中国传统文化英语表达法(四级).docx

中国传统节日Traditional Chinese Festivals The Spring Festival 春节The Chinese Spring Festival falls on the very first day of the Chinese Lunar year. The celebration of the Spring Festival, otherwise known as the Chinese New Year, starts from the first day of the first lunar month and ends on the Lantern Festival, that is, the fifteenth of the month. The Spring Festival to the Chinese is what Christmas to the Westerners (中国人过春节相当于西方人过圣诞节). The Spring Festival Eve 除夕The Spring Festival Eve, or the Chinese New Years Eve, is call the Danian Sanshi （大年三十）in Chinese. It is a time of jubilance, with eyeful of Spring Festival couplets, earful of loud firecrackers, and the kitchen full of yummy stuff cooking on the stove. Wherever they are, people will hurry back home for their family reunion on the eve. The Spring Festival Eve Dinner 年夜饭The Spring Festival Eve Dinner is known as the Dinner of Reunion. On the Eve, children away from home will all come back to enjoy a tableful of delicacies together with their parents. People in the north prefer jiaozi, the southerners like tangyuan, sweet round dumplings to indicate family reunion, and niangao, which means “going higher and higher in the coming year”.Spring Festival Couples 贴春联It has been a tradition for the Chinese to paste Spring Festival couples on the doors during the Festival. Words of auspiciousness are written in the couples, which are called duilian对联, or the Pair Couplets, because the words on both couplets should be equal in number, parallel in form, and attuned in meaning. Sometimes people also paste a hengpi横批, a horizontal scroll bearing an inscription, above the couples. Gift Money 压岁钱On the festive occasion, young children will pay New Year calls on and express their best wishes to their elders who, in return, will offer them yasuiqian 压岁钱, money given to children as a Spring Festival gift. The money is usually wrapped up in red paper a symbol of good fortune. Setting off firecrackers 放鞭炮Part of the Spring Festival celebration is to set off firecracker, which is meant to add joy to the festivity. People wish that, by setting off firecrackers, good luck would come to them in the coming year. Paying New Year Calls 拜年The Spring Festival is also a time to pay festive visits and say good wishes to one another among relatives, friends and neighbors. Visting Temple Fairs赶庙会During the Festival, people visit temple fairs, where an assortment of entertaining performances takes place, including Yandko 秧歌 (a ritual folk dance popular in north China), acrobatics（杂技） and folk art shows. Varieties of snacks and commodity exchanges （商品交易）are also the integral parts of the fair. The Lantern Festival 元宵节The 15th day of the first lunar month is the Chinese Lantern Festival, which coincides with the first full-moon night of the year (这一天正好是新年的第一个月圆之夜). The major activities of the day include watching painted lanterns, solving riddles, setting off fireworks, and eating yuanxiao元宵(sweet dumplings) made of glutinous glu:tins(粘的，胶装的) rice flour （糯米面，糯米粉）.Eating Yuanxiao 吃元宵Eating yuanxiao 元宵on the day of the Lantern Festival symbolizes family reunion and happiness. Yuanxiao are made with glutinous rice flour dough, stuffed with a variety of food such as red bean paste, sesame, mixed nut lets with sugar. Minced meat is another favored flavor (元宵用糯米粉包馅制成，馅儿有豆沙、芝麻、各类果仁加白糖，还有肉糜馅等). In southern China, people also eat tangyuan汤圆(like yuanxiao元宵).Watching Painted Lanterns 赏花灯On the night of the Lantern Festival, lines of painted lanterns are hung around the courtyard and along both sides of the street. The colorful lights against the full moon create quite a visual feast for people to enjoy (人们观灯赏月，其乐融融).Solving Lantern Riddles 猜灯谜Solving riddles written or printed on lanterns is another way of entertaining visitors on the night.The Dragon Boat Festival 端午节The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The story goes that the day is kept in memory of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan 屈原who died more than 2000 years ago. Its also a day to pray for agricultural harvests as well as to drive pestilences pestilns away (同时也是人们祈求农业丰收，驱除瘟疫的节日).Qu Yuan (339BC? 278BC?) 