中英文对照翻译镇江金山导游词.doc

作业题目：Jinshan Hill 金山 目 录摘要 关键词 Abstract Key words 一、江天禅寺二、夕照阁三、观音阁 四、慈寿塔五、古法海洞六、留云亭七、妙高台八、七峰亭九、白龙洞谢辞参考文献金 山摘要：江苏镇江的金山形胜天然，风景幽绝，包孕着许多风流往事，具有无限的魅力，吸引了无数中外骚客和游人，自古为我国优美游览胜地之一。本文重点介绍以下景点：江天禅寺，夕照阁，观音阁，慈寿塔，古法海洞，留云亭，妙高台，七峰亭，白龙洞。关键词：金山，景色，故事Abstract: Jinshan Hill in Jiangsu Province, with its extraordinary natural bueaty and scenery, and numerous ancient stories, is a strong appeal to home and foreign tourists, and has always been a wonderful tourist spot. This passage focuses on the introduction to the following places of interest: Jiangtain Buddhist Temple, Xizhao Pavilion, Guanyin Garre, Cishou Pagoda, The Ancient Cave of Monk Fa Hai, Liuyun Pavilion, Miaogao pavilion, Seven-peak Pavilion, and White Dragon Cave.Key words: Jinshan Hill, scenery, story金山，高44米，绕山一圈520米左右，坐落在城市西北方向大概3千米远的地方。起初，金山是扬子江中的一座小岛，被世人称作“江心的一朵莲花”。随着时间的流逝，扬子江的主干向北流动冲击金山北岸，导致河岸淤塞，所以这座千年古寺在100年前的清朝道光年间开始向江的南岸靠近，就形成了金山。俗话说的好“不游金山，就枉到镇江”。下面是金山的一些主要景点：江天禅寺，夕照阁，观音庙，慈寿塔，法海古洞，留云亭，妙高台，七峰亭，白龙洞和其他一些景点。一、江天禅寺金山经历过了历史性的变化。曾经他被叫做泽心山，浮玉山和龙游山。金山的斜坡在1600多年前的东晋开始修建，在它被破坏之前被叫做泽心山。也曾称作龙游庙，字面意思是指龙游玩过的地方，实际上是因为宋朝的皇帝宋真宗曾经在梦中游玩金山。在清朝，康熙皇帝曾陪伴皇太后前往寺庙参观佛光和祈愿，还赐予一块他亲笔题写的“江天禅寺”的匾额，至今仍然挂在金山寺的大门上。自唐代以后，这座千年古寺就一直被世人称作金山寺了。通常，一般寺庙的大门都是朝南的，但是金山的寺门却是朝西的。根据对历史记录的分析，当时的建筑师是特意那样建造的。在古代，金山屹立在扬子江的中央。游客透过大门望去，就能看到浩瀚的扬子江滚滚而下。此情此景正是“大江东去，群山西来”的诠释。这就是建筑师们匠心独运的地方。穿过天王殿就是大雄宝殿。该殿曾被毁坏然后重新修建了七次。1948年4月6日的那场大火烧毁了300多座大殿包括主殿。新的主殿是在1980年修建的。它是正方形的，25米高，总面积800平方米。大殿兼具中国北方寺庙的雄浑有力，和南方园林的漂亮雅致。二、夕照阁从天王殿向左走几步，我们就到了夕照阁。在夕照阁里放着乾隆皇帝在他的南下巡游时在金山停留时留下的七块御碑。御碑上是对金山风景的评价和如何继承清室传统，统治大清帝国的决心。不止是他的多次南巡，还有一些有趣的小故事。话说乾隆不是太后亲生的，而是由皇太后在名义上把他当做皇太子抚养长大的。另外，在他继位之后，在他几次南巡的时候曾多次游览金山。因此在民间流传着一些关于雍正皇帝偷龙换凤得乾隆的传说。其中有个传说是这样的：雍正一直膝下无子，直到他50岁时皇后生了位女儿，这让雍正感到相当失望。突然的,他了解到他手下有位姓陈的大臣的妻子在同一天产下男婴。所以他下了道旨意，让姓陈的夫妇把他们的男婴送进宫。过了很长一段时间，宝宝被送回来了，但却成了女孩。由于愤怒和恐惧，陈夫人过世了，那位姓陈的大臣离家去金山做和尚了。雍正驾崩后，乾隆登基。当他听到女仆讲起他的身世，这位新皇帝非常震惊，并发誓说要找到他的生父。当得知他的父亲在金山寺做和尚，他再三的去金山做调查。但是每次都无功而返。当他第六次去金山的时候，得知金山寺总共有544位和尚。因此他定制了544件袈裟然后亲自一个个的赐给他们。但是没有人问方丈这是为什么。方丈说道：“我们这还有一位，只是他头发散乱面容肮脏我没让他来面圣。”一听到这个，乾隆就马上前去查看。他看到一位衣衫褴褛面容憔悴的老和尚坐在蒲垫上。方丈说道：“他叫八叉。他已经在我们寺庙很多年了，但是没人知道他的过往。”乾隆注意到在香蒲跪垫上方挂着双颠倒的鞋子，心中想道这老和尚果真不正常，就没有惩罚他。当他回到皇宫，和女仆说起这件事的时候，女仆震惊了，说道：“把八和叉组合起来就是父，中文意思就是父亲。他的鞋子颠倒的放置，意味着我的儿子已经来了。在江苏镇江的方言中，鞋的发音是孩子的孩。难道不是他在暗示他是你父亲么？”乾隆立马明白了是怎么回事，派出快马去接他的生父，但是那位老和尚却怎么也找不到了。三、观音阁从夕照阁向上走，我们就看到了在南边中央的观音阁。这阁也叫做大士阁。金山的一些珍贵文化遗产在里面，包括周鼎，铜鼎，玉带和金山图，被叫做金山四宝。最吸引人的是苏东坡的玉带，同时也是一件国家级的宝物。玉带大约两寸宽两尺长，上面镶嵌着24片米白色的玉片。在清朝初始，四片玉片曾被大火毁坏。当乾隆巡游金山的时候，他要求工匠提供那失去的四片玉片。皇命不可违，但是那后镶嵌上去的四片玉片的颜色同之前的是不一样的。为什么苏东坡的玉带会在这里呢？根据史料记载，这位有名的诗人总共游玩金山十一次，和金山寺的主持佛印相知甚深。他在这留下了许多佳话故事。