularly known as the Gold Pavilion.

The largest Ting in China is also in the Summer Palace. The ancient building, named Kuoru Ting (the Pavilion of Expanse), has a floor space of 130 square meters. Its roof, converging in a crown on top and resting on three rings of columns (24 round ones and 16 square ones), is octagonal in form and has two eaves. With all its woodwork colorfully painted, the pavilion looks at once poised and majestic, well in harmony with the surrounding landscape.

In Beijing‘s Jingshan Park, there are five pavilions on the ridges. From east to west they are: Guanmiao Ting (Wonderful View Pavilion), Zhoushang Ting (Surrounding View Pavilion), Wanchun Ting (Everlasting Spring Pavilion), Fulan Ting (Panoramic View Pavilion) and Jifang Ting (Harmonious Fragrance Pavilion). From the hilltop, visitors can have a bird’s-eye view of the city. There used to be a bronze statue of a god in each of the pavilions. Unfortunately four of them were stolen by the allied forces of the eight world powers in 1,900, and the one on the uppermost pavilion was totally damaged.

In modern times, kiosks (also called Ting in Chinese) have been erected in urban areas as postal stalls, newsstands or photographers’ sheds for snapshot services.

Source: chinaculture.org

Chinese Character – evolution:进化

Monday, September 7th, 2009

evolution:

Chinese Pinyin: jin4 hua4

(Source: about.com)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 624

Monday, September 7th, 2009

旁白: 国际化的大都市,

A cosmopolitan city

当然要有国际化的交通设施。

should of course have world-class

transportation facilities.

在上海如果你想出行

If you want to travel

in the city,

有各种各样的交通工具

there are all kinds of transportation

services

可以供您选择,

available to you,

比如轮船、汽车、飞机、

such as ships, automobiles, aircraft

火车、地铁。

trains and subway services.

对了,还有磁悬浮列车。

Oh, yeah, there are also

Maglev trains.

实在是很方便啊。

Transport is really convenient here.

韩佳: 渊源,你干吗呢?

What are you doing, Yuanyuan?

王渊源:我正在设计

I’m just trying to figure out

我们去浦东机场的路线呢。

what route we should take to

get to the Pudong Airport.

韩佳: 哦。那设计得怎么样了?

Oh. How is it going?

王渊源:我还没弄完呢。

I’m still not finished yet.

我听说上海的交通系统

I heard Shanghai’s transportation systems

特别发达。

are quite advanced.

我原来想多坐几种交通工具,

At first, I wanted to try more

means of transport,

可又不想浪费太多时间。

but later I decided we shouldn’t

waste too much time.

韩佳: 哦。

Oh, I see.

王渊源:但是我对上海的交通又不熟。

But I’m not familiar with Shanghai’s

transport.

这不好弄。

This is no easy job.

韩佳: 我来帮帮你吧。

Let me give you a hand.

你看,我们现在呢

Look, right now we are

是在上海南站附近。

quite near the Shanghai South

Railway Station.

不如,先去上海南站。

So I suggest we go to the South

Railway Station first.

从那儿坐地铁也很方便啊。

It’s quite convenient to take

a subway train from there.

王渊源:这个主意不错。

It’s a good idea.

韩佳: 嗯,走。

Uh huh, let’s go.

王渊源:这座火车站可真够气派的呀!

This railways station is so impressive!

韩佳: 对啊。上海南站呢

Yes. The Shanghai South

Railways Station

建成没多久,现在啊

was built not long ago

刚刚开始启用。

and went into operation

only recently.

无论是设施还是服务啊

Both its facilities and services

都很不错。

are quite good.

王渊源:等等。你刚才说的”无论”

Hold on. The word “wulun”

you just said

我们好像经常用到。

seems to be used pretty often.

韩佳: “无论”是我们常用的一个连词,

“Wulun” is a frequently used conjunction,

表示条件改变,而结果不变。

meaning no matter.

王渊源:”无论”和”no matter”意思相近。

“Wulun” has a meaning similar

to “no matter”.

在英文中常被省略。

It is often omitted in English.

Zhèli wúlùn shì shèshī hái shi fúwù dōu hěn búcuò

这里 无论 是 设施 还 是 服务,都 很 不错。

The services and the facilities

are all quite good.

我发现这座火车站的外形

I find the shape of this

railway station

也很特别啊。

is also very unique.

韩佳: 对啊。

Yes.

王渊源:居然是圆形的。

Amazingly, it is round in shape.

