新闻中心

中国文化——中英文对照（中）

清明节

The Qingming Festival

每年4月4日、5日或6日是清明节（the Qingming Festival）。清明节后气温升高，雨水增多。清明节既是中国的传统节日，也是最重要的祭祀（commemoration）节日。在这一天，汉族和少数民族都会供奉祖先，为逝去的人扫墓。清明节也是阳光明媚、草木吐绿的时节。自古以来，人们就有清明踏青（Spring outings）的习俗。人们还会在清明节放风筝。这时植树树苗存活率高，之后也长的快，因此清明节也是植树的好时候。

The Qingming Festival falls on April 4, 5, or 6 each year. After the festival, the temperature rises up and rainfall increases. The Qingming festival is not only a traditional festival in China, but also the most important festival of commemoration. Both the Han nationality and minority nationality offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the deceased at this time. The Qingming Festival is a time when the sun shines brightly, the trees and grass become green. Since ancient times, people have followed the custom of Spring outings. People love to fly kits during the Qingming Festival. The Qingming Festival is also a good time to plant trees, for the survival rate of saplings is high and trees grow fast later.

风筝

Kite

风筝是中国传统的民间艺术之一。中国风筝在春秋时期（Spring and Autumn Period）就已出现，距今有两千多年的历史了。最初的风筝常用作军事用途，如测量距离、测试风向和通讯。后来它逐渐与神话故事、花鸟瑞兽、吉祥寓意（auspicious meanings）等结合，从而形成了独具特色的风筝文化。阳光明媚的春日里，人们常常结伴去放风筝。中国风筝也受到世界各国人们的喜爱，很早以前就传到了世界各地。

The kite is one of the Chinese traditional folk arts. The Chinese kite came into being in the Spring and Autumn Period and since then it has had a history of over two thousand years. Kites were used for military purpose initially, like measuring distances, testing wind directions, and communications. Later, it is integrated with fairy tales, luck characters such as flowers, birds and beasts and auspicious meanings and thus a unique kite culture with characteristics has been formed. In sunny spring days, people usually go for company outings to fly kites. The Chinese kite has also been loved by people from all over the world, for it was introduced into the globe a long time ago.

中国结

Chinese Knot

中国结（Chinese knot）是中国古老文明的一个缩影， 是中国特有的民间手工艺术。中国结有着悠久的历史，在明清时期尤为盛行。在现代，它通常被用作室内装饰、亲友间的馈赠礼物及个人的随身饰物。因其外观对称（symmetrical）精致，符合中国传统装饰的习俗和审美观念，故被命名为中国结。在北京申办2008年奥运会的过程中，中国结作为中国传统文化的象征，深受各国朋友的喜爱。

Chinese Knot is a miniature of the ancient Chinese civilization, and it is unique to Chinese traditional manual art. Chinese Knot has a long history, and is especially prevalent in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In modern times, it usually functions as interior decoration, gift among relatives and friends, and personal ornament. It is possessed of delicate and symmetrical appearance and accords with the conventions of Chinese traditional decoration and aesthetics, therefore, it is named Chinese Knot. Chinese Knot, which symbolizes Chinese traditional culture, is well received by people all over the world in the course of the China's bid for hosting the 2008 Olympics.

中国烹饪

Chinese Cuisine

中国烹饪(Chinese cuisine)文化是中国文化中有关烹饪和休闲的重要组成部分。中国悠久的历史、广袤的疆土、好客的习俗孕育了这一独特的艺术。中餐以其"色、香、味、形"俱全而著称。它讲究原料的选配，食物的质地，佐料（seasonings）的调制，切菜的刀功，适时的烹调以及装盘艺术。最负盛名的菜系有南方粤菜，北方鲁菜，东部淮阳菜和西部川菜，以“南淡北咸，东甜西辣”见称。

Chinese cuisine culture is an important part of Chinese culture in the aspect of cooking and leisure. This unique art owes itself to the long history, vast territory and hospitable tradition of China. Chinese food is famous for its perfect combination of "color, aroma, taste and appearance". It gives emphasis to the selection of raw materials, the texture of food, the blending of seasonings, slicing techniques, the perfect timing of cooking and the art of laying out the food on the plate. among the best-known schools of cuisine are the Cantonese cuisine of the south, the Shandong cuisine of the north, the Huai-Yang cuisine of the east and the Sichuan cuisine of the west, noted as "the light flavor of the south, the salty flavor of the north, the sweet flavor of the east and the spicy-hot flavor of the west".