有次苏东坡在去杭州的路上经过金山寺。有一天，当苏东坡来拜访佛印的时候，他正准备给为众僧说法。佛印看到他的好朋友来了，就打趣道：“这位大人从哪来啊?你看，此间无坐处。”苏东坡若无其事的说道：“那就暂借佛印四大(肢)用禅床作座。”佛印笑着说道：“山僧有一问，学士道得，便传坐；道不得，即输玉带。”苏东坡自恃才气横溢，欣然答应：“那就这么说定了。”然后解下他的玉带放在茶桌上。边笑边用手指敲打着珠子。佛印不慌不忙的问道：“既然四大皆空，五蕴非有，居士向哪里坐？”这次这位大诗人不得其解。佛印见此，提高嗓门说道：“把你的玉带留在这里永远的帮我们看守寺门吧。”一位小和尚听从他的指示把玉带拿走了。然后，佛印拿了件袈裟走向东坡，说道：“留您宝贵的玉带在我们寺中看守寺门是我们极大的荣幸。我希望你开心地接受这件袈裟。”东坡拱手赞许地说了声谢谢。四、慈寿塔慈寿塔也叫做金山塔，坐落在金山的西北峰，塔高36米，始建于距今1400年前的齐梁时期的南朝。现在的。这座是在1980年重建的。它精致美丽，高大笔直，坐落在金山山顶与其相协调。尽管金山高44米，加上36米高的慈寿塔，几乎要触碰到天空了，整个金山看起来是那么的高大壮丽。“寺裹山”的杰出的建筑手法和用一塔增加山的高度充分体现了我过古代建筑师在园林设计上的高超的技巧和才华。现今的七层八角塔是砖木建筑。每层都有走廊和栏杆，四个方向通风都很良好，四面八方都能看到景点，保证你能在每层都看到不一样的美景。宋朝著名的作家王安石曾写诗这样形容美景“数重楼枕层层石，四壁窗开面面风。忽见鸟儿平地飞，始惊身在半空中。”慈寿塔塔外的花墙上刻着四个字“天地同庚”，据说是清光绪年间淮安的八岁儿童李远安写的。那为什么这小孩写的字会出现在这座塔的花墙上呢？在民间流传着这样一个故事：当慈禧太后庆祝她60寿诞时，全国各地的政府官员都带着厚礼前去祝贺。两江总督刘一坤得知金山寺的主持重建了慈寿塔。他想道：“为什么我不好好利用它呢?”下定决心之后，他就动身去京城了。看到刘一坤什么都没有带，太后就拉长了脸。这位官员跪下说道：“太后，为了庆贺您的寿诞，我特意在江苏镇江，一座在扬子江南边景色优美的城镇，建了一座慈寿塔，祝太后万寿无疆。”听到这个，太后欣喜若狂。突然她问道：“既然你祝我万寿无疆，那么你能告诉我我能活多久呢？”刘一坤被难倒了，吓的发抖。当他左右为难的时候，他八岁的小孩刘远安悄悄的递给他一张纸。他快速的看了一眼，仿佛发现了珍宝一样，迅速地双手提交上去。当看到纸上写的“天地同庚”时，慈禧太后一直笑容满面。好好的奖励了他。后来这四个字就刻在慈寿塔上了。五、古法海洞古洞位于慈寿塔西边悬涯的下方。古法海洞又叫裴公洞。在神话故事白蛇传中，法海是一个邪恶的和尚，他阻碍破坏了一对年轻夫妇的美好姻缘，但是在历史上他是一位有道德有见识的和尚。因为他的姓是裴，所以人们又叫他裴和尚。他的父亲裴休是唐代玄宗年间的首相，他深信荣华富贵不如出家好。所以他把他的儿子送去出家。他儿子在江西庐山出家成了和尚，法名法海。他深居深山修行，得道后，为了实践佛道教义，他决定找一间风景如画的古寺与世隔绝。离开庐山后，他坐船来到了这。但是当他准备爬山的时候，他发现这些寺庙很破旧荒凉。调查之后他得知这一切都是一条住在半山腰的白蟒蛇造成的。过去她经常从洞里出来攻击伤害信徒和游客。因此法海做的第一件事就是使用同白蛇斗法。 他发誓要修复这座古寺，他烧坏自己的一只手指来表达他的决心。有一天，当他和和尚们沿河挖掘的时候，黄金出土了。玄宗皇帝把这些黄金奖赏给法海作为修复寺庙的费用，赐名这座山叫金山。现在你们知道了吧，金山就是在那之后得名的。法海死后，他的徒弟们在他的身体涂上金漆放进洞中让人们来参拜表示他们的敬意。当他的身体腐烂之后，他的徒弟们又用石头雕了座法海的雕像。后来一位宋朝的名人张商英来古洞参观时，写了首诗来赞美法海：“半间石室安禅地，盖代功名不易磨。白蟒化龙归海去，岩中留下老头陀。”六、留云亭这石柱亭就是留云亭，或者叫江天一览，又或者叫吞海亭。亭内的石碑是300多年前康熙陪同太后来金山游玩时候留下的。仔细看石碑上的“江天一览”，你就能发现最后一个“览”字要比其他几个字小的多。这里也有一个小传说：当康熙爬到这儿的时候，他看到江天一色。他不由感慨道：“江天一览”，意思是指河水和天空的全景。他迅速写下前三个字，剩下最后一个字比划太多他一时想不起来怎么写。在他为难的时候，他身旁的一位大臣脑子一动，跪在他身前说道：“臣今见驾。”听到前三个字，皇帝立马理解并迅速写下了最后一个“览”字。留心下，这位大臣用拆字法将“览”字拆成三个单个字 “臣”、“今”、“见”来提醒皇帝。因为不是一气呵成，最后一个字看上去就小得多。七、妙高台位于妙高峰半山腰东南角的妙高台，是在宋朝由一位受人尊敬的金山寺和尚佛印建造的。它大概有30米高，也叫做晒经台。有个亭子在这平台上，就成了中秋赏月的最佳去处。因为金山位于河的中央一般很难到达，所以过去时很重要的防御地。梁红玉擂鼓战金山的千古佳话也发生在这里。1130年，南宋名将韩世忠以400水兵将近数万金兵困在金山附近。他的妻子梁红玉只身登上妙高台击鼓鼓舞将士的士气。最后，宋兵大获全胜。八、七峰亭在金山西北方的金鏊岭，妙高台的对面，有座有木头柱子和飞檐的凉亭，它就是七峰亭。但是为什么看不到有山峰呢？这也有流传民间的传说：相传在宋高宗绍兴年间，岳飞在抗击金兵乘胜追击的时候，皇帝赵刚听信奸臣秦桧谗言，发了十二道金牌要岳飞即刻回京临安。当他路过镇江的时候，他专门去金山上香拜访他多年的好朋友，金山寺的主持道月。岳飞向他咨询道：“昨晚我做梦，梦到两只狗抱头交谈，我想知道这个梦是什么意思，此行是凶是吉？”道月一听，两犬对言组成“狱：字，那意味着可能有牢狱之灾！但是道月不能如实相告，只能沉着的以诗相劝，要他行事小心再小心。有首诗是这样的：“风波亭下浪滔滔，千万留心把舵牢！谨备同舟人意歹，将身推落在波涛。”他一回到京师，就被秦桧在风波亭逮捕。就在那一刻他重复道月的那首诗，仰天长叹：“我后悔没有听道月的建议啊。”有人将这件事告诉了秦桧，秦桧非常愤怒立马派何立前往金山逮捕道月。