韩佳: 这样的圆形设计呢

The round design

不光让外观看上去很独特,

not only makes the exterior

quite unique,

而且啊

but it can also

还可以增加入口处的数量。

increase the number of entrances.

无论游客从哪个方向来,

Travelers coming from whichever direction

都可以找到距离站台

can find

最近的那个入口处,

the nearest entrance

进入候车大厅。

into the waiting hall.

它还是目前世界上最大的

It is currently the largest

透光式火车站。

transparent-roofed railway station

in the world.

王渊源:有了这些玻璃墙,很透明,

With the transparent glass roof

and walls,

白天不开灯

it’s quite bright inside

照样很亮堂。

without turning on the lights.

既美观,又实用。

They are both beautiful and practical.

没想到不用出火车站,

I never imagined, without getting out

of the station,

就可以直接上地铁。

I can take a subway train directly.

韩佳: 嗯。

Sure.

王渊源:这可真方便。

It is so convenient.

而且这条线路是在地上运行的。

And this subway line runs

above ground.

韩佳: 嗯。

Yes.

王渊源:所以我们可以一边乘车,

So we can enjoy the outside scenery

一边欣赏外面的风景。

while aboard the train.

韩佳: 对啊。你看,

Yes. Look,

那就是上海的高架路。

that’s one of Shanghai’s

elevated highways.

它把上海市的交通要道

They link up with all major

都连接了起来。

traffic routes in Shanghai.

王渊源:哦,这我要记下来。

Oh, I must remember that.

韩佳: 我得看看我们接下来要去哪里。

Let me think where we should

go next.

要不然就换乘二号线

How about changing for Second Line

直接去浦东。

directly to Pudong.

王渊源:可是,韩佳,

But, Han Jia,

咱们这么走

if we took this line,

岂不是就看不到南浦大桥了。

we would miss the Nanpu Bridge.

韩佳: 你没说要去看南浦大桥啊。

You didn’t say you wanted to

see the Nanpu Bridge.

王渊源:南浦大桥这么有名,

The Nanpu Bridge is so famous,

当然不能错过了。

certainly we shouldn’t miss it.

韩佳: 渊源刚才说的”错过”呢

Yuanyuan just said “cuoguo”.

就是指耽误、失去的意思。

It means to miss something.

王渊源:”错过”就是指耽误、失去。

“Cuoguo” means to miss,

as in miss an opportunity.

韩佳: 既然你那么想去看南浦大桥,

Since you are so eager to

see the Nanpu Bridge,

要不然我们就换乘四号线,

how about changing for Fourth Line

然后从南浦大桥再去浦东?

and then going to Pudong

from the bridge?

王渊源:这样走不错呀。

It’s not a bad route.

韩佳: 嗯。

Okay.

旁白: 南浦大桥是上海第一座

The Nanpu Bridge was the

first bridge

跨黄浦江的大桥。

built across the Huangpu River.

尽管建造南浦大桥的

Despite technical complexities

技术很复杂,

and difficulties

施工难度也很高,

in construction,

但是只花了三年的时间

the Nanpu Bridge was completed

就建设成功了。

in only three years.

从桥上下来不远,

Not far from the bridge,

就是磁悬浮列车的起点站了。

it’s the terminus of the Maglev

train line.

王渊源:韩佳,你刚才怎么没买票啊?

Han Jia, why didn’t you

buy a ticket?

韩佳: 我有这个呀。

Because I have this.

王渊源:这不是我们在中国银行

Isn’t it the credit card

办过的信用卡吗?

that we got from the Bank

of China?

韩佳: 对啊。

Yes.

这张信用卡呢

This credit card

有一项业务叫磁浮通。

covers the Maglev train service.

一到上海我就把它开通了。

I got the service activated upon

my arrival in Shanghai.

所以直接刷卡就行了。

So all I need to do is

just swipe it.

王渊源:早知道我也开通这项业务了。

If I knew it earlier, I would also

have this service activated.

哇,这还是我第一次坐磁悬浮列车。

Oh, this is the first time I’ve ever

taken a Maglev train.

不知道它开得有多快啊。

I don’t know how fast it

would run.

韩佳: 你看,那上面啊。

Look up there.

就是电子记速牌。

That’s an electronic speedometer.

一会儿,会显示

In a moment, it will show

磁悬浮列车行驶的速度。

the running speed of this

Maglev train.

王渊源:开车了。

The train has started moving.

韩佳: 是啊。你看,数字开始变化了。

Yes. Look, the digits are changing.

