毕业论文-试论《边城》中翠翠的纯情(定稿).doc

2014 届 甘肃广播电视大学“人才培养模式改革和开放教育” 汉语言文学 专业（本、专科）毕 业 论 文（设计）论文（设计）题目： 试论边城中翠翠的纯情学生姓名： 学号： 电大分校： 甘肃电大兰州分校 工作站（教学点）： 兰州电大 学生所在单位： 兰州新区山字墩小学 申请学位（是、否）： 是 论文指导教师： 杨进龙 目 录目录 1内容摘要 4 一、仿佛天然至纯的精灵 5二、恰似委婉真实的湖水 6 三、宛若无独有偶的鸳鸯 8四、结语9注释 10参考文献10内容提要： 边城是沈从文最具影响力的作品。“边城最有价值的,是写翠翠作为少女的成长过程,写她怎样长大的”。1而对这个长大过程的叙写,是通过写翠翠情爱的历程来展示的。沈从文以其特有的诗意笔触,捕捉并描摹出了一个山野少女灵动微妙的情思流露,展示了她从少年走向成熟的人生画卷,轻灵而细微,因而翠翠的情爱便成为边城中最迷人的乐章,有着极高的审美价值。已有的研究中,一些文章对此亦有涉及,但往往呈零星状,且淹没在大段的分析之中。翠翠的情爱是边城中最迷人的乐章。在生命的早期,翠翠在大自然的怀抱中自由自在地成长着;在爱情来临时,她自然本真得如山野间的小花;而当爱情遇挫时,她是茫然无措地等待和无可奈何地守望。探析翠翠的成长历程,可以清楚地看到边城少女的成长完全是生命自然自在的成长。鉴于此和对翠翠独特的感情,拟写本文。关键词： 沈从文 翠翠 天然至纯 委婉真实 恬然恬静 试论边城中翠翠的纯情 一、仿佛天然至纯的精灵 翠翠是作品中天然至纯的一个梦幻。在她身上,融注了中国遥远乡村对于情爱、自然、人性及生命最本真的内涵,可以说翠翠就是森林中的一只乖巧的小精灵,她属于自然。她的生命是以一种自然自在的方式呈现出来的。翠翠“仿佛生活在历史、政治、文化、知识、学问之外”。“翠翠的成长是生命的自然成长”。2翠翠生活在“城”里,但是这个“城”有别于寻常意义上的城市,它只是依山傍水自然形成的小镇或大村落,所以称为“边城”再恰当不过。它还没有被现代文明所浸染,山是青山,水是碧水,生活在其间的人们如同流淌的溪水一样安祥、清明,他们与大自然和谐相处。傍城有一小溪缓缓流淌,“宽约二十丈,河床是大片石头做成。静静的河水即或深到一篙不能落底,却依然清澈透明,河中游鱼来去都可以计数”。3青山碧水白塔相映成趣,青山碧水之外还有春天的桃杏花、近水的人家和草长虫鸣鸟叫。还有那溪边芦苇、杨柳,菜园中菜蔬,莫不繁荣滋茂,带着一分野性的生气。草丛里有绿色蚱蜢各处飞着,枝头新蝉鸣叫着,竹篁中有黄鸟与竹雀、杜鹃交递鸣唱着。自然美丽而充满生机。这里有梦有期待,但更多的是顺其自然。在这个美丽、祥和、自然、单纯的环境和氛围中,翠翠自然自在地生活着、成长着。没有受任何“现代文明”污染,更没有接受正规学校教育,是个体的人之初。小时候完全是在爷爷的庇护下成长着;长大了一点,至多是为爷爷和自己做点饭,帮助爷爷撑一下渡船。她的生活有基本的保障。在不舍昼夜的川流上,她和爷爷还有那条颇具灵性的黄狗守着渡船,日复一日地,年复一年地生活着。白塔守护着渡头,守护着翠翠一家,守护着翠翠的梦。这种封闭式的生活与环境似乎把一切“污染”都拒之门外了。“自然既长养她且教育她”,美丽聪慧、天真活泼、从不发愁、从不想到残忍事情,翠翠是大自然的女儿。任由自然天性,翠翠就成长为纯洁无瑕、快乐无忧的大自然的“精灵”。她没有受过任何教育,似乎完全置身于历史、文化之外,但是大自然赋予她的自然生命远比任何文化熏陶出来的生灵更为完美,更为纯洁。她天真、纯洁而又纤弱、孤单,有着令人心动的美丽。她感觉敏锐而又富于联想和想象,在思维方式上重直觉性。“平时在渡船上遇陌生人对她注意时,便把光光的眼睛瞅着那陌生人,做成随时皆可举步逃入深山的神气,但明白了人无机心后,就又从从容容的在水边玩耍了”。4她凭直觉来判断人的善恶,以保护自己。有时川东过来小牛、羊群在此过渡,翠翠必跟着走,送队伍上山,然后“独自低低的学小羊叫着,学母牛叫着”。人与动物亲密共处,灵性相通,神秘互渗。翠翠学小羊、母牛叫是一种纯真情感的自然流露,是人性善良的光辉。翠翠对乘坐渡船的新娘子也发生了兴趣,主动帮助祖父摆弄渡船;并且下了渡船翠翠“必跟着走,站到小山头,目送这些东西走去很远,方回转船上”,“或采一把野花缚在头上,独自装扮新娘子”。少女翠翠的行为,已经表现出女性早期的心理及行为趋向。主人公翠翠是个带着童稚气的纯情少女，她对爱的渴望不是表现为强烈的追求，而是表现为少女特有的朦胧向往，表现为山村少女的害羞矜持，但却又始终不渝，坚贞不屈。翠翠与外祖父老船工相依为命，也传承了热情、勤劳、善良、坚韧的美德。 翠翠的这种纯朴和至真至性正好与当时文明都市的那些时代女性形成了强烈的反差。小说通过翠翠这一形象，渲染了一种强烈的人情美和人性美。潜意识中,翠翠几乎本能地对爱情、婚姻产生向往。她沉默多于言语,而思想的火花却在一举一动中闪耀,可以想得很远很远,也可以什么也不想,完全是大自然赋予她的本能。这是一个自然人的自然表现,以精灵般的原始状态生存和成长着,单纯质朴不急不躁而又著。翠翠不是作为“人”的社会性而有意识地存在,而是作为自然的一部分自为自在地存在,她的生命和湘西构成一个密不可分的和谐整体。二、恰似委婉真实的湖水与城市女人相比,“边城”中的女性,她们最大的长处是活得真实,活得自然自在,体现出一种古朴的原始生命力,她们只是一步一个脚印地向前走。这是一种自然本真的生命状态与本能地改变自己生活命运的生存方式,也是一种蕴存着人性能量与积极意义的世俗人生。翠翠是恬静温柔的，“触目为青山绿水，一对眸子清明为水晶”，人又乖，从不想到残忍的事情，这点在翠翠的爱情中也有很好的表现。翠翠是一个情窦初开、渴望爱情的少女。她不满意爷爷相中的“走车路”的天保，可腼腆的性格、少女的羞涩又让她难以直白对傩送的衷情，她神往为爱情而性格强硬的母亲，幻想着能像她一样出走争取自己的幸福，但善良的心地又使她难以付诸行动。