当他到达的时候，道月正在给和尚们讲经。他说道：“我今年49，每天都有麻烦，不是因为我自己，而是因为我多开口。何立从南来，我却向西去。不是佛的力量大，我就被逮捕了。”说完这些他就坐着去世了。何立空手而归，回到临安他向秦桧形容所发生的。秦桧对于这表现的非常震惊。何立继续说道：“在金山的西边有七座小的山峰，风水很好。那就是为什么金山总有一个接一个的德行高的和尚出现，就好像道月一样，有预知能力。”秦桧变得非常生气，说道：“我要把那些山峰夷为平地，这样金山就再也不会出现德行高的和尚出现了。”之后那些山峰就被秦桧夷为平地了。后来，为了保持风水良好，一座七峰高地在原来的地方堆砌起来。但是后来被大火摧毁了。所以后来世人建了今天的七峰亭来纪念岳飞和他的好朋友道月。九、白龙洞在金山山脚的西北部，有一个古洞，上面刻着“白龙古洞”四个字。根据历史记载，曾有白蛇住在洞中。她能放出毒物。没人敢进这个洞。在唐朝有个叫林谈的得道高僧来到金山进入洞中与那白蛇斡旋。因为他法力高深，白蛇就匆忙飞走了。但是在民间流传的另一个神话故事是关于白娘子水漫金山寺的。话说许仙被法海捉去了，他的妻子白蛇，和白蛇的妹妹小青一起坐船来到这请求法海放了他丈夫让他们一家团聚。但是法海却对她置若罔闻。因此白蛇只好用法术来对付他。她请求四海的龙王河虾兵蟹将来帮助她。四海龙王调来海水水漫金山寺。法海脱去他的袈裟把它扔到门外，一道金光闪过，袈裟把四海的海水都吸进去了。白蛇最终失败了只好撤退到杭州西湖等待机会报仇。但是金山北海水淹了，被关在塔里的许仙想见他的妻子。他怀孕的妻子当时在和法海激战。一个看守塔门的小和尚同情他，他把许仙从白龙洞里放走。离开白龙洞后，许仙走了很长很长一段路，终于到达了目的地杭州的断桥与为他翘首多时的妻子及小青相会。这就是断桥相会的故事。各位游客：游罢白龙洞，金山的主要景点都已游览过了。相信金山的一切，定会给大家留下难忘的回忆。致谢词这篇翻译的完成，得益于老师传授的知识，更得益于指导老师从选题的确定、资料的收集、框架的确定、开题报告的准备及论文初稿与定稿中对字句的斟酌倾注的大量心血，在此对指导表示感谢！参考文献1. 佚名.走遍江苏:江苏景点景区导游词精选(Travel Round Jiangsu)Z中国林业出版社。2. 佚名.英汉双解牛津字典Z.牛津大学出版社,第六版,1948-6. 3. 王维镛,袁行榘.新编学生英汉词典Z. 金盾出版社,修订版,1997-12. 4. 爱词霸在线翻译. JINSHAN HILLJinshan Hill, 44 meters above sealevel and 520 meters in girth, lies to the northwest of the city proper and is a 3-kilometer distance from the downtown area. Originally, the hill was an island on the Yangtze River, known as “the lotus flower in the Yangzte River” As time went by, the main trunk of the Yangzte River moved north and the river sand silted up, so the millenium temple began to draw close to the southern bank of the river during the Daoguang regin of the Qing Dyansty more than 100 years ago. It is said that “Not visting Jinshan Hill means not having been to Zhenjiang”. The following are the main scenic spots in Jinshang Hill, Jiangtian Buddhist Temple, Xizhao Pavilion, Guanyin Garret, Cishou Pagoda, the Cave of Monk Fa Hai, Liuyun Pavilion, Miaogao Platform, Seven-peaak Pavilion, the White Dragon Cave and other scenic spots. Jiangtain Buddhist TempleThere have been historical changes of Jinshang Hill. Once it was called Zexin Hill (River Center Hill), hifu Hill, Fuyu Hill (Floating Jade Hill) and Longyou Hill (Dragon Tour Hill). Jinshan Hill on the monuntain slope began its construction more than 1600 years ago in the Eastern Jin Dyansty, and was called Zexin Hill before being destoryed. And it was once bestowed with the title of “Longyou Temple” which literally means a place a dragon has toured, because Emperor SongZengzong in the Song Dyansty had a dream of touring Jinshan Hill. In the Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi accompainied the empress dowager to the temple to watch the Buddhist light and offer a prayer, and bestowed his own handwriting of “Jiantian Buddhist Temple”, which is still hanging on the gate. Since the Tang Dynasty, the millennium ancient temple has generally have been known as Jinshan Temple. Usually the gates of temples open south, while the gate of Jinshang Hill opens west. According to an analysis of historic records, the architects at that time intended to build the gate that way. In ancient times, Jinshan Hill stood in the middle of the Yangtze River. Tourists looked ahead through the gate and saw the mighty river rolling down. The scene suited exactly the meaning of poem-“The Yangtze River flowes to the east while the hills seem to move west”. Thats where are the architects showed their ingenuity. Go from the gate throuhgh the Hall of Heavenly King, its the Grand Buddha Hall. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt 7 times. The big fire of Apr. 6th, 1948 destroyed more than 300 halls and houese including the main hall. The newly-built main hall began construction in 1990. It is square in shape, 25 meters high and covers a total area of 800 square meters. The Grand Hall enjoys the vigorous and maginficent momentum of imperial palaces in Northern China, and the delicate, elegant styles of the southern Chinese gardens as well. Xizhao PavilionStep upward from the left side of the Grang Hall, one reaches the Xizhao Pavilion. Inside the pavilion stand the seven imperial tablets left by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dyansty during his stay in Jinshan Hill when making an inspection tour to the south. The main contents of the inscripitions are about the emperors high appraisal of his ieas on how to inherit the great undertaking of the Qing Reign during his six tours to Jinshan Hil. Emperor Qianlng left here not only many inscriptions, but some interesting legends. Emperor Qianlong was not born by the empress dowagers, but by a minister of honor, and brought up as the crown prince by the empress dowager. In addition, the emperor, after ascending the throne, visited Jinshan Hill many times during his inspection ours to the south. Thus among the people circulate several legends about Emperor ongzhengs obtaining the crown prince by “stealthy substitution”and Qianlongs searching fo his own father in Jinshan Hill. One of the legends is as follows:Emperor Yongzheng had been childless, till in his fifties the empress gave birth to a baby girl, which