屈原Qu Yuan 屈原, a patriotic poet of the Chu State 楚国in ancient China, is greatly respected by people of all times, for both his fine poetry and noble character. It was on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in the year 278 BC after the falling of the Chu State （楚国） that Qu Yuan （屈原）gave his life to his beloved motherland by drowning himself in the river (因楚国国都失陷，屈原悲愤地投江而死).Dragon Boat Racing 赛龙舟The dragon boat is made of wood, with mythical dragon head and dragon tail decorations on it. Dragon boat racing originally showed peoples wish to rescue Qu Yuan（屈原）from drowning, and gradually became a popular competitive mass sport (赛龙舟最初是表达屈原投江后，人们寻救他的迫切心情，后来逐渐成为端午节流行的一项民间体育竞技活动).Eating Zongzi 吃粽子Legend has it that in order to keep the fish away from eating Qu Yuans body, people would throw rice wrapped in bamboo or reed ri:d（芦苇） leaves into the water to feed the fish. Thats how the tradition of eating zongzi 粽子(rice dumplings wrapped in leaves) around the Dragon Boat Festival started. A zongzi （粽子）is usually made in the shape of a triangular or square lump (粽子外形为三角形或四角形), wrapped in large bamboo leaves. The ingredients are mostly glutinous rice, beans, Chinese dates, or pork.Hanging Moxa 挂艾蒿Moxa leaves are hung in front of every household during the Dragon Boat Festival in order to expelkspl（驱逐） evil spirits and to relieve peoples internal heat or fever (驱邪解毒). The sweet scent of the herb, however, can also repel flies and mosquitoes, and purify the air around the house. The Moon Festival 中秋节The Moon Festival or the Mid-autumn Festival falls on the 15th of the eighth month of the Chinese Lunar year. It is also called the Festival of Family Reunion 团圆节, as the full moon around that time very well symbolizes harvests and reunion. It is a time for family members to get together and savourseiv尽情享受moon cakes as they admire the full moon.The Moon Cake 月饼The Cake of Reunion 团圆饼 is another name for the moon cakes. Made by wheat flour dough and stuffed with a wide variety, sweet or salty, moon cakes are both the must-eat food and major gift items around the Moon Festival (月饼是中秋节人们互赠的主要礼品，也是节日的重要食品).The Double Ninth Festival 重阳节Chongyang 重阳 the Double Ninth Festival, also known as the Senior Citizens Day 老人节, is on the ninth of the ninth lunar month. As “nine” is regarded as a number of the Yang (positive or masculine by nature in Chinese philosophy), two “nines” together makes a Chongyang, or Double Yang (中国古人把九称为阳数，阳在中国哲学中属阳性，代表男性阳刚特质，所以九月九叫做重阳). On this day, people will go climbing mountains, drinking, and admiring chrysanthemum krisnmm 菊花 flowers. More importantly, its a time for children to show some tender loving care to the seniors or to show filial fll piety pat for their parents. （filial piety 孝顺，孝心）Climbing the Heights to Keep Away Troubles 登高避灾The Double Ninth Festival is in autumn, when married women are supposed to observe the ritual of visiting their parents and taking them to do some mountain-climbing, so that they could enjoy the seasonal beauty together.Appreciating the Chrysanthemums 赏菊The chrysanthemums are in full blossom at this time of the year, and the great variety of the flower has long been the object of admiration for the Chinese (品种繁多的菊花在秋日盛开，观赏菊花是流传已久的节日风俗).Offering Sacrifices to the Goddess of the Sea 祭海神The ninth of the ninth lunar month happens to be the day when Mazu 妈祖, the Goddess of the Sea, ascended to the heaven. Grand ceremonies are held for her on the day in Chinas coastal cities including the Taiwan Region.The God of Longevity lndevti 寿星老 the guardian of long-life长寿的保护神中国服饰Chinese Costumes Silk and the silk road 丝绸与丝绸之路China has a long history of silk-worm-raising and silk-weaving（养蚕和丝织）. Silk products from China were sold in great quantities to countries in the Middle East and Europe over 2000 years ago. The great impact of silk trading left its mark on the route and this route carrying the silk westwards was duly called the Silk Road (由于受丝绸贸易的巨大影响，运送丝绸西行的陆地贸易通道就被称作丝绸之路。). Silk 丝绸The Chinese started raising silk-worms about 5000-6000 years ago, and mastered the technology of silk-weaving. Silk was used not only in making clothes, but also in painting and making craftwork.The Silk Road 丝绸之路The Silk Road, first developed over 2000 years ago, was an ancient continental trade route connecting China with the west. It played an important role in trade, politics and cultural exchange between China and other countries in Asia and Europe.The Maritime Silk Road 海上丝绸之路Prior to the Silk Road on land, China had opened a maritime mrtam（a. 