对相依为命的外祖父的无限深沉的依恋使她不能只顾自己的幸福而弃之于不顾。于是，她只能在对美好爱情的期盼与对美好亲情的依恋中“无故寻愁觅恨”。这也是一个聪明伶俐、善解人意、乖巧甚至有点狡黠的女孩子。她正当婚姻，面对爷爷不失时机的委婉引导，她“不能忘记”；面对爷爷旁敲侧击地询问，她会闪烁其辞的表明态度。她会把夜晚听到的为她而唱的爱情，当作梦境讲给爷爷；她会把自己未来幸福的担忧融合在对爷爷的依恋中讲给他听总之，这是一个聪慧温婉、腼腆多情、伶俐乖巧的花季少女，在她身上，对外祖父深沉的依恋和对爱情的真挚期盼，外表的温婉腼腆和内心的炽热乖巧，异乎寻常地融合为一体。翠翠是一个光辉的极富审美意义的少女形象 。翠翠的爱情在很大程度上是自在的而不是自觉的,她对异性的情爱意识是极其朦胧模糊的,既不自主也不自觉。追溯翠翠成长的历程,可以清楚看到这点。翠翠是大自然的精灵,翠翠的爱情也便如同自然万物在春天萌生、觉醒。作品中最著名的第十三节写翠翠情窦初开,写到黄昏的夕阳,热气烘熏的傍晚,叫个不停的杜鹃,草木、泥土、甲虫相混杂的气味,渡口杂乱的声音。在这里没有人为“教唆”,没有文化的影响。只是此时的情感指向尚不明确。换个说法就是,她的情爱历程已经开始,只是不知道爱谁。就是在这种对爱的期待中,傩送走进了她的情感世界。作品很好地表现了翠翠对傩送的爱从下意识的朦胧感受到明确体验的过程。那年,她和爷爷去看赛龙舟,邂逅傩送。傩送的英俊、大度以及一言一行都给少女留下了刻骨铭心的印象,使得她为着“另外一件事,属于不关祖父的,沉默了一个夜晚”,从此翠翠心中便种下了爱情的种子。两年后的端午节翠翠又与爷爷进城看龙船，她人长大了，傩送一直在她心里隐现、鼓荡。在摆渡送傩送时，见傩送正盯着自已看，她“便把脸背过去，不声不响，抿着嘴儿，很自负地拉着那条横缆”，乡村女孩特有的那种腼腆、羞涩、矜持，以及恋爱期女孩的温柔、娇气显现得淋漓尽致。换句话说,就是傩送走进了少女翠翠的心里,她有了情感指向。于是她的内心开始微妙地变化起来。在作品中我们看到“翠翠一天比一天大了,无意中提到什么时会脸红了”,“她欢喜看扑粉满脸的新嫁娘,欢喜说到关于新嫁娘的故事,欢喜把野花戴到头上去,还欢喜听人唱歌。茶峒人的歌声,缠绵处她已领略得出”。5两年过去了,“为了不忘记那件事”,翠翠又和祖父到城边河街去看热闹,但“总不如那个端午节所经过的事情甜美”。她的精神世界丰富细微起来,呈现出少女别有韵致的孤独、羞涩、迷醉。她有时仿佛孤独了一点,爱坐在岩石上,向天上一片云一颗星凝眸。祖父若问:“翠翠,你真在想什么?”她便带着点儿害羞情绪,轻轻地说,“翠翠不想什么”。但在心里却同时又自问:“翠翠,你真在想什么?”同时自己也就在心里答着,“我想的很远很多,可是我不知想些什么”。少女萌动的春心把她的思绪拉得很远很远。翠翠的确在想,但又茫茫然,自己也弄不明白在想些什么,这里把少女的童真、羞涩,及其内心细微的感情变化,十分传神地写出来了。朦胧的爱情已开始萌动,少女翠翠的心事开始复杂。她觉得自己感情上有了一种新的需要,但又不好意思说出来。随着生命的“成熟”,翠翠对爱的渴求也越来越强烈,她那少女的纯情便自然而然地流露了出来,她“看着天上的红云,听着渡口飘来生意人杂乱的声音,心中有些儿薄薄的凄凉”,这种内心的躁动不安,让她感到“这日子成为痛苦的东西了”。6以至在后来再见傩送的时候,她情不自禁地对爷爷说:“那个人很好。”然而随后在看划船时,翠翠无意间听到了别人议论傩送的婚事,一向沉稳的心中便也乱作一团,甚至傩送和她说话也忘了应。这一切的情感,让翠翠的心变得敏感、不定,又带有些许的期待。“心里却当真愿意听一个人来唱歌”,“她似乎为了等着这样的歌声,沉默了许久”。傩送的情歌让翠翠的梦境变得“顶美顶甜”,妈妈凄美的爱情故事更是让她心驰神往。翠翠人生经历中的感情体验、行为心理,真实展示了一个少女微妙的内心世界纯洁而多情,朦胧又热烈,给人以美的感受。当这样的一种“爱”有所待而无所得时,翠翠难免会开始“胡思乱想”:随着夜色的降临,心底里那份焦躁、迷茫便愈加膨胀,自然也就倍觉“悲伤”。“日有所思,夜有所梦”,翠翠的梦是诗意的,“梦中灵魂为一种美妙歌声浮起来了,仿佛轻轻在各处飘着,上了白塔,下了菜园,到了船上,又飞过对悬崖半腰”。翠翠的梦也是真实的,“摘了一大把虎耳草”,欣慰、甜美,全部寄托在了那心形的物象上了一个少女纤尘不染的爱心可捧可掬。这正是青春期少女心理状态的真实写照。翠翠的爱,更多地表现了一种内心深处的“向往”。当她知晓了那缠绕在梦乡里的歌声,就是意中人所唱,欣喜之情立时溢于言表。到了夜晚,她站在“一派清光的露天”中痴痴等待,想象着“对溪若有人唱歌,隔溪应和,实在太美了”。翠翠喜欢听人唱歌,在爱情的成长中,她表现了更大的热情与期盼,对祖父讲到的母亲“性格强硬处”,“使翠翠听了来神往倾心”。母亲的故事成了一个分量沉重的东西,但她“却无从把那东西挪开”。对祖父的试探,翠翠说“有人唱歌我就听下去,他唱多久我也听多久”。对歌是个体生命意志的自由表达,充满了原始生命的狂热追求。翠翠痴迷陶醉在这种歌声里,梦中灵魂被浮起,并于悬崖半腰摘虎耳草,这正是翠翠生命中炽热、强烈、执著的表现。她在想象的情爱中沉醉,流连忘返。此时的翠翠,生命依然呈现出原始本真的状态。三、宛若无独有偶的鸳鸯弗洛姆说:祈求与他人融为一体,这是人身上最有力的冲动、最深沉的激情。是它把人类紧密联系,使家庭、民族、国家得以长存不衰没有爱,人类甚至不可能存在一天。沈从文说:乡下女孩子虽同一般社会疏远,但在感情上,也与城里一些年轻生命相似,全个身心为那点爱情所浸透,见寒作热,忘了一切。况且,傩送是这样一位出色的小伙子,眼眉秀拔出群,人聪明而又富有感情,结实如老虎却又和气亲人,不矫惰,不浮华,不倚势凌人。