made the emperor rather depressed. Suddenly he learnt the wife of Prime Minister Chen gave birth to a baby boy just on that day. So he issued an imperial edict, ordering the Chens to take their baby into the imperial palace. After a long time, the baby was returned-a girl. Due to anger and fear of threat, Mrs. Chen passed away immediately and the Prime Minister renounced the family to become a monk in Jinshan Hill. After Emperor Yongzhengs death, Qianlong ascended the throne. When his wet nurse spoke of his life, the new emperor was greatly shocked, and swore to find his own father. Knowning his father had been a monk in Jinshan Hill, he came repeatedlly to the hill for investigations. Every time he returned with no results. When making his sixth tour to the hill, he got the information that there were a total of 544 monks at the temple. Therefore he ordered 544 kasayas to be made and bestowed one on every monk by himself. However, no one asked the Buddhist Abbot why. The abbot replied: “There is still one more, a mad monk with disheveled hair and a dirty face, so we didnt allow him out to greet Your Majesty.” Upon hearing this, the emperor went to check. He saw an old monk, who was sloppily dressed and looking haggard, sitting on a cattail hassock in a small monk room. The abbot said to him: “The religious name of the old monk is Ba Cha. He had been in the temple for many years and no one knows his life experience.” Qianlong noticed a pair of shoes put upside down in front of the cattail hasscok, thought the old monk was really flighty, so he didnt order him punished. After his returning back to the palace, he told the wet nurse about this. Greatly shocked, she said: “Combining Ba with Cha forms Fu -(means fatherin Chinese). And his shoes are put upside down, which means My son has coming. In the Jiansu-Zhenjiang dialects, Xie(shoes) is pronounced Hai (child). Wasnt he hinting you he is your father?” The emperor suddenly realized what had happened, and sent the flying horses right away to pick his father up, but the old monk was nowhere to be found. Guanyin GarreClimb up from Xizhao Pavilion, one can see the Guanyin Garre right in the middle of the south. The garre is also called Dashi Garre. Some precious cultural relics of Jinshan Hill are inside it, among which are Bronze Tripod of the Zhou Dyansty, Brass Drum, Jade Gridle and an Ancient Map of Jinshan Hill, valued as the Four Treasured of Jinshan Hill. The most attractive one is the Jade Girdle of Scholar Su Dongpo, which