Archive for October, 2008

Learn Chinese Podcast - Happy China 313

Friday, October 31st, 2008
 
 

        (6月24日播出)

  韩佳:他今天怎么穿得那么正式啊?

  Why is he dressed so formally?

  快乐学汉语,轻松又好记。

  Enjoy learning Chinese and

  it is carefree and easy.

  大家好,欢迎来到《快乐中国》。

  Hello, everyone.

  Welcome to Happy China.

  我是快乐的韩佳。

  I am happy Han Jia.

  我们抓紧时间,赶紧开始今天的学习吧。

  Let’s hurry up to learn Chinese.

  大牛:韩佳,等等。我正要跟你说呢。

  Han Jia, wait a moment.

  I’ve got to tell you that

  以后只能是你一个人主持节目了。

  you will have to host the program

  by yourself.

  韩佳:为什么呀?

  Why?

  大牛:昨天听你介绍中银大厦,

  I am deeply attracted by the Bank

  of China Tower

  我就被它深深地吸引。

  after your introduction yesterday.

  所以我打算以后就在那里工作了。

  So I intend to work there in the future.

  韩佳:那我可要祝贺你了,

  Congratulations

  能在那么有特色的大厦里工作。

  on your work in such a characteristic building.

  大牛:谢谢,韩佳。

  Thank you, Han Jia.

  你想不想到我们单位里边去看看?

  Don’t you want to visit at my company.

  韩佳:能去吗?

  Can I?

  大牛:当然可以了。有我在嘛。

  Of course. Just follow me.

  我对里边的设施如数家宝。

  I am very familiar with the

  facilities inside.

  韩佳:说错了吧。是如数家珍。

  You made a mistake. It’s Ru Shu

  Jia Zhen.

  如数家珍就是说

  Ru Shu Jia Zhen means

  像数自己家里的珍宝一样,

  being very familiar with something

  形容对某些事物啊非常熟悉。

  as if enumerating one’s family valuables.

  Rú shǔ jiā zhēn

  如 数 家 珍

  To be very familiar with something

  那大牛,就麻烦你了。

  Daniel, sorry to trouble you.

  大牛:不麻烦,不麻烦。走。

  Not at all. Let’s go.

  韩佳:哎,大牛。这边儿。

  Hey, Daniel. This way.

  大牛:我知道。

  I know.

  韩佳,昨天你给我介绍了

  Han Jia, you introduced some

  不少中银大厦的建筑特色。

  architectural characteristics of the Bank

  of China Tower yesterday.

  到这儿以后我才发现,

  After I came here, I found

  这大厦里面也有很多值得一说的地方。

  many things worth saying.

  韩佳:说来听听。

  Just say it.

  大牛:别看中银大厦的外观特别现代,

  Although the appearance of the Bank

  of China Tower is very modern,

  可里面给人的感觉非常高贵、稳重。

  its interior is dignified and decent.

  韩佳:是啊,楼里的建筑用材啊

  Yes, building materials inside

  一看就知道非常讲究。

  are very daintily selected.

  还有这些装饰品也显得很有品位。

  These decorations are also tasteful.

  大牛:让你说着了。我先带你到十四楼看看。

  You are right. I’ll take you to the

  14th floor first.

  那里有一幅装饰用的山水画,

  I’m sure you will like the landscape

  你肯定喜欢。

  painting there.

  韩佳:好啊。

  Good.

  大牛:好,我们坐电梯上去。

  Well, let’s take the elevator.

  你看!就是这幅《昆仑颂》。

  Look! This is Hymn of Kunlun Mountains.

  画的是中国青海的昆仑山。

  It’s a painting of Kunlun Mountains

  in China’s Qinghai Province.

  韩佳:真棒。

  Excellent.

  昆仑山自古以来

  The Kunlun Mountains has always

  been the sacred mountains

  就是中国人心目中的神山。

  in the eyes of the Chinese.

  Kūnlún shān zì gǔ yǐlái jiù shì zhōngguórén xīnmù zhōng de shén shān

  昆仑 山 自 古 以来 就 是 中国人 心目 中 的 神 山。

  The Kunlun Mountains have always been

  sacred in the eyes of the Chinese.