海的） passage leading to such regions as Korea, Japan and South East Asia. After the 13th century, the oceanic uinik(a.海洋的) route further extended its way to European and African countries. This route was what people later called the Maritime Road.Chinas export through the Maritime Silk Road were mostly silk, porcelain, tea and copperware and ironware (铜器和铁器), while the imports included goods like perfumes (香水), flowers and plants, and rare treasures (奇珍异宝).Cheongsam tsm (Qipao 旗袍)Cheongsam, a typical dress for the Chinese women, has evolved from the long gown worn by the Manchurian mnturin（满洲的；满洲人的）women over 300 years ago. As the Manchurians are always called the Qi People (旗人)，the clothes they wear, therefore, get the name of Qipao, (Pao means the long gown). Up to date, women can still be seen wearing the elegant cheongsam on formal or festival festv()l（节日的，喜庆的；快乐的）occasions.The Making of Cheongsam tsm 旗袍的制作Cheongsam is usually made by hand. The making is s composite procedure, as it should be cut to suit the personality of each individual woman and to give full expression to her figure （讲究个性，量体裁衣）. The buttons of the dress, in particular, are made into a variety of animal and flower figures as ornaments, such as butterflies, the dragon, or the phoenix, to add looks to the dress.Modern Cheongsam 现代旗袍As time changes, adaptations have been made to traditional cheongsam to suit modern women: with sleeves removed, length shortened, and collar cut low, so as to make the woman who wears it look more graceful and sexy. So the cheongsam we now have is as comfortable to wear as it is appealing to look at （现代旗袍在不同季节、场合穿着，更为舒适大方）.Modern Garments 现代服饰Chinese clothes today have become part of the international fashion world, and clothes with a dazzling diversity of brands, designs, styles and fabrics can be seen in shopping centers, department stores, franchised stores, or even fashion malls （各种品牌、不同设计、各种面料的服饰，琳琅满目地陈列在购物中心，百货商店和专卖店franchise frntaz vt. 给以特许/特权）. China is not only a big exporter of clothes and textile products nowadays, but also a great marketplace for clothes of any world brand name in the world.Chinese food中国饮食 Beijing Cuisine and Snacks 北京菜与小吃Beijing, as the nations capital for several dynasties, has a large pool of gourmet foods and first-rate chefs (北京是几朝古都，各地美食风味云集，名厨高手荟萃). Mutual influences between ethnics have built Beijings cuisine a style of its own (各民族饮食风俗在此相互影响，使得北京菜具有了别具一格、自成一体的特色).The Roast Duck 北京烤鸭The Roast Duck, made of tianya 填鸭(the force-fed duck) has enjoyed its fame for over 1000 years. Its delicious, crispy on the outside and tender in the inside (它的特点是皮脆肉嫩、味美醇香). When you eat it, you take some slices of the duck, some cucumber and green union head slices, dip them in sweet source 甜面酱and finally roll them up in a piece of Chunbing 春饼(spring pancake). And then, you can enjoy it. Instant-boiled Mutton 涮羊肉Cut the mutton into thin slices and boil it in the hot pot for a few minutes before you eat it with a dip of a special sauce mix. The dish instant-boiled mutton gets its name for the shortness of its cooking time. Its also called the mutton hot pot 羊肉火锅, for which Beijing s “Donglaishun 东来顺” chain-restaurants连锁店are best-known.Manhan Quanxi 满汉全席Xi 席is the name the Chinese given to a formal banquet, while Manhan Quanxi is such a banquet that bears the characteristics of both Manchurian（满族）and Han cuisines. It covers more than 190 courses of delicacies and 120 snakes, divided into six rounds（六轮）in three days to finish. The eating is usually accompanied by classical Chinese music played by masterly musicians (用餐环境优雅，席间还有名师古乐伴奏).Beijing Snakes 北京小吃Snakes are small refreshments for breakfast, night snakes, and cakes and sweetmeats (茶食). Therere over 300 kinds of snakes in Beijing, covering flavors of Han nationality, Hui nationality and the royalty (北京小吃众多，包括汉民风味小吃、回民风味小吃和宫廷风味小吃，共300多种).Cantonese Cuisine and Snakes广东菜与小吃The Cantonese cuisine, simply called the Yue 粤(the simplified name for Canton) cuisine, consists of Guangzhou 广州, Chaozhou 潮州, and Dongjiang 东江flavors, but mainly of Guangzhou flavor. The Yue cuisine lays stress on keeping the original flavor of the material, and is known for its fresh taste and tenderness (粤菜烹调时，注重保持主料原有的鲜味，以鲜嫩爽滑而闻名). Roast Suckling Pigs 烤乳猪, White Cooked Chicken 白斩鸡, and White Boiled Shrimps 白灼虾 are among the best known dishes. Seafood Dishes 海鲜菜The seafood dishes cover a variety of sea fish and shellfish. The freshness and light taste of the fish are very important to the restaurant goers. So it is a common practice for the customers to take the desired fish right from the restaurant tank, which will be cooked instantly (所以，一般即买即烹，顾客可以在餐馆内的海鲜池中选择自己喜好的海产品，当场交给厨师制作). They are steamed in clear soup (清蒸), or scalded in boiling water (焯烫), and eaten with proper seasonings（调味品）.Cantonese Snakes 广东小吃 The Cantonese snakes are usually sold in sidewalk eateries（itr n. 