is also a national treasure. The girdle is some 2 cun wide and 2 chi long, with 24 pieces of cream-colored white jades dotted. And at the beginning of the Qing Dyansty, four white jades were destroyed by fire. When Emperor Qianlong made his inspection tour to Jinshan Hill, he ordered craftsmen to supply the missing four jades, on which the emperors verses were inscribed. However the colors of the four jades are different from those of the original ones. Why Su Dongpos jade Girdle left here? According to historical records, the famous poet visited Jinshan Hill 11 times altogether and had a rather close relationship with Abbot Fo Yin. He left here many much-told tales. Once the scholar passed Jinshan Hill on his way to his post in Hangzhou. One day Abbot Fo Yin was about to expound Buddhist teachings to the monks when Su Dongpo came to visit him. Seeing his good friend come in, the abbot joked: “Where is the academic from? (Su was once a member of the Imperial Academy. ) You see, there is no room for you to sit here.” Dongpo answered casually : “Then temporarily borrow the four elements of monks for rest.” Fo Yin smiled and said :” I have a pun, and if you can answer it , please be seated. If not, just leave your jade girdle here to guard the gate.” Dongpo was confident noting could baffle him. So he nodded: “Thats settled then.” And hi untied his jade girdle and put it on the tea table. Twisting the beads with his fingers and smiling, Abbot Fo Yin asked deliberatly: “Since the sensuous world of monks is illusory, where can you find a place to sit?” This time the famous poet was really stumped and unble to utter a word. Seeing this, Fo Yin raised his voice and said:”Take your jade girdle to guard the temple gate forever.” A young monk obeyed his order and took the girdle away. Then the abbot took a kasaya and walked to Dongpo, saying: “Its our greatest honor to have the precious girdle guard the gate. And I hope you will kindly accept the kasaya.” Su Dongpo thanked the abbot with a cupped-hand salute. Cishou PagodaCishou Pagoda is also called Jinshan Pagoda. Situated on the northwest peak of the hill, the pagoda is 36 meters high, and was built during the Qi-Liang periods of the Southern Dynasties more than 1400 years ago. The present one was rebuilt during in 1980. Exquisite, beautiful, tall and straight, it stands on the top of the hill and harmonizes with the hill. Although Jinshan Hill is 44 meters high, with the 36-meter-high Cishou Pagoda rising atop it and reaching to the sky, the