  能把巍峨的山脉画得那么传神,真了不起。

  It’s marvelous to paint the majestic

  mountains so vividly.

  哎,这是哪位大家的作品啊?

  Hey, which great master painted it?

  合: 就是那个张…张…张仃。

  Zhang, Zhang, Zhang Ding.

  大牛:对。就是张仃画的。

  Yes. Zhang Ding.

  张仃是谁啊?

  Who is Zhang Ding?

  韩佳:他可是中国当代著名的书画家。

  He is a famous contemporary Chinese

  painter and calligrapher.

  曾经还参与中国国徽的设计呢。

  He participated in the design of

  Chinese national emblem.

  大牛:那可是一位大家。

  A real great master.

  我说怎么这里的员工一提起这幅画

  Now I understand why people here

  都那么自豪呢。

  are so proud of this painting.

  韩佳:大牛,你再看!

  Daniel, look!

  大牛:哎,不对。

  Hey, no.

  咱俩是谁给谁讲?

  Who is the host here?

  跟我来。

  Follow me.

  七十楼到了。

  It’s the 70th floor.

  这顶层可不是一般人能来的地方,

  The top floor is not a place for

  common people,

  都是招待贵宾的。

  but for VIP.

  韩佳:我真是太荣幸了。谢谢你啊,大牛。

  It’s my great honor. Thank you, Daniel.

  大牛:别客气。

  You are welcome.

  怎么说我们以前也是好搭档嘛。

  We were good partners in former days.

  来。

  Come here.

  这边的视野很开阔,

  There is an extensive view.

  能看到维多利亚港两岸的景色。

  You can see scenery along the two

  banks of the Victoria Harbor.

  韩佳:你看!那边那伸到海里去的建筑

  Look! The architecture stretching

  into the sea

  是国际会展中心。

  is the Convention & Exhibition Center.

  还有,你看那边那高楼,是中环广场。

  And that high building is the Central Plaza.

  岸边这些有代表性的建筑啊

  I can tell the names of most buildings

  我基本上都能叫出名字来。

  along the bank.

  Àn biān de jiànzhù wǒ jīběnshang dōu néng jiàochū míngzi lai.

  岸 边 的 建筑 我 基本上 都 能 叫出 名字 来。

  I know the names of most buildings

  along the bank.

  对了,大牛。都转了半天了,

  Oh, Daniel. We have visited so

  many places.

  你什么时候带我们去你办公室看看?

  When will you take us to your office?

  大牛:现在就去。在三楼呢。

  Let’s go now.

  My office is on the 3rd floor.

  合: 走。

  Come on.

  韩佳:这办公室够气派的呀。

  Your office is so luxurious.

  不对呀。

  It’s strange.

  这里好像是银行的营业大厅吧。

  It looks like the business hall of

  the bank.

  大牛:韩佳,这里宽敞吧?

  Han Jia. Is it spacious?

  韩佳:是啊,没有柱子本来就宽敞,

  Yes, it is. It’s spacious without pillars,

  再加上有个十五层楼高的天窗

  and is brighter with

  那就更豁亮了。

  a 15-storey-high skylight.

  大牛:韩佳,豁亮就是宽敞明亮,对吗?

  Han Jia, Huo Liang means both bright

  and spacious, doesn’t it?

  韩佳:没错。豁亮就是指既宽敞又明亮。

  Right. Huo Liang means both bright

  and spacious.

  对了,大牛。你在这里工作,

  Well, Daniel. Since you work here,

  大牛:我给你介绍一下。

  give us an introduction.

  我们中银香港是三家发行货币的银行之一。

  The Bank of China Hong Kong Ltd. is one

  of the three banks that issue money.

  有两百八十多个支行遍布全港。

  We have over 280 branches all over

  Hong Kong.

  韩佳:规模够大的呀。

  Large scale.

  我一直想问你,

  I’d like to ask you

  那你在中银大厦是干什么的呀?

  what your job is in the Bank of

  China Tower.

  大牛:我在这里换换人民币什么的。

  Exchange Renminbi and so on.

  韩佳:给别人?

  for customers?

  大牛:给自己啊。

  For yourself!

  你想啊,我想在这里工作,人家也得要我啊。

  Just think! I want to work here,

  but haven’t asked for permission.

