英语畅谈中国文化(1)

四级新要求：中国文化段落翻译

模拟翻译实践题集

1. The importance of Chopsticks筷子的重要性

A. 说到中国筷子的起源，有人认为中国是农耕民族，食物以植物为主，用筷子适宜取食。而西方人是游牧民族，以肉食为主，刀叉就来得方便。也有人认为中国是农业社会，工业发展晚，木筷正是这种情形的产物。而西方是工业化社会，金属制品做餐具是必然的。

As to the origin of China’s chopsticks, one theory is that China was an agricultural society and relies on vegetables for food. Chopsticks were very convenient tools for eating. The Westerners, on the other hand, were nomads and lived on meat. The knife and fork were more practical. Others believe that China did not have much industry and therefore, people used chopsticks. The West was an industrial society, so their eating utensils were made of metal. B. 中国文化推崇集体主义，崇尚共有，融合；西方文化崇尚个体。体现在吃饭的方式上就是筷子和刀叉的不同。中国人实行合餐制，用餐的人在用一个盘中取食，用筷子可以限制个别人大量取食。如此一来，既保留了集体主义的形态，个人利益又不会受太大影响。

Chinese culture is developed around collectivism which stresses communion and harmony. Western culture emphasizes individualism. In terms of eating customs, chopsticks and knives and forks are two disparate expressions of this culture difference. The Chinese like to have communal meals where everybody eats out of the same bowl of food. Chopsticks were used in order to discourage people from eating more than others. This was not only a way to preserve collectiveness but also to limit individualism..

C. 很多古代用筷的禁忌沿用至今，成为普遍认可的餐桌礼仪。上菜时要由尊者或长者先食。用餐者要尽量坐得靠前，以免掉落食物弄脏衣服。喝汤不可过快，咀嚼时不可发出声响。忌将筷子竖直插入碗盘中，因为这代表为死人上坟。取食时不要用筷子敲打盘碗，或游离于盘碗之间，或把不喜欢的食物再放回去。Many ancient chopstick taboos are valid to this day and accepted as a norm in table etiquette. Each dish served should be commenced by the eldest or respectable person. The diners should sit close to the table so food won’t drop on their clothes. One should drink soup slowly and no noise is supposed when chewing. Don’t place chopsticks vertically into a dish, as this was the way of making sacrifices to the dead. When taking food, diners could not tap dish with chopsticks, or move chopsticks between dishes, or send food back to the communal plate even if they don’t like it.

2.The Elegance of Tea-Drinking 喝茶的格调

A.开门七件事，柴米油盐酱醋茶。饮茶与吃饭的目的大不相同。吃饭是为了果腹，饮茶却能提升精神境界。茶的流传据说与佛教有关。僧侣们喝茶为了提神醒脑。世俗社会模仿这种清净脱俗的举动，所以品茶被看做是清雅之事。在古典小说中，用大杯喝茶解渴被称为“饮”，而雅士用精致的茶具喝茶被称为“品”。Firewood, rice. oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea are the seven daily necessities. The purpose of tea and food is totally different though. People eat to fill their stomach, while tea-drinking can help a person achieve an elevated state of mind. Tea-drinking is said to have originated with the advent of Buddhism. Monks drank tea to keep themselves awake and help their concentration. Ordinary people were tempted by the tranquility of the monasteries and began to imitate the monks. So tea-drinking is considered an elegant pastime. In classical novels, the word used to illustrate tea-drinking from a big cup to quench one’s thirst is “drink”. Scholars would use fine cups to drink tea and the word to use is “savour”.

B. 喝茶是一种很讲究格调的消遣。首先是环境。古人在竹间月下品茶论道。如今格调被商业化了。人们在装修豪华的茶馆谈生意，真是大异其趣。茶不仅有经济功能，还有社会功能。平民百姓常常光顾小茶馆打牌，闲谈。格调当然谈不上，气氛却是轻松随意，多了几份趣味。

Tea drinking is a very sophisticated pastime. It starts with the environment. Ancient scholars enjoyed themselves by savouring tea among bamboos or in the moonlight. It is commercialized now. People talk business in expensively decorated tea houses. Tea, not only serves economical purposes, but also social purposes as well. Ordinary people go to the inexpensive tea houses where they can play games or simply chat with friends. Although such tea houses may not look elegant, they certainly have a relaxed atmosphere and are good fun.