简便饮食店；小饭馆）. They are also available at teahouses and restaurants, where they serve both morning and night snakes, such as Shrimp Dumplings 虾饺, Changfen 肠粉, Water Chestnut Cakes 马蹄糕, and Chashaobao 叉烧包.Sichuan Cuisine and Snakes 四川菜与小吃Sichuan cuisine, known for its strong and rich flavors spicy, fish-flavored, odd tastes. Famous dishes include Zhangcha Duck 樟茶鸭(duck marinated and cooked in camphor tea, salt and other seasonings), Shuizhu Roupian 水煮肉片, Shuizhu Yu 水煮鱼(the instant cooked spicy pork, fish or beef), Guoba Roupian 锅巴肉片(sizzling pork fillets over rice crust), and Mapo Doufu 麻婆豆腐(prickly spicy bean curd).The Zhangcha Duck 樟茶鸭Ducklings are pickled（腌制的） and then smoked（熏制的）with camphor and tea leaves before getting steamed and fried (以嫩鸭为原料，经腌制后，用香樟树叶、茶叶熏烤，又经蒸、炸等工序制成). The ducks remain whole till they are done, which look golden red and taste tenderly crispy, with unique fragrance.Mapo Doufu 麻婆豆腐The ingredients include bean curd, preserved bean paste, minced beef, chili powder, Chinese prickly ash and other seasonings (以豆腐为原料，配豆瓣酱、牛肉末、干辣椒粉、花椒等调味品). The combination of the richly spicy flavor and the tenderness of bean curd proves to be quite an appetizing combination，and the century-old Mapo Doufu 麻婆豆腐has long been a popular home dish.Chinese Liquor 中国酒As early as over 1300 years ago, Chinas brewing technology（酿造技艺） was already quite advanced. We can see that the majority of the countrys archeological excavations are of drinking utensils (在挖掘出的古代文物中，有不少是饮酒器皿). Since ancient times drinking has been indispensible part of holidays and celebrations in China. Based on the variety of brewing technology and materials used, the Chinese liquor are classified as: yellow wine黄酒, white liquor白酒 (distilled spirit), grape wine, and beer.Yellow Wine 黄酒Yellow wine is made from grain, which is low in alcohol and high in nutrition. It is mainly produced along the downstream of Yangtze River. The better known brands include Zhuangyuanhong 状元红, Hudiao 花雕, all made in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province 浙江绍兴.White Liquor 白酒In making white liquor, either grain or potatoes are used. They are made with the whole process of saccharification, fermentation and distillation (白酒用谷物或薯类经过糖化、发酵、蒸馏而成). As a traditional way of wine making, white liquor is made all over the country, with that from Guizhou 贵州, Sichuan 四川and Shanxi 山西leading the way. Maotai Liquor 茅台酒Maotai liquor, made in Maotai town, Huairen City, Guizhou Province贵州省怀仁市茅台镇, has enjoyed its fame for 280 years. Its a world-famous brand for its clarity and aromatic soft flavor (茅台酒晶莹剔透，口感醇厚柔和，没有烈性刺激感，是享誉国内外的名酒). Chinese Tea 中国茶In China, tea-drinking is part of the Chinese culture: Tea Culture. To drink tea is not only a way of life, it is also a custom (喝茶不仅是人们生活中的一种习惯，也是待客的一种习俗). Teahouses where tea-drinkers could also socialize and entertain themselves are all over the country.Tea-sauteing (炒茶), the important part of tea processing, determines the quality of the product.The Home of Tea 茶叶的故乡Processed tea leaves picked from tea trees become the tea we prepare with water and then drink (茶是一种植物，称茶树，它的芽叶经过加工就成了可供冲泡的茶叶). Originally a product of China, tea was exported to parts of Asia as early as some 1500 years ago, and it arrived in Europe about 400 years ago.Varieties of Tea 茶叶的品种With different ways of processing, tea can be classified into such varieties as green tea 绿茶, black tea 红茶, oolong tea ul乌龙茶, and scented tea 花茶, etc. and under each category, therere different brand names such as the Xihu Longjing 西湖龙井(West Lake Longjing Tea, green tea produced in Hangzhou, Zhejiang 浙江杭州), Biluochun 碧螺春(green tea, produced in Jiangsu Prov.江苏).Tea Ceremony 茶艺In the Chinese tea culture, there are certain rituals and rules to follow, either at the stage of preparing, drinking or treating a guest (沏茶，敬茶，饮茶). Theres also a set of criteria for the quality of water, tea, and tea-making utensils.中国书法绘画 Chinese calligraphy and paintin