中国文化英语教程Unit11

中国文化英语教程Unit11

Unit11TheForbiddenCity:GloriousandAwe-inspiringLead-inTextstudyExercisesContentLead-inClickthepicturetowatchavideoclipaboutarchitecturalfeaturesoftheForbiddenCity.IntroductionConcealedContoursofaDragonTheColorsoftheForbiddenCityTextstudyIntroductionTheForbiddenCitywastheChineseimperialpalacefromtheMingDynastytotheendoftheQingDynasty,where24emperorsruledChinafromthe15thcenturytotheearly20thcentury.ItislocatedinthecentreofBeijing,China,andrenamedasthePalaceMuseumaftertherevolutionof1911.AdditionalInfoIntroduction俯视紫禁城Abird’s-eyeviewoftheForbiddenCityIntroductionBuiltin1406to1420,thecomplexconsistsof980buildingsandcovers720,000squaremeters.ItisthemostsplendidpalacecomplexinBeijingandoneofthebestpreservedofitskindintheworld.AdditionalInfoIntroductionItsawe-inspiringarchitectureandhugevarietyofcollectionsstandaslivingevidencetotherichhistoricalessenceofChina.TheForbiddenCitywasdeclaredaWorldHeritageSitein1987,andislistedbyUNESCOasthelargestcollectionofpreservedancientwoodenstructuresintheworld.AdditionalInfoConcealedContoursofaDragonEmperorYongledecidedtomakeBeijinghiscapital.Healsodecidedtofollowthedesignofthecentralaxis(中轴线)ofDadu-thenameforBeijingwhenitservedasthecapitaloftheYuanDynasty(1206-1368).TheMingemperorhadalsocommissionedalarge-scaleredesignoftheoverallstructureofhisnewcapital.ConcealedContoursofaDragonTheMingcapitalwasbuiltalonganeight-kilometer-longaxisrunningsouthtonorth.Buildingsandlandscapeswerelaidoutoneithersideoftheaxis.Theoveralldesignfeaturedsymmetry

(对称)

betweenleftandright,alongtheaxis,givingthecityauniquesublime(宏伟的)

order.ConcealedContoursofaDragonAbird’s-eyeviewofthecentralaxisdesignConcealedContoursofaDragonTheaxisstartsfromtheGateofEternalStability(永定门)inthesouth.OntheeastsideoftheaxisstandstheTempleofHeaven(天坛).OnthewestistheTemplefortheDivineCultivator(先农坛),thetwobeinginapproximatesymmetry.ConcealedContoursofaDragonOriginally,astraightboulevard

(大街)