C. 古人用铁壶烧水，用纸袋装茶，用瓷杯或陶器饮茶。茶大概分为这样几种：红茶，绿茶，乌龙茶和普洱茶。人们认为绿茶有延年益寿和抗癌的作用，红茶有暖胃的作用，普洱茶可以减肥和降血压。茶搭配奶和糖的饮用方式，比如台湾芋头味珍珠奶茶，在中国城市的年轻人中很流行。

In the old days, people used iron kettles to boil water, Tea was placed in a paper bag. Porcelain tea sets or Yixing tea pots were used for drinking. Tea has several categories: red tea, green tea, Wulong tea and Pu’er tea. People think green tea is good for longevity, and combating cancer, red tea for keeping the stomach warm and that Pu’er tea can help them lose weight and control their blood pressure. Tea with milk and sugar, like Taiwan milk tea with chewy balls of taro flour, has been popular among young, urban Chinese.

3.Philosophical significance of Chinese medicine中医的哲理内涵

A.中医是不是科学有待论证，但中医有着深厚的哲学内涵却毋庸置疑。中医通常从宏观角度认识问题，强调整体性和辩证施治。中医通过望闻问切来诊病，西医注重症状，如体温和化验结果。中医通过看人的气色，舌质等外部症状来分析脏器病变，并选用天然药物或针灸等疗法，西医多用化学合成药物或手术。Although it is debatable whether Chinese medicine is scientifically sound, you can not deny that it has rich philosophical significance. Usually a Chinese medicine practitioner approaches the illness from a broader perspective, emphasizing its entirety and dialectical implications. A Chinese doctor examines his patient by using methods like observing, smelling, asking and feeling. His western counterpart relies on symptoms like body temperature and lab tests. The Chinese doctor determines the problems of the patient’s internal organs by inference through observing various exterior signs, such as complexion or the tongue. He relies on herbal medicines and acupuncture for treatment, while a western doctor uses chemical-based medicine and surgery.

B. 根据古代理论，身体是个有机的整体。如果一个部位出现问题，整个身体状况都会失去平衡，人就会生病。针对疾病的药物治疗，其目的就是使人体达到平衡。人们相信治疗疾病有三个步骤。第一是药膳，第二是引导，即身体的运动，第三才是药剂。这是在前两种办法都不奏效的情况下才会采用的最终方式。According to ancient theory, the body is an organic whole. If any part of it does not work properly within the overall regime, the body becomes unbalanced and the person falls sick. Medical remedies opposite in nature to the illness being treated should be prescribed in order to return the body to a balanced state. The Chinese believed that treatment of any disease consists of three stages. The first is medical food, the second physical exercises. The third, drugs, were considered a last resort if the first two failed.

C. 医食同源，日常的饮食也有药用价值。饮食有五味：酸苦甜辣咸，也有四种特性：寒热温凉。五味决定着食物或药物对于机体的疗效。比如，辣味可以促进循环，使重要的能量“气”得以发挥。苦味能够通塞，促进肠胃的蠕动。酸性的食物能够积累能量，而咸味的食物能够缓解压力。食物的四种特性通过对相反性态的抑制起到治疗的作用。

Medicine and food share the same origins, which is why an everyday meal can also be of medicinal value. The recommended dietary regime comprises five tastes: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty, and four natures: cold, hot, warm and cool. The five tastes determine how a food or drug affects the organism. For example, pungent food promotes circulation and evaporation of vital energy qi.Bitter tasting food opens blocked centers and promotes healthy bowel movement. Eating sour dishes accumulates and concentrates vital energy, and salty food alleviates all feeling of heaviness. The four natures are effective in treating disease through being opposite in nature to them.

