北京故宫博物院英文导游辞

北京故宫博物院英文导游辞Hello,everyone,Wearenowgoingtopayavisittoaplaceofspecialinterest.ThisscenicspotislocatedatthecenterofBeijingandischaracterizedbythousandsofpalatialarchitecturesandpurplewallsaswellasyellowglazedtileroofs-itissimplyaseaofpalaces.Thisistheworld–famouswonder–thePalaceMuseum.ThePalaceMuseumhasservedastheroyalresidenceduringtheMingandQingdynasties.Itwasherethatatotalof24monarchsascendedthethroneandwieldedpowerforsome500years.ThePalaceMuseum,asthemostbeautifulspotofinterestthroughoutBeijing,isuniqueforitslocationtothenorthwestisBeihai(NorthSea)Park,famousforitswhitepagodaandripplinglake;tothewestistheZhongnahai(centralandsouthsea);totheeastliesthetheWangfujingShoppingStreet;andtothenorthidJinshanPark.StandingintheWanchun(EverlastingSpring)PavilionatthetopofJingshan(CharcoalHill)Park,youoverlooktheskylineofthepalaceMuseum.AtthesouthernendofthepalaceisTian`anmen(GateofHeavenlyPeace)andthefamoussquarenamedafterit.ThisisthesymbolofthePeople`sRepublicofChina.Aworld-famoushistoricalsite,thePalaceMuseumisontheWorldHeritageListofUNESCOandisanembodimentoforientalcivilization.ThePalaceMuseumisrectangularinshape,960meterslongfromnorthtosouthand750meterswidefromeasttowest,coveringaspaceof720,000squaremetersofwhich150,000isbuildingarea.Ithas9000-strongroomsinit.Accordingtolegendthereare9999.5room-unitsinall.Thewholecompoundisenclosedbya10-meter-hignwallandisaccessedthroughfourentrances,namely,themeridianGateinthesouth,theGateofMilitaryProwessinthenorth,Donghua(EasternFlowery)Gateinthenorth,Donghua(EasternFlowery)GateintheeastandXihua(WesternFlowery)Gateinthewest.Oneachcornerthereisaturretconsistedof9roofbeams,18pillarsand72ridge.Encirclingthecompoundthereisa3,800-meter-longand52meter-widemoat,makingthePalaceMuseumaself-defensivecity-within-acity.ThePalaceMuseumwasmadeacenterofruleduringtheMingDynastybyZhunDi,ThefourthsonofthefoundingemperorZhuyuanzhang.Thewholecomplexstraddlesonan8-kilometers-longcentralaxisthatstretchesfromYongding(ForeverStable)GateinthesouthtoGulou(DrumTower)inthenorth.Prominencewasgiventotheroyalpowerbyputtingthe“threemainfronthalls”and“threebackhalls”ontheaxiswhilearrangeothersubsidiarystructurearoundthem.TheconstructionofthePalaceMuseuminvolvedmanpowerandresourcesacrossChina.Forexample,thebrickslaidinthehalls,knownas“goldbrick,”underwentcomplex,two–dozenprocesses.Asthefinaltouch,thefiredbricksweredippedinChinesewoodoil.Involvingcomplicatedprocessesandhighcost,thesebrickarecalled“goldenbricks.”ThePalaceMuseumservesasalivingembodimentofgoodtraditionandstylesuniquetoChina`sancientarchitecture.ItreflectstothefulltheingenuityandcreativityoftheChineseworkingpeople.Acarefullypreservedandcompletegroupofroyalresidences,thePalaceMuseumisaprominenthistoricalandtouristsite.WhatwearenowapproachingisthemainentrancetothePalaceMuseum-theMeridianGate,whichischaracterizedbyredwalls,yellowglazed–tileroofsandupturnedeaves.Ontopofthiswalls,yellowglazed-tileroofsandupturnedeaves.Ontopofthismagnificentbuilding,therestandfiveloftyhallswithamainhallinthecenter.Themainhallisroofedbymultipleeavesandcoversaspaceof9room-units.Itisflankedbytwowingsoneachside.Thewingsaresquareinshape,completewithmultipleandfouredgedeavesandpinnacles.Allofthesestructuresareconnectedbyacolonnade.Becausethesehallsresembleasoaringbird,itwasalsoknowaswufenglou(Five-phoenixTower).Insidethemainhallthereisathrone.Drumsandbellswerestoredinthewings.WhenevertheemperorpresidedovergrandceremoniesorobservedritesintheHallofUpremeHarmony,drums,bellsandgongswouldbestrucktomarktheoccasion.Asthelegendgoes,theMeridianGateusedtobeaplacewherecondemnedrankingofficialswouldbeexecuted.Thisnottrue.However,floggingwascarriedoutherebytheMingemperors,Ifacourtierfallsafouloftheemperor,hewouldbestrippedofhiscourtdressandfloggingwithastick.Atonepointthepunishmentbecamesoharshthatatotalof11peoplediedfromfatalwoundonasingleoccasion.Ontheotherhand,thisbuildingwasalsousedtoobserveimportantoccasionslikethetraditionalChineseLanternFestival(15thdayofthefirstlunarmonth).Ontheseoccasions,Chineselanternswouldbehangedandsumptuousbanquetswouldbegiveninhonourofthewholecourtofministersandotherrankingofficials.UponenteringtheMeridianGatewebeganourtourofthePalaceMuseum.TheriverfoowinginfrontofusisknownasJinShuiHe(GoldenWaterRiver)andthefivemarblesbridgesspanningitareknownastheInnerGoldenWaterBridges.Theoninthemiddlewasusedexclusivebytheemperoranditsbanisterswerecarvedwithdragonandphoenixdesigns.Thebridgesflankingtheimperialonewerereservedforprincesandotherroyalmembers.Therestwereusedbypalatines.Asidefromdecoration,thegoldenWaterRiverwasalsodugasprecautionagainstfire.MostofthestructureswithinthepalaceMuseumaremadeofwood.Whatismore,accordingtoancientChinesecosmology,theSouthistheabodeoffire,sothisbrookwasdugonthesoutherntipofthePalace.Inthisway,thePalaceMuseumreflectstraditionalChineseculture.ThisbuildingiscalledtheGateofSupremeHarmony.Intheforegroundstandtwobronzelions.Cananybodytellwhichismaleandwhichisfemale?Theoneontheeastplayingwithaballismale,symbolizingpoweranduniversalunity.Theotheronthewestwithacubcuddlingunderneathitsclawisfemale?Theoneontheeastplayingwithaballismale,symbolizingpoweranduniversalunity.Theotheronthewestwithacubcuddlingunderneathitsclawisfemale,representingprosperitytheendlesssuccession.AlayoutofthePalaceMuseumispostedbytheentrance.Fromit,youcanseethatthePalaceMuseumhastwomainpartstheforecourtandtheinnercourt.Thethreemainhallsconstitutethemainstayoftheforecourt,anditwasherethattheemperorannounceddecisionsandobservedrites.Behindtheforecourtthereistheinnercourt,consistingofmajorhallsandtheImperialGarden.Itwaswheretheemperorattendedstateaffairs,livedandenjoyedhisluxuriouslife.TheexhibitionsystemofthePalaceMuseuminvolveshistoricalcourtrelicsandarticlesofancientartandculture.ThePalaceMuseumhousesnearlyonemillionarticlesofraretreasure,oronesixthofthetotalnumberinallofChina`smuseums.TherearethethreemainhallsofthePalacemuseum,builtonatriplemarbleterrace.SincemostofChina`sarchitectureismadeofwood,thebuildingscannotbetootall.Togaintheheightofthearchitecture,ingeniousancientartisansbuiltthehallonagiganticstoneterrace.Itisalsotothisendthatnotasingleplantwasgrowninthesquare.Onstairwaysoftriplemarbleterracethereare18bronzetripods.Theverandahisflankedbybronzetortoisesandcranes,whichservedassymbolsoflongevity.Ontheeastisasundial,anancienttimepiece.Onthewestthereisagrainmeasuresuggestingthattheemperorwasjustandequitable.Inthefrontandoneachflank,thereisapairofgiltbronzevats(caldrons)moldedduringthereignofEmperorQianlongoftheQingDynasty.Eachoftheseweights2tonsandisfilledwithwaterasaprecautionintheeventofafire.ThestructureintheverymiddleistheHallofSupremeHarmony,alsoknownasthethronehall.Itis64metersinwidthandis38metersfromentrancetorear.Withterraceexclusive,thehallis26.92metersinheightandis35.03metersinall.Coveringandareaof2,377squaremeters,theHallofSupremeHarmonyisChina`slargestexitingwoodenstructure.Thehallissupportedby6thick,roundpillarscarvedinadesignofcoilingdragons.Astheholiestplaceinthehall,theceilingandcoloredpatternsweremadeofthefinestmaterialavailableatthattime.Thethronewasplacedonaterraceandisflankedbystatuesofelephants,Luduan(aunicornwhichcouldtravel18,000kilometersadayandunderstandalllanguages),cranesandincensebarrels.