中国丝绸

Chinese Silk

中国式丝绸的故乡。栽桑、养蚕、缫丝、织绸是中国古代人民的伟大发明。商州时期（前1600-前256）丝绸的生产技术就已经发展到相当高的水平。西汉（前206-公元25）时张骞通西域，把中原与波斯湾、地中海紧密联系起来，开辟了中外交流贸易的新纪元。从此中国的丝绸以其卓越的品质、精美的花色和丰富的文化内涵闻名于世，成为中国文化的象征、东方文明的使者。

China is the home of silk. Mulberry planting, sericulture, silk reeling and thickening are all great inventions of the ancient Chinese. As early as the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (1600BC-256BC), the Chinese people's silk-weaving techniques had reached an extremely high level. During the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-25AD), Zhang Qian, an outstanding diplomat, travelled around central Asia and connected China with the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean, opening up a new era of Sino-foreign trade, exchange and communication. From then on, China's silk became well known for its extraordinary quality, exquisite design and color, and abundant cultural connotation. Hitherto, Chinese silk has been accepted as a symbol of Chinese culture and the emissary of oriental civilization.

中国园林

Chinese Classical Garden

中国园林是把人造的山水、植物、建筑等与自然地貌有机结合的环境艺术， 是我国古代建筑艺术的珍宝。其建造原则是“妙极自然，宛自天开”。游赏中国古典园林，能充分领略“假自然之景，创山水真趣”的园林意境。 在世界三大园林体系中，中国园林历史悠久，内涵丰富，被誉为世界造园史上的渊源之一。

The Chinese classical garden is a precious treasure of our ancient Chinese architecture. It is an kind of environment art, which systematically combines artificial mountains and rivers, plants and buildings with the natural landscape. The construction standard of a Chinese classical garden is "artificial as it is, the garden must look ingenious and natural". When you go sightseeing in a Chinese classical garden, you should be able to appreciate its aristic concept which "makes use of the natural landscape to create the real fun of mountains and rivers for viewers." Of the world's three major garden systems, the Chinese classical garden is hailed as one of the origins of the world's garden due to its long history and abundant connotations.

文房四宝

The Four Treasures of the Study

笔墨纸砚是中国古代文人书房当中必备的宝贝，被称为“文房四宝”。用笔墨书写绘画在中国可追溯到五千年前。秦（前221-前206）时已用不同硬度的毛和竹管制笔；汉代（前206-公元220）以人工制墨替代了天然墨；有了纸张以后，简牍锦帛逐失其用；砚台则随笔墨的使用而发展。“文房四宝”到宋朝（960-1279）以后特指湖笔（浙江湖州）、徽墨（安徽徽州）、宣纸（安徽宣州）、端砚（广东肇庆，古称端州）。可以说文房四宝书写了整个中华文明。

The writing brush, ink stick, ink stone, and paper were requisite treasures in the study of the scholars of ancient China, and they are often referred to as the "Four Treasures of the Study". The writing brush and ink stick have been used by the Chinese to write and paint since 5,000 years ago. In the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), people already used feathers of different hardness and bamboo trunks to make brushes. During the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), man-made ink was used instead of natural ink. After paper was invented by the Chinese, bamboo slips, wooden tablets, brocade and silk, which originally functioned as writing surfaces, gradually faded out. The ink stone was first developed with the use of writing brushes and ink. after the Song Dynasty(960AD-1279AD), the "Four Treasures of the Study" particularly referred to hubi, the writing brush produced in Huzhou, Zhejiang province; huimo, the instick produced in Huizhou, Anhui province; xuan paper, a kind of paper produced in Xuanzhou, Anhui province; and duanyan, the ink stone made in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province(Zhaoqing was earlier called Duanzhou). Indeed, the "Four Treasures of the Study" have written the whole Chinese civilization, as it is.

对联

Antithetical Couplets

对联又称楹联或对子，是依中文语言一字一音的特征撰写的一种民族文体。中国对联的哲学渊源及深层名族文化心理，乃是古代中国人把握和认识事物的阴阳二元观念。对联的特征是“对仗”：字数相等，词性相当，平仄相合，内容相关，节奏相应。对联习俗多样，有春联、婚联、寿联、挽联、茶联等。

The antithetical couplet (also called duilian) is also known as yinglian or duizi. An antithetical couplet is a kind of national writing style, which is composed by the skillful manipulation of the characteristic of the Chinese language that one character corresponds with one syllable. The philosophical origin and national cultural psychology of the antithetical couplet are the notion of yin-yang duality, according to which the Chinese recognize and master things. The feature of the antithetical couplet is an "antithesis": equal characters, the same part of speech, the level and oblique fitting with each other, the contents being related, and the rhythms corresponding. There are many types of antithetical couplets, such as Spring Festival couplets, marriage couplets, birthday couplets, elegiac couplets, and antithetical couplets about tea, etc.