4.Chinese Hospitality 中国人的待客之道

A. 到中国人家里做客总感觉他们招待得很隆重。女儿请客，父亲作为主人，在饭桌上几乎没吃什么，只是隔一会儿就劝酒。母亲一直在厨房里忙着，不加入我们。这是老礼数。小孩子被赶到邻居家，以便客人吃得尽兴。有些人家则逼着孩子给客人唱歌或背诗。上一大桌菜，还说，“没什么东西，凑合着吃吧。”

I always feel spoiled to be a guest in a Chinese household: It is the daughter’s treat. Her father, as a host, did not eat much but was constantly proposing a toast. Her mother was busy cooking in the kitchen without joining us. That was an old tradition. The kids are sent to the neighbors so the guests can have a peaceful meal. Some hosts instead force their children to perform a song or recite a poem. Even though they prepared a sumptuous meal, the hosts would still say, “We don’t have much, so please bear with us.”

B. 这就是中国人的待客之道：把最好的东西拿出来招待客人。西方待客的目的是交流而非表现待客的热情。中国人待人热情的目的通常是为了表现自己懂礼节，而非想使客人满意。主人执意为客人布菜而不管你是否爱吃，因为他至少树立了待客有礼的形象。现在情况不同了。更多人喜欢自在随意而非刻意礼貌。That is Chinese hospitality. People want to bring out their best food to welcome the guests. Westerners want to socialize with the guests rather than simply showing hospitality. Chinese hospitality is meant to show the politeness of the host rather than keeping the guests happy. The host may insist on putting food on your plate, despite the fact that you may not like certain food. At least the host gives the impression that he is very hospitable. Things are different now. More and more people prefer a relaxed atmosphere rather than showing hospitality just for the sake of it.

C. 在餐厅，中国消费者会点一大堆食物。他们贪吃吗？不。这是因为“好面子”的价值观。请客人外出吃饭并不简单地被看做“一起吃顿饭”，而是为了加强友好关系和做生意。一次宴请因此被看做是一项大投资。这种现象背后的原因很简单，主人觉得如果一餐结束时所有的菜被吃光了，客人会以为主人很吝啬。At a restaurant, Chinese customers would order too much food. Are they greedy? No. It is because the Chinese attach a lot value to the concept of “keeping face”. When inviting guests and friends out to dinner, the Chinese do not view it simply as “dining together”, but to strengthen friendly ties and to do business. A big banquet is therefore considered a good investment. The reason behind the phenomenon is simple: the hosts take it for granted that if all the food is gone at the end of the meal, their guests might think they were stingy.

5.A Hectic Holiday 忙碌的长假

A. 中国人每年有2次长假，十一和春节，每次假期7天。但越是长假，人们就越忙碌，特别是交通部门，旅游和服务行业。回家是春节长假的一个任务。每个家庭都想团聚。独生子女们要为去谁的父母家过节发生争执。他们往往达成妥协，在双方家里各呆几天，因此年轻夫妻不得不花很多时间在路上奔波。China has two long holidays, each extending over a week. They are National Day and Spring Festival. But the longer the holidays, the busier the people are, especially those in traffic management, tourism and the service industries. Going home is almost an obligation during Spring Festival. Every family wants to have a reunion. Many young couples who are the only child of their respective families will argue about whose parents they should spend the holiday with. More often than not, they would reach a compromise by spending a few days with each family. In this case, the young couples may have to spend a lot of time on the road.

B. 改革开放使国人有更多可支配收入。国庆人们纷纷出国旅行。不像美国旅客在度假胜地住上几日，中国游客喜欢购物并在旅游景点照相。多数游客并非为自己购物，而是为亲戚，家人和同事买纪念品。中国游客喜欢与朋友分享海外旅游的喜悦。拍照也是同样道理，照片是向人们炫耀自己去过很多地方的依据。Thanks to economic reforms, Chinese people have more disposable income now. They like to go sightseeing overseas on National Holidays. Unlike the American tourists who usually spend their holidays at a resort for days on end, Chinese tourist prefer shopping and taking pictures of the well-known scenic spots. Many people buy right souvenirs at affordable prices for relatives,, family members and colleagues rather than shopping for themselves. Chinese people like to share the joy of overseas travel with friends. The same is true with taking pictures. Photographs are proof to show others that they have been to may places.