第一次见到翠翠就倾心于翠翠,他借给老船夫送酒的机会去看翠翠,他邀请翠翠,为了赢得翠翠的爱情,半夜里,他“遵照当地的习惯,很诚实与坦白地为一个初生之犊的黄花女唱歌”。当他面临着渡船和碾房需要做出选择时,他舍弃了碾房,愿为爱情而守一辈子渡船,他对父亲表明自己的态度:“或许我命里只许我撑个渡船”,话语委婉却体现了他爱得明确和坚决。当翠翠得知王乡绅为女儿以一座碾房作陪嫁向二老求亲时,她的胸腔中便充满了一种说不分明的东西。她仿佛觉得自己是在生一个人的气。是的,她正在爱着傩送,开始近乎本能地为要夺走她的爱人的事而烦闷生气了。“新碾房”是傩送和翠翠爱情的阻隔,它的突兀出现使翠翠的命运蒙上了不幸的阴影。翠翠这个乡村女子,对生活的要求本来就不高,只希望“每一只船要有个码头,每一只鸟儿总得有个窝”,她应该把自己交给那个适宜于照顾她的人。但现实对她却是那样冷酷,父母当年为了追求爱情的自由,付出了生命的代价,如今,她似乎又在重演着一场类似的悲剧。令人们欣慰的是翠翠与傩送没有像母亲与军人那样双双殉情而死，傩送也没有放弃这份爱情，“爸爸，你以为这事为你，家中多座碾坊多个人，你可以快活，你就答应了。若果为的是我，我要好好想一想，过些日子再说吧。我尚不知道我应当得座碾坊，还是应当得一只渡船；因为我命里或只许我撑个渡船。”为了爱情，傩送坚决地抵御着物质的诱惑。再看翠翠她远比绝望的母亲更勇敢更坚强，她怀着希望与自己坎坷的命运作持久的抗争。接受种种磨难而等待傩送的归来，勇敢接受不幸命运的挑战。在爱情挫折中翠翠的性格因此展现出了柔中有刚的美。就像盛开在山野间的花,散发着大自然赋予的馨香,自然真切而又震憾人心。翠翠的爱情是属于一见钟情式的,这种一见钟情的背后是那种飘忽难言却又真实可信的自然性情,翠翠与傩送双方从头至尾没有说过几句话,更不必谈心灵的交流,他们的爱情就是建筑在这种自然性情之上,他们无法自觉地面对自己的爱情,而只能任由自然性情的推动。因此“翠翠与傩送的爱情的本质特征不是精神性的,而是自然性的。他们基于自然性情之上的爱指向的不是个性,而是由自然生命在成长过程中渐渐壮大的生理欲望所决定的。正是由于这种自然性的基质,翠翠的爱根本不能把她的生命引向另一个更高的层次”。 翠翠显得比较弱小，反抗的力量还不够，似乎还缺少着对美好爱情的大胆追求。她只有坚贞地等待，勇敢地接受，没能大胆地走出去，但她展现了她自己的“人生形式”，“一种优美，自然，又不悖乎人性的人生形式。”翠翠和这些上层人物相比，是这般的清纯与美丽，天真与善良。同样的,在翠翠、天保、傩送之间发生的凄婉的爱情故事依然散发着执著和自然质朴的神韵。天保喜欢翠翠,便托媒走车路,翠翠喜欢傩送,傩送也暗恋翠翠,不想要碾坊却想娶翠翠。天保知道“走马路”不敌弟弟,主动退出,成全弟弟。这些都是湘西古拙纯朴的风俗民情熏染的自然结果,是遵从古礼的淳厚人性使然。他们彼此按照自己的标准选择了对方,一切都那么自然。在这里,沈从文肯定的是“优美、健康而又不悖乎人性的人生形式”,是以本能欲望为前提的自然淳朴的爱。这种爱是人与自然融合后的生命体现。“美贵自然”,沈从文正是通过三个人之间的爱情故事找回了这份“自然”之美。而翠翠翠翠呢？始终坚贞专一、倔强地在内心中的情丝。傩送远走他乡、爷爷溘然长逝使她在一夜之间长成大人。她痛苦悲伤但没有倒下，她谢绝船总让她住进他家的好意，她像爷爷那样守住摆渡的岗位，苦恋着并等待着傩送的归来，这些充分表现了翠翠性格坚强的一面。谢绝船总的好意，是维护自己人格的尊严，也是对传统婚姻观念进行抗争。准备接受种种磨难而等待傩送归来，是勇敢接受不幸命运的挑战，是对爱情的忠贞。在爱情挫折中翠翠的性格委婉保守中又展现出柔中有刚的美。显然，翠翠形象的塑造流露着理想化的色彩。四、结语翠翠的爱情是一支美丽的恋歌。在爱情中,她表现得自然、纯净、朴素、执著,充满了生命的原始神秘和自由生命的本真追求。然而翠翠爱情在美好的同时却又充满了深深的悲剧性。“在翠翠爱情的悲剧中,最能撼动人心的是翠翠爱情生命自然萌生和对自由生命的本真追求以及这种自然萌生与本真追求被无端的阻隔及被动消解的悲剧性”。她的爱情没有得到完美的宣泄和美丽的释放,是一种毫无感知的、不自觉的自然萌生,是一种刚刚觉醒的爱情,这种出自自由生命本真的美好爱情几乎刚刚才开始,便陷入到一种茫然无措的等待、无可奈何的孤独守望的悲剧之中。正如沈从文所说的爱让人软弱,美让人忧愁。翠翠的爱情悲剧在很大程度上说明,翠翠是自在的而不是自觉的,是被动而不是主动的,是途径迷茫的而不是指向明确的。翠翠烛照着上流社会的腐朽生活，反衬着城里人的“庸俗小气自私市侩”。沈从文也借此揭露都市“现代文明”培育的虚伪、自私、怯懦总之，翠翠是一位清纯可爱的乡村女孩，是美的化身。她的爱情故事是一首凄美的歌，她是作者乡恋情感与怀旧思想孕育起来的一个血肉丰满的人物形象，作者也通过翠翠这一艺术形象表现出了对“现代文明”的无情批判注释：蓝棣之. 现代文学经典:症候式分析.人民文学出版社.2006年7月. 51蓝棣之. 现代文学经典:症候式分析.人民文学出版社.2006年7月. 58吴宏聪.中国现代文学作品选.华东师范大学出版社.109. 吴宏聪.中国现代文学作品选.华东师范大学出版社.110-111吴宏聪.中国现代文学作品选.华东师范大学出版社. 129吴宏聪.中国现代文学作品选.华东师范大学出版社. 151参考文献：1爱的艺术；弗洛姆；广西师范大学出版社； 2002 2翠翠:赤子型自然人的爱与死重读；汪树东； 2006 3汤显祖与唐代文学；原载于华中师大学报；赵山林；1995年7月4湘西少女的爱情天籁之音；教学大参考； 马冰；2006年 5论杜丽娘形象的文化属性与女性属性；固原师专学报；陈晓清；2003年第04期为你提供优秀的毕业论文参考资料，请您删除以下内容，O(_)O谢谢！