  韩佳:这个大牛。

  Daniel.

  观众朋友们,

  Dear audience,

  今天总算也跟着这个冒牌的员工

  anyway, we have visited the Bank

  of China Tower today

  在中银大厦里转了一转。

  guided by this pretended employee.

  那接下去呢就让我们到赏心悦目中

  Let’s go to today’s Enjoyable Scenery

  再去看看吧。

  to have a look.

  大牛:口号别忘了:

  Don’t forget our motto,

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下。

  learn to speak Chinese and

  make friends everywhere.

  赏心悦目:

  中银大厦是香港标志性建筑之一

  Bank of China Tower is one of the

  landmark buildings in Hong Kong.

  大厦造型独特 设计新颖

  It has characteristic appearance and

  novel design,

  由四个不同高度的三角棱体组成

  consisting of four triangular prisms

  of different height.

  内部装修典雅 很有品位

  Interior decoration is elegant and tasteful,

  含蓄巧妙地体现了现代建筑中的中国传统风格

  which embodies traditional Chinese style

  implicitly and skillfully in modern architecture.

  金色遍染 流光溢彩

  Shining lights and flowing colors

  夜色中更显中银香港的迷人风采

  reveal the elegant demeanor of BOC

  Hong Kong at night.

 (Source: cctv.com)

Chinese Conversation - lesson 246

Friday, October 31st, 2008

大多数专家同意相手术起源于印度,不过也许最容易是和人们熟悉的游牧民族吉普赛人联系在一起。在中世纪,吉普赛人常被欧洲的王国雇来充当间谍。他们利用替大人物看手相的机会来刺探情报。

Most experts agree that palmistry started in India, but perhaps its most common association is with the nomadic people popularly known as Gypsies. During the Middle Ages, they were often employed as spies by various kingdoms in Europe. They would use palm reading sessions with important people as an opportunity to get information.

(Source: wwenglish.com)

Chinese Culture - Erlitou Site

Friday, October 31st, 2008

 

City site of the Late Xia Dynasty

 

Location: Yanshi, Henan Province

 

Period: 1900-1500 BC

 

Excavated from 1959 to the present

 

Significance: The Erlitou Culture is named after the site. It has been preliminarily confirmed as the capital of the Late Xia Dynasty.

 

 Introduction

 

The Erlitou Site is the city ruins of the late Xia Dynasty with an area of about 3 square kilometers. Remains such as palace, residential area, pottery and bronze workshops, and tombs were excavated in the site. Quite a few cultural relics of stone, pottery, jade ware, and bronze were unearthed here, among which the Jue is so far the earliest bronze vessel excavated in China. The Erlitou Culture is named after the site.  

Turquoise-inlaid bronze plaque with animal mask: ornament (left-up, height 14.4 cm); Pottery pot in the shape of duck: water vessel or wine vessel (left-bottom, height 10 cm); Bronze Jue (three-legged vessel with handle and open spout): wine vessel (right-bottom, height 22.5 cm)

 

 Erlitou Culture

 

Erlitou Culture of the central plains of North China was the first state-level society in China, and its remains are taken to be correlates of the Xia Dynasty. Remains of palatial buildings, royal tombs, and paved roads were uncovered, leading to hypotheses that the site represents a Xia capital.

 

The society employed advanced bronze technology. The earliest urbanization in Bronze Age in China emerged during the Erlitou Culture. Some 38 calibrated radiocarbon dates derived from Erlitou Site in Henan indicate that this culture may have flourished during a period between 1900 and 1500 BC. Erlitou is the largest among all its contemporary sites in China, and sites containing the Erlitou material assemblages have been found over a very broad region mainly including Henan, southern Shanxi, Eastern Shaanxi, and Hubei.

 

Erlitou was characterized by a centralized and internally specialized government, indicated by a great concentration of palatial foundations and various craft workshops in an urban center (Erlitou), and rapid cultural expansion over a large region.

Some people may argue that some of these characteristics can be observed in the Longshan Culture. But they did not occur altogether. Erlitou manifested a qualitative social change from the Longshan Culture, while the Erligang Culture represented a quantitative change from the Erlitou.

Source: chinaculture.org