C. 有人说中国人工作时像玩，玩时像工作。黄金周期间基本上还是这种情况。许多人仍然不知道如何休假。忙里偷闲的意思是，休闲是偷来的，而不是应该的。飞速发展的经济引发了中国的旅游热潮。中国团队游的激增，成为旅游区重要的收入来源，同时也造成了对国人的微词：喧哗，无礼，对当地文化无知。Some critics say that, many people who were at work acted as if they were on a holiday, and for those who were on a holiday, they acted as if they were at work. This is still more or less the case during the golden week holidays. Many people

still do not know how to spend a holiday. Chinese people like to “steal” some leisure out of a busy schedule which makes it sound like leisure is not something people deserve. China’s rapid economic growth has fostered a tourist boom. The surge in package tour groups from China, an important source of income for the tourism region, is also giving rise to an unflattering stereotype: the loud, rude and culturally naive Chinese tourist.

6.The Significance of Chinese Paintings 国画的含意

A. 中国人绘画用毛笔蘸墨汁或颜色，灵巧地挥洒纸上。画家用深浅浓淡的点和线构图。与水墨画相比，源于宫廷的工笔重彩的特点是细腻的画法，对细节的描绘以及丰富的色彩。中国画题材大致相同：牡丹、梅花、山水、林中小屋等。画家为自娱自乐、修身养性而画。现场作画大概是他们艺术价值的最高体现了。The Chinese do painting with brushes, dipping their brushes in ink or paint, and then skillfully wielding them. Painters produce pictures on the paper with lines and dots-- some heavy, and some light, and some deep, and some pale. In comparison to ink and wash painting, fine brushwork, minute attention to details and rich elaborate coloring characterize meticulous heavy color paintings that originated from palace paintings. Chinese paintings have similar subjects: peony, plum blossoms, mountains, creeks or cottages. The objective of most painters is purely entertainment and self-cultivation. To exhibit their paintings at public functions is probably the climax of their painting careers.

B. 中国画有一个特点：强调绘画的教育功能。早在两千年前，人物画就被政府机构广泛用作宣传工具，表彰忠臣烈士，批判乱臣贼子。唐代的士大夫们把绘画创作纳入儒家的思想体系。宋代政府出版了官方画谱，对绘画功能提出要求，并论述了十类绘画存在的价值和意义，涵盖宗教思想，儒家理论和政权统治。The educational function is a unique feature of Chinese paintings. Human profiles were universally used as a propaganda method to either glorify heroes or condemn traitors by authorities 2000 years ago. Tang Dynasty officials brought painting into Confucian ideology. The Court of the Song Dynasty published an official guide to paintings, which raised criteria for paintings, defined the value and significance of its ten categories, covering the fields of religious beliefs, Confucianism and state power.

C. 在官方画谱里，山水画存在的价值是能描绘五岳；瓜果花鸟有敬神的作用。绘画因此起到以物比人的教化作用。比如，牡丹和孔雀表现富贵，梅兰菊竹比喻高人雅士，松柏象征忠贞。而文人眼里的竹子代表正直、质朴，兰花代表谦虚和怀才不遇；松树代表自强不息。文人画的山水取决于画家的个性和修养。According to the official guide of paintings, the purpose of landscape paintings was to portray the five mountains, while fruit and birds were used to exemplify or eulogize the Gods. In this case, the subjects were used as references to people in order to deliver moral messages. For example, peony and peacocks

represented wealth and fortune; Plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemum: and bamboo represented elegance and accomplishment; and pine trees and cypresses symbolized loyalty. Artists also give meaning to the subjects they pain. Bamboo symbolizes integrity and simplicity; the orchid symbolizes modesty and misfortune; and pine trees symbolize never giving up. Landscape painting depends on the painter’s personality and self-cultivation.