2 Many people have the same mixed feelings when planning a trip during Golden Week. With heaps of time, the seven-day Chinese为你提供优秀的毕业论文设计参考资料，请您删除一下内容，O(_)O谢谢！National Day holiday could be the best occasion to enjoy a destination. However, it can also be the easiest way to ruin how you feel about a place and you may become more fatigued after the holiday, due to battling the large crowds. During peak season, a dream about a place can turn to nightmare without careful planning, especially if you travel with children and older people. As most Chinese people will take the holiday to visit domestic tourist destinations, crowds and busy traffic are inevitable at most places. Also to be expected are increasing transport and accommodation prices, with the possibility that there will be no rooms available. It is also common that youllwait in the line for one hour to get a ticket, and another two hours at the site, to only see a tiny bit of the place due to the crowds. Last year, 428 million tourists traveled in China over the week-long holiday in October. Traveling during this period is a matter that needs thorough preparation. If you are short on time to plan the upcoming Golden Week it may not be a bad idea to avoid some of the most crowded places for now. There is always a place so fascinating that everyone yearns for. Arxan is a place like this. The beauty of Arxan is everlasting regardless of the changing of four seasons. Bestowed by nature, its spectacular seasonal landscape and mountains are just beyond word. Arxan is a crucial destination for the recommended travelling route, China Inner Mongolia Arxan Hailar Manzhouli. It is also the joint of the four prairies across the Sino-Mongolian border, where people gravitate towards the exotic atmosphere mixed with Chinese, Russian, and Mongolia elements. As a historic site for the Yitian Battle, Arxan still embodies the spirit of Genghis Khan. Walking into Arxan, you will be amazed by a kaleidoscope of gorgeous colors all the year round - the Spring azaleas blooming red in the snow, the Summer sea wavering blue in the breeze, the Autumn leaves painted in yellow covering volcanic traces, and the Winter woods shining white on the vast alpine snowscape. Hinggan League Arxan city is situated in the far eastern area of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Its full name Haren Arxan means hot holy water in the Mongolian language. Arxan is a tourism city in the northern frontier with a blend of large forest, grand prairies, vast snowfield, heaven lake cluster, thermium, as well as volcanic cluster. It is a rare and unique ecotourism base filled with healthy sunshine, clean air and unspoiled green. Nestled close to the countrys largest virgin forest, and known for its spring and ecological environment, Arxan is marveled at by many tourists as the purest land on earth. You cannot miss out the Autumn of Arxan. It is definitely the best with brightly-colored scenery full of emotions. Autumn in the northern part of the country comes earlier than the South. A September rain followed by the footprints of Autumn brings more colors to the once emerald green mountain and blooming grassland. Shutterbugs flock to see for themselves the marvel of splendid colors around the mountains and waters, many of whom have travel a long distance and even camp here only to capture a moment of the nature wonder. The silver birch turns golden, while the larch is still proudly green. You will find yourself drowned in the intoxicating red of the wild fruits as well as the glamour of flowers in full blown. And your heart will be lingering on the woods as its time for the wild fruits to ripe. The picturesque Arxan in Autumn is indeed a fairyland only exists in a dream that satisfies all your fantasies. If itrains heavily on Saturday night, some elderly Chinese will say it is because Zhinu, or the Weaving Maid, is crying on the day she met her husband Niulang, or the Cowherd, on the Milky Way. Most Chinese remember being told this romantic tragedy when they were children on Qixi, or the Seventh Night Festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, which is usually in early August. This year it falls on Saturday, August 2. Folklore Story As the story goes, once there was a cowherd, Niulang, who lived with his elder brother and sister-in-law. But she disliked and abused him, and the boy was forced to leave home with only an old cow for company. The cow, however, was a former god who had violated imperial rules and was sent to earth in bovine form. One day the cow led Niulang to a lake where fairies took a bath on earth. Among them was Zhinu, the most beautiful fairy and a skilled seamstress. The two fell in love at first sight and were soon married. They had a son and daughter and their happy life was held up as an example for hundreds of years in China. Yet in the eyes of the Jade Emperor, the Supreme Deity in Taoism, marriage between a mortal and fairy was strictly