中国围棋

Chinese Weiqi

中国古代四大艺术“琴棋书画”的“棋”特指围棋。围棋可谓中国的国棋。古称为奕，别称坐隐，手谈。围棋规则简单而玄妙无穷。棋盘方圆不及二尺，有十九纹棋路，三百六十一枚棋子。表面上对弈双方是黑白棋子的排布，实则是个人心智、胆识、耐力的比拼。围棋象征宇宙天地，包含了象数易理、兵法策略、治国安邦等无穷的哲理，充分体现了中国文化中的智慧与灵性。

The four art forms in ancient China are quqin, chess, penmanship, and painting. And chess particularly refers to Chinese Weiqi. Weiqi could be called the national chess of China. In ancient times, Weiqi was called Yi, with the alternative names Zuoyin and Shoutan. The regulations of Weiqi are both simple and complex at the same time. A full Weiqi set has 361 playing pieces and is plyed on a board with a 19 by 19 grid. The circumference of the board is less than 2/3 metre. Playing Weiqi may look like an arrangement of two sides' black and white pieces. However, it is actually a competition between two players and it tests their wisdom, courage, and patience. Weiqi symbolizes Heaven and Earth. It contains countless philosophical theories, such as the theories embodied in the image-numerology in The Book of Changes, the art of war, and theories on state administration and national security, which embodies the wisdom and the spirit of Chinese culture.

中国京剧

Chinese Beijing Opera

京剧被誉为“东方歌剧”，是地道的中国国粹。它起源于中国多种古老的地方戏剧，特别是南方的"徽班"。到了19世纪末，京剧形成并成为中国最大的戏曲剧种。京剧是综合型表演艺术，集唱（歌唱）、念（念白）、做（表演）、打（武）、舞（舞蹈）为一体，通过程式化的表演手段，叙述故事，刻画人物。角色主要分生（男性）、旦（女性）、净（男性）、丑*男性女性皆有）四大行当。

Praised as "Oriental Opera," Beijing Opera is a genuine national quintessence of China. It originated from many kinds of ancient local operas, especially huiban in southern China. At the end of the 19th Century, Beijing Opera evolved and took shape, becoming the greatest kind of opera in China. Beijing Opera is a blend of performing arts-song, speech, performance, acrobatic fighting and dance. Beijing Opera portrays and narrates the plot and characters through stylized acting. The main types of roles in Beijing Opera are sheng (male), dan (young female), jing (painted face, male) and chou (clown, male or female).

中国道教

Chinese Taoism

道教是中国土生土长的宗教。创始人是春秋（前770-前476）末期的哲学家、思想家老子。道教以老子所著的《道德经》为主要经典。道教主张“重人贵生”，崇尚清净无为、修身养性。“道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。无名天地之始；有名万物之母。故常无，欲以观其妙；常有，欲以观其儌”便是老子的至理名言。

Taoism first originated in China. The founder of Taoism is Laozi, a philosopher and thinker who lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period(770BC-476BC). Tao Te Ching, whose authorship has been attributed to Laozi, is considered to e the main Taoist classic. Taoism advocates the value of a human being's life, recommends the discarding of all desires and worries from one's mind, and encourages the cultivation of moral character and the nourishment of human nature. The following is an example of Laozi's golden sayings:

The way that can be told of is not an unvarying way;

The names that can be named are not unvarying names.

It was from the nameless that Heaven and Earth sprang;

The named is but the mother that rears the ten thousand creatures, each after its kind.

Truly, only he that rids himself forever of desire can see the secret essences;

He that has never rid himself of desire can see only the outcomes.

中国成语

Chinese Idioms

成语是汉语中意义完整地表示一般概念的固定词组或短语。“成语”中的“成”即是约定俗成。成语是比词大而语法功能又相当于词的语言单位。绝大多数的中国成语由四个汉字组成，例如：自强不息、青出于蓝、厚积薄发。成语主要从民间谚语、古代文学作品、诗歌、寓言、典故、名言警句等方面提炼而成，是汉语语言中精炼而又富有生命力的一部分。

Chinese idioms refer to comprehensive and integrated fixed phrases and expressions. Idioms are established and accepted by constant usage and common practice. An idiom is a language unit hta is larger than a word, but has the same grammatical function as a word. Most Chinese idioms consist of four characters. For example, ziqiangbuxi (make unremitting efforts to improve oneself), qingchunyulan(bluer than indigo), and houjibofa (success comes with time and effort). Idioms are extracted from folk proverbs, ancient works of literature, poems, fables, allusions, and well-known sayings. Idioms are a part of the Chinese language that are concise and have great vitality.

（资料来源于网络）