王渊源:哇,一百四十,一百四十五,这么快!

Wow, 140, 145, it’s so fast!

韩佳: 你再看看外面。

Look out the window.

王渊源:行驶在高速公路上的车

Even the vehicles running

on the expressway

都显得这么慢啊!

seem to be moving very slowly!

韩佳: 对啊。

Yes.

那是因为磁悬浮列车的速度

That’s because the speed

实在是太快了。

of Maglev trains is very fast.

所以呢,

Therefore,

会让我们产生错觉。

we’re likely to have a

false impression.

你再看看。

Look again.

王渊源:四百三十公里每小时!

430 kilometers per hour!

韩佳: 嗯。不用那么吃惊。

Yeah. You needn’t be so shocked.

这是磁悬浮列车行驶的

This is the highest running speed

最高速度。

of Maglev trains.

王渊源:韩佳刚才说的”吃惊”

Han Jia just said “chi jing”

就是惊讶、受惊的意思。

means to be shocked, amazed

or startled.

韩佳: 嗯,没错儿。

Yes, exactly.

“吃惊”就是指惊讶、受惊的意思。

“Chi jing” means shocked, amazed

or startled.

Cíxuánfú lièchē de sùdu kuài de ràng rén chījīng

磁悬浮 列车 的 速度 快 得 让 人 吃惊。

The Maglev train is amazingly fast.

王渊源:对了,

Oh, yeah,

你说这么重的列车,

it is such a heavy train,

是怎么浮在空中的呢?

how could it float above

the tracks?

韩佳: 哦,这是利用电磁悬浮原理。

Oh, it’s based on the electromagnetic

levitation theory.

车载的电磁铁

The electromagnets of the train

与铺设在轨道上的磁铁

and the magnets on the tracks

产生吸力,

produce magnetism,

使车体脱离轨道悬浮在

which makes the train float

距离轨道一厘米处,

one centimeter

腾空行驶。

above the tracks.

由于列车与轨道不接触,

As the train does not touch

the tracks,

所以行驶速度非常快。

it moves much faster.

从市区到浦东机场,

It takes one hour to reach

the Pudong Airport

坐汽车要用一小时。

from the city area by bus.

乘坐磁悬浮列车只需八分钟。

But its takes only eight minutes to

cover the distance by Maglev train.

渊源,我们的目的地到了。

Yuanyuan, we’ve reached

our destination.

王渊源:浦东机场,果然名不虚传。

The Pudong Airport surely deserves

its reputation.

韩佳: 是啊。浦东机场最大的特点

Yeah. The biggest characteristic

of this airport

就是它的候机楼啊,

is that the airport terminal

外形特别像一只展翅的海鸥。

looks like a spread-winged seagull.

王渊源:今天多亏你了。

I’m lucky to have you with

me today.

我对上海的交通

Now I’ve got some basic understanding

可是有了一个大致的了解。

of Shanghai’s transportation systems.

韩佳: 不用客气。

You’re welcome.

好了,观众朋友们,

Okay, audience friends,

如果您想再回顾一下

if you want to review

今天的路线的话呢,

the route we took today,

就看看我们下面的

please take a look at

the following

赏心悦目。一会儿见。

Feast for the Eyes.

See you later.

赏心悦目:

上海的交通极为现代化

Shanghai’s transport is quite advanced.

城市高速环线方便快捷

The city’s circular highways make transport

往来车辆穿梭不休

convenient and easy.

浦东机场造型优雅

The Pudong Airport boasts a graceful design.

迎接着四面八方的客人

It receives travelers from all walks of life.

还有最为人们称道的磁悬浮列车

The highly acclaimed Maglev trains

以其令人惊叹的速度

with their shocking speed

向世人宣告上海的日新月异

also represent Shanghai’s fast pace

of development.

上海南站造型新颖

The Shanghai South Railway Station

圆形大厅实用而美观

features a beautiful and practical round design.

日益发达的交通

These ever improving transport facilities

将带领上海走向新的明天

will lead Shanghai into an even brighter future.

韩佳: 好了,看完了精彩的

Well, after this wonderful

赏心悦目之后呢,

Feast for the Eyes,

又到了我们的

now it’s time again

有奖问答题时间了。渊源?

for the award-winning question.

Yuanyuan?

王渊源:今天的有奖问答题是。

Here’s today’s award-winning question.

(问题部分略)

韩佳: 嗯,节目的最后呢,

Well, before we wrap up,

还是要提醒您口号不能忘。

we’d still like 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)