7.The Role of Opera 戏曲的作用

A. 中国人喜好戏曲，就像英国人喜好足球，西班牙人喜好斗牛一样。传统社会里，除了娱乐，戏曲还有普及文化和教化社会的作用。戏曲的题材多取自历史典故，民间传说和古代小说。它宣扬传统的价值观和伦理道德。比如扬善惩恶，忠孝仁义，贬斥忘恩负义。戏曲填补了文化教育的不足，特别是在农村地区。To Chinese, opera was the vital entertainment, like sports for the British and bullfighting for the Spaniards. In a traditional Chinese society, opera was also used as a vehicle to spread knowledge and ethics, civilizing the society. Most operas were based on historical events, folklore, or classical novels. They promoted traditional values and moral principles, such as punishing evil and eulogizing the good, loyalty and kindness, and the denunciation of the ungrateful. Operas were able to fill the gaps in education and teaching, especially in an agricultural society.

B.清朝，京剧在众多地方剧种中脱颖而出，成为中国主要剧种。京剧融合了歌唱，舞蹈，表演和杂技的舞台艺术。在人物形象的塑造上使用特殊的表现手法。所有的角色到按照其性别，个性，年龄，职业和社会地位类型化，叫行当。在角色类型的基础上，形成了一套程式化的表现方法，诸如服装和脸谱。

In Qing Dynasty, Peking Opera over took all other folk operas and became a national entertainment. Peking Opera is a theatrical art that incorporates singing, dancing, acting and acrobatics. It uses special imagery in the creation of characters. All roles are classified in several role types according to sex, personality, age, profession and social status, in the general term “hangdang”. Based on the role types, a complete set of standards has been formed for aspects such as costumes and facial makeup.

C. 京剧是中国的国粹。外国人不太适应京剧高亢的唱腔，令人发疯的打击乐和缓慢的节奏，但喜欢它的服装和脸谱。脸谱是京剧中塑造人物形象的重要手段。家喻户晓的武将关羽的脸谱用红色，代表仁义忠勇。而白色代表奸诈，黑色代表正直不阿，黄色是骁勇凶狠，蓝绿色多用于绿林好汉，金银色多用于神佛。Peking Opera is the cream of Chinese culture. Foreigners may not like shrieking singing, the noisy percussions and slow, monotonous pace. They enjoy the costumes and the facial masks better. Facial masks can reflect the qualities of different characters. The facial mask for Guan Yu, a well-known warrior, is painted red for loyalty and courage. In general, white usually

represents treachery, black represents righteousness, yellow represents bravery, blue and green represent rebellious fighters while gold and silver represent divinity and Buddhism.

8.The Construction of Residential House住宅的结构

A.四合院是从明代的北京延续下来的古典建筑风格的住宅。标准的四合院通常由一个位于中心的院子和四侧的房屋构成。门通常漆成红色，并有大的铜门环。通常情况下，全家人住在大院。北端的正房由长辈住，年轻一代生活在两侧的房子，朝南的房子里是家庭客厅或书房。四合院之间狭窄的街道被称为胡同。Siheyuan is a classical architecture style of residential housing of Beijing citizens dated from the Ming Dynasty. A standard Siheyuan usually consists of houses on its four sides with a yard in the center. The gates are usually painted red and have large copper door rings. Usually, a whole family lives in compound. The elder generation lives in the main house standing at the north end, the younger generations live in the side houses, and the south house is usually the family sitting room or study. The narrow streets between the Siheyuan are called “Hutong”s.

B. 苏州有一百多处古代的私家园林。它们以自然景观和人造建筑融为一体而著称。园林中有溪流、假山、树木、以及亭台阁桥，造成一种集诗书画于一体的诗意环境。山不在高，贵在层次，水不在深，妙在曲折。这种特有的审美观既体现了儒家文化中人与自然和谐相处的观念，也表达着道家崇尚自然的理念。You can find over 100 private gardens from Suzhou. They are known for their skilled combination of landscapes. They use man-made structures, such as creeks, rocks, trees, plants, pavilions, terraces and bridges. Together they create a poetic atmosphere, just like a painting that combines poems, calligraphy and scenery all in one. The rocks in the garden don’t have to be huge to look meaningful as long as they are arranged in order. The same is true with the creeks. It is not the length of the creeks but the turns and curves which give the garden a feeling of liveliness. The unique view is a manifestation of the Confucian belief of harmony between man and nature and the Taoist worship of nature.