forbidden. He ordered the heaven troop to catch Zhinu back. Niulang grew desperate when he discovered Zhinu had been taken back to heaven. Driven by Niulangs misery, the cow told him to turn its hide into a pair of shoes after it died. The magic shoes whisked Niulang, who carried his two children in baskets strung from a shoulder pole, off on a chase after the empress. The pursuit enraged the empress, who took her hairpin and slashed it across the sky creating the Milky Way which separated husband from wife. But all was not lost as magpies, moved by their love and devotion, formed a bridge across the Milky Way to reunite the family. Even the Jade Emperor was touched, and allowed Niulang and Zhinu to meet once a year on the seventh night of the seventh month. This is how Qixi came to be. The festival can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Traditionally, people would look up at the sky and find a bright star in the constellation Aquila as well as the star Vega, which are identified as Niulang and Zhinu. The two stars shine on opposite sides of the Milky Way. Customs In bygone days, Qixi was not only a special day for lovers, but also for girls. It is also known as the Begging for Skills Festival or Daughters Festival. In this day, girls will throw a sewing needle into a bowl full of water on the night of Qixi as a test of embroidery skills. If the needle floats on top of the water instead of sinking, it proves the girl is a skilled embroiders. Single women also pray for finding a good husband in the future. And the newly married women pray to become pregnant quickly. Tradition transformed The love story of Niulang and Zhinu, and the Qixi Festival have been handed down for generations. Yet these ancient traditions and customs are slowly dying out. Many modern Chinese, particularly youngsters, seem to know more about St Valentines Day on February 14, characterized by bouquets of roses, chocolates and romantic candlelight dinners, than they do about their home-grown day for lovers. Even Qixi is nowadays referred to as the Chinese Valentines Day. More and more young Chinese people begin to celebrate this day in a very similar way as that in western countries. Fewer people than ever will gaze at the heavens on Saturday to pick out the two stars shining bright on either side of the Milky Way, that is, if people even know on which day Qixi falls. There are ready reminders dotted about, in the form of big ads saying Sales