Overthethronethereisthecaisson,orcoveredceiling,whichconsistsofacoilingdragonplayingwithaballinitsmouth.ThisballisknownasXuanyuanMirror,andwassupposedlymadebyaChineseemperorofremotetimestoserveasareminderthattheerulerstofollowwerehishereditaryheirs.Thethroneismadeofnanmuandpaintedingold.Magnificentlybuiltandluxuriouslydecorated,thishalldidnotserveasaplaceinwhichtheemperorattendedtodailyaffairs.Heusedhishallformajoreventssuchashisbirthday,conferraloftitleofempressordispatchofgeneralstowar.BehindtheHallofSupremeHarmony,theresitstheHallofCompleteHarmony.Thisstructureissquareinshape.Eachsideis24.15meters.ThiswastheplacewheretheemperorrelaxedandgreetedhiscourtiersbeforeproceedingtothehallofsupremeHarmonytoobserverites.Thiswasalsotheplacewheretheemperorpreparedprayersorexaminedseedsandsowersbeforeheattendedancestralsacrificesorparticipatedinsnowingceremonies.Agrandceremonywasalsoheldhereonceevery10yearsfortheemperortogenealogizetheroyalblood.Therearetwosedanchairsondisplayinthehall.BehindtheHallofCompleteHarmony,youwillseetheHallofPreservingHarmony,whichwasusedasaplacewhereimperialexaminationswereheld.TheimperialexaminationwasthehignestlevelofcompetingformeritoriousappointmentunderthefeudalsystemdatingbacktotheSuiDynasty.China`slastimperialexaminationwasheldin1904duringthereignofEmperorGuangxuoftheQingDynasty.Totherearofhallthereisamarblerampcarvedwithcloudanddragondesigns,thelargestofitskindinthewholecountry.Itis16.57metersinlength,3.07metersinwidth,1.7metersthickandweighs250tons.ItwasquarriedinFangshanCountyinsuburbanBeijing.TobringthisgiantpieceofstonetoBeijingpeoplepouredwaterontotheroadandappliedrollingblocksduringtheprocess.WearenowstandingbeforethesquareoftheHallofHeavenPurity.Itservedasadivideseparatingtheforecourtfromtheinnercourt.ThisbuildingisknownastheGateofHeavenlyPurity.EmperorQianlongheldcourthere.Proceedingfurthernorth,youcanfindthreemainrearhalls,i.e.thehallofheavenlypurity.theHallofunionandpeaceandpalaceofearthlytranquility.Thehallofheavenlypurityifflankedoneithersidebytwogatesnamedafterthesunandmoon.Insidetheenclosurethereare12palacesandhallssymbolizingconstellations.AlloftheotherbuildingsarecenteredaroundthePalaceofHeavenlyPurity,whichwasmeanttosuggestthatthemonarch`spowerwasendowedbyHeaven.Theempressandconcubineslivedintheinnercourt.Thehallofheavenlypuritywaswheretheemperorlivedandattendedtodailyaffairs.LatertheemperormovedtoliveinthePalaceofMentalcultivation.LookingupyoucanseeaplaquebearingtheChineseinscription“beopenandabove-board,”amanifestotocourtstruggle.Behindtheplaqueastrongboxwasstoredcontainingawillbearingthenameofthewould–beroyalsuccessor.ThisapproachofsecretlyselectingthenextemperorwasadoptedbyEmperorYongzhengoftheQingDynasty.Twocopiesofthewillwereprepared.Onewasstashedbytheemperorinperson,theotherwasplacedinsidethestrongboxbehindtheplaque.Afterthedeathoftheemperor,thetwocopieswouldbecomparedandsuccessorwouldbeannounced.ItwasinthiswaythatEmperorQianglongandothershaveascendedthethrone.BehindtheHallofheavenlypurityyouwillseethehallofunionandpeace,whichisindenticaltothehallofcompleteharmony.Itwastherethattheemperorreceivedcongratulationsandtributesfromimperialofficialsonmajorcalenderoccasions,Atotalof25imperialsealsarestoredthere.Inthehall,youwillseeaplaquewiththehandwritteninscriptionof“wewei,”exhortingTaoistdoctrines.FurthernorthwardisthePalaceofEarthlyTranquillity,whichonceservedasthelivingroomoftheempresses`.Thehallwaslaterconvertedintoasacrificialplace.Throughthewindowpanesontheeasternwallyoucanseetheroyalbeddecoratedwithdragonandphoenixdesigns.Thishallhasalsoservedasthebridalchamberofmonarchs.TheGateofEarthl