C. 但是园林似乎有太多人为的痕迹，里面多是象征性的仿造自然景观。出于古人对内敛品性的推崇，住宅被围墙围起来，与外界隔绝，也为居住者创造了安宁。过于人工化的问题渗透着传统的哲学理念：以小见大，显微知著。即透过方寸之间的变化可以领略到四季，风土，甚至宇宙的变迁，并与大自然亲近。But there is too much human interference in traditional Chinese gardens. Inside are mostly symbolic imitation of natural landscape. To show modesty, gardens are separated from the outside world by a wall, keeping the inside quiet.

Overwhelming human inference has something to do with conventional philosophical implications, representing an interaction with the world through a potted landscape. In other words, condensed artificial landscape is enough to make you feel the change in the weather, the earth, and the universe, and to keep close the nature. Maybe this is what traditional Chinese gardens are all about.

9.Ancient trading road 古代贸易之路

A.茶马古道源于中国古代西南边疆的茶马互市。它兴于唐宋，盛于明，衰于清。古道是个交通网络，含川藏道、滇藏道与青藏道，以川藏道开通最早，运输量最大。古道两边生活着20多个少数民族。不同地方有各自美丽而神奇的自然风景和传统文化。茶马古道把西南地区的民族紧紧联系在一起，巩固了祖国边疆。The Tea-horse Road originated from ancient Chinese southwest frontier with the representative trading commodities being tea and horse. The tea-horse trade on this road began from Tang Dynasty, developed at Song Dynasty, flourished at Ming Dynasty, and declined at Qing Dynasty. Tea-horse Road is a traffic network, including Sichuan-Tibet, Yunnan-Tibet and Qinhai-Tibet ways, among which, the Sichuan-Tibet road opened the earliest with the largest traffic volume. Along the Tea-horse Ancient Road lived more than 20 minorities. Concentrations of beautiful and mysterious natural landscapes and traditional cultures developed in various sites. The Road tightly combined the ethnic groups of southwest China, and consolidated the frontier of our motherland.

B. 丝绸之路是历史上连接中国和地中海的重要的贸易路线。西汉外交使节张骞首次出使西域。这条路因丝绸在之后的贸易中占大多数而得名。丝路始于长安，经河西走廊，到敦煌后分为三条路线，骆驼商队可穿过新疆南部，中部或北部，延伸到巴基斯坦，印度甚至罗马。它是古代欧亚之间的经济和文化交流的纽带。The Silk Road is a historically important international trade route between China and the Mediterranean. Zhang Qian, a Western Han diplomat and envoy, first went into Western Region. The Road got its name because silk comprised a large proportion of trade along this road thereafter. This ancient road begins at Chang’an. By way of the Hexi Corridor, it reaches Dunhuang, where it divides into three routes. Caravan could choose southern, central or northern route to cover the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and extend their ways as far as Pakistan, India and even Roma. The Silk Road provided an economic and cultural link between ancient Europe and Asia.

C. 9世纪中国制陶业兴盛。但陶器不适合骆驼陆路运输，海上丝绸之路兴起。它主要有东海起航线和南海起航线。海上丝路输出的商品主要有丝绸、瓷器、茶叶和铜铁器四大宗，输入的主要是香料、花草及供宫廷赏玩的西域珍宝。海上丝路又称海上陶瓷之路、海上香药之路。明初郑和下西洋，海上丝路达到巅峰。The ninth century witnessed the rise of Marine Silk Routes, when ceramics from China had grown popular, while camels were not suited for carrying crockery

overland. Started from both the east China sea and south China sea, the routes sent four main commodities: silk, porcelain, tea and copper/iron products. Transported back are mainly spices, flowers and plants, and some treasures from Persia, East Africa, and India to meet the curiosity of courts. Maritime Silk Routes were also named Maritime Ceramic or Spices Routes. It reached its peak during Zheng He's voyage to the West Regions in the early Ming Dynasty.