on Chinese Valentines Day! in shops, hotels and restaurants. But few young women will mark the festival with their boyfriends, or take part in traditional activities to pray for cleverness. A large-scale of exhibition on the Silk Road opened to the public in the National Museum on Thursday. The exhibition displays more than 400 treasures from Shaanxi province, Gansu province and 14 other regions. It is largest scale exhibition that shows the history of the Silk Road in recent years. AsAPECis going on in Beijing, the exhibit aims to show the world this brilliant section of history. The Silk Road is a series of trade and cultural transmission routes that were central to cultural interaction through regions of the Asian continent. It connected the West and East by linking traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, nomads, and urban dwellers from China and India to the Mediterranean Sea during various periods of time. I met my dear hubby in 2009 the second year I was in my school and it was the first year when he came here. We became colleagues. And there was nothing special happening during that year. He was just a kind and humble brother graduated from the same college as me. But we did not know each other till he became my colleague and his office desk was just in front of me. There was only a glass between us. So actually we could see each other when we both look up. But it is not the main reason that really draws us close. How we become close to each other was something seems quite natural. We went out to play badminton with other colleagues and we sometimes chatted for a while. He is a man of few words but somehow sometimes will say something really humorous. Then one day, to my great surprise, I found a pot of beautiful flower on my desk. It was just the flower I had talked about with my colleague the other day, and I thought it was her who put the flower there. But the truth is not. It was the humble guy sitting in front of me. He just simply said ,”well, I caught sight of this flower and thought that its beautiful and you may like it”. I wonder why I was moved because of these simple words and present. Maybe it is the sincerity and the true self that impress me. I thanked him and some colleagues walked past my desk would appreciate the beautiful flower and they noticed that something romance happened there. Then later on, there were some little surprises once in a while. Once, there was something wr