whole hill looks towering and magnificent. The superb architectural techniques of “the temple wraps the hill”and a pagoda rising high atop the hill to heighten it, full embodies the exqueisite garden-designing skills and architectural talents enjoyed by the workers of our country in ancient times. The present-day seven-story octagonal pagoda is a brick-and wood structure. Having corridors and balustrades around each story, well-ventilated in four directions, and sights in all directions, the pagoda enbles you to enjoy a different view on each story. Wang Anshi, the famous writer of Song Dynasty, once wrote a poem to describe this view-“The seven-story pagoda rests on layers of rocks, Wind comes round from all directions when the windows open；See birds flying on the flat grounds, and suddenly you realize you are standing onn half the sky.”On the lattice outside the pagoda are inscribed the four characters of “Tian Di Tong Geng” (Heaven and eart are of the same age), written by Li Yuanan, an eight-year-old boy of Hunan Province during the Guangxu Reign of the Qing Dyansty. Then why did the boy write these characters and why did they appear under the pagoda?Among the people circulates such a story:When Empress dowager Ci Xi celebrated her sixtieth birthday, the officials all over the country came to the capital to congratulate her with gengerous gifts. Liu Kunyi, governor of tow Jiangs-Jiansu and Zhenjiang Provinces, got the news that Master of Law Yin Ru, the Buddhist Abbot of Jinshan Hill, had just rebuilt Cishou Pagoda. So he thought: “Why cant I make full use of it?” After making up his mind, he came to the capital. Seeing Liu Kunyi brought nothing, the empress dowager pulled a long facd, The governor hastened to kneel down and say: “Queen mother, in order to celebrate your birthday, I specially built a pagoda called Cishou in Jinshan Hill, Zhenjiang, a famous scenic spot in the south of the Yangtze River, to wish you longevity.” Hearing this, Ci Xi was wild with joy. suddenly she asked Liu: “Since you wish me a longer life, noe can you tell me how long I will live?” The governor was stumped and trembled with fear. While he was in a dilemma, his eight-year-old boy, called Li Yuanan, quietly handed him a piece of paper. Liu cast a glance at it and as if hed found a priceless treasure, he quickly submitted it with his two hands. Ci Xi was all smiles when she read it, for the note had these four characters” Tian Di Tong Geng”. So the empress dowager genterously rewarded the governor