ledtothegrandFrontGate(前门)(markedwithyellowcircleinthepicture).FurthernorthstoodtheChinaGate(中华门),whichwasdemolishedin1959tomakewayforTian’anmenSquare)(markedwithbluecircleinthepicture).ConcealedContoursofaDragonConcealedContoursofaDragonTheChinaGate(中华门)ConcealedContoursofaDragon正阳门夜景NightviewoftheFrontGateonTian’anmenSquareConcealedContoursofaDragonTotheeastofTian’anmenistheImperialFamilyShrine(太庙),todayknownastheWorkingPeople’sCulturalPalace.TothewestofTian’anmenistheImperialStateShrine(社稷坛),whichhasbecomeSunYat-senParktoday.ConcealedContoursofaDragonThroughtheGateofUprightness(端门)andthentheMeridianGate(午门),thecentralaxispassesintotheForbiddenCity,andextendsallthewaytoitsnortherngate,GateofDivineMight(神武门).TothenorthoftheGateofDivineMightisProspectHill(景山),whichprovidesabackdropfortheForbiddenCity.GateofDivineMight(神武门)ConcealedContoursofaDragonFurthernorthtoProspectHillistheGateofEarthlyPeace(地安门).FromthereastraightboulevardleadstotheDrumTowerandtheBellTower,whichmarkthenorthernendofthecentralaxisofancientBeijing.ConcealedContoursofaDragonTheForbiddenCityissurroundedbya7.9metershighcitywallanda6metersdeepby52meterswidemoat(护城河).Thewallispiercedbyagateoneachside.AdditionalInfoConcealedContoursofaDragonSouth:theMeridianGate(午门).AdditionalInfoConcealedContoursofaDragonNorth:theGateofDivineMight(神武门)AdditionalInfoConcealedContoursofaDragonEast:EastGloriousGate(东华门)West:WestGloriousGate(西华门).AdditionalInfoEastGloriousGateWestGloriousGateConcealedContoursofaDragonTheForbiddenCityconsistsoftheOuterCourt(southernpart)andtheInnerCourt(northernpart).TheOuterCourtiswheretheemperorranstateaffairs.TheInnerCourtiswheretheimperialfamilylived.ConcealedContoursofaDragontheHallofSupremeHarmony(太和殿)theHallofCentralHarmony(中和殿)theHallforPreservingHarmony(保和殿)TheOuterCourtTotheeastofthethreemainhallsistheHallofLiteraryGlory(文华殿).TotheweststandstheHallofMilitaryEminence(武英殿).ConcealedContoursofaDragontheHallofHeavenlyPurity(乾清宫)theHallofUnionandPeace(交泰宫)theHallofEarthlyTranquility(坤宁宫)TheInnerCourtOneithersideofthesehallsaretheEasternSixPalacesandtheWesternSixPalaces,livingquartersfortheimperialconcubines(妾).ConcealedContoursofaDragonThecentralaxisthatrunsfromthesouthtothenorthofBeijingresemblestheundulating(起伏的)contoursofadragon.Thebuildingsalongthecentrallineandoneithersideofitvaryindesignandrhythm.ConcealedContoursofaDragonOftheeight-kilometer-longaxis,thesectionfromtheGateofEternalStabilitytotheFrontGaterepresentsitsgentlebeginnings.ThesectionfromtheFrontGatethroughtheForbiddenCitytoProspectHillisthepeak.ThesectionfromProspectHilltotheDrumandBellTowersconcludesit.TheColorsoftheForbiddenCityYellowandvermilion(朱红色)arethethematiccolorsoftheForbiddenCity.TheColorsoftheForbiddenCityRedhasalwaysbeensymbolicofhappiness.YellowwassymbolicofimperialpowerinancientChina.Beingbrightcolors,theygiveasenseofwarmthandpassion.TheColorsoftheForbiddenCityBesidesyellowandred,othercolorsareusedtoproduceabalancedeffect:Thebeamsundertheeaves(屋檐)areusuallypaintedwithpicturesincoolcolorssuchasblueandwhite.Redpillars,doorsandwindowsusuallystandonawhitestonefloor.TheColorsoftheForbiddenCityWhilebrightyellowandredcolorsgiveprominencetoimperialpower,blue,whiteandsimilarcoolcolorsaddanelementofgracetothebuildings.GoldenWaterBridgestothenorthoftheTian’anmenRostrum内金水桥ExercisesComprehensionCommunicationApplicationComprehensionI.SkimmingandScanningGothroughthepassagequicklyandanswerthefollowingquestionsbriefly.1)HowmanyemperorsascendedthethroneintheForbiddenCity?2)WhichpartofthedesignofDaduisadoptedbyEmperorYongleinthedesignofBeijingCity?TheForbiddenCitywasdewelledby24emperorsofMingandQingdynastiesforabout500years.ThedesignofthecentralaxisofDaduisadoptedinthedesignofBeijingCity.Comprehension3)WhatdesigngivesauniquesublimeordertoBeijingCity?Symmetrybetweenleftandrightalongtheaxislendsordertothecity.4)Whatcanberegardedasthestartingpointoftheaxis?TheTempleofHeavenandtheTemplefortheDivineCultivatorcanberegardedasthestartingpointsoftheaxis.Comprehension5)WhatdidtheWorkingPeople’sCulturalPalaceusetobe?TheWorkingPeople’sCulturalPalaceusedtobetheImperialFamilyShrine.6)WhatbuildingsmarkthenorthernendofthecentralaxisofOldBeijing?TheDrumTowerandtheBellTowermarkthenorthernendofthecentralaxisofOldBeijing.7)WhichbuildingislocatedinthecenteroftheForbiddenCity?TheHallofSupremeHarmonyislocatedinthecenteroftheForbiddenCity.Comprehension8)HowarethethreestagesofamusicalmovementcomparedtotheappreciationofOldBeijing?TheappreciationofOldBeijingiscomparedtothethreestagesofamusicalmovement,withthesectionfromtheGateofEternalStabilitytotheFrontGateasthegentlebeginning,thesectionfromtheFrontGatethroughtheForbiddenCitytoProspectHillasthepeakandthesectionfromProspectHilltotheDrumandBellTowersastheconclusion.Comprehension9)WhatdothethematiccolorsoftheForbiddenCitysymbolize?YellowwassymbolicofimperialpowerinancientChinaandredofhappiness.10)WhyareothercolorsusedfortheForbiddenCity?OthercolorsareusedtoproduceabalancedeffectontheForbiddenCity.ComprehensionII.CarefulReading1.Readthepassagecarefullyandfillinthefollowingtable.Table1FiguresabouttheForbiddenCityComprehensionKey:Comprehension

Table2ColorsoftheForbiddenCityComprehensionKey:Comprehension2.MatchtheChinesenameswiththeirEnglishtranslations.a．永定门b．前门c．中华门d．端门e．午门f．地安门g．神武门Group1Gates____1)theGateofEternalStability____2)theFrontGate____3)theChinaGate____4)theGateofUprightness____5)theMeridianGate____6)theGateofDivineMight_