2021双语新闻 牛年说牛：趣谈中国文化中的牛

搜索

复制

Celebrating the ox

牛年说牛：趣谈中国文化中的牛

The Year of the Ox is coming.

牛年要来了。

In China, you will find various ox figures made of gold, wood, plastic, paper, shell and stone on sale in stores and on streets to celebrate the return.

在中国，你会发现商场和大街上都在出售用黄金、木头、塑料、纸、壳、石头制成的各式各样的牛型摆件，以庆祝牛年的到来。

But why was the ox chosen to be one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs?

但十二生肖中为什么有牛呢？

Centuries ago, most people earned their living through farming.

几百年前，大多数人以农业为生。

The ox was used to help plow¹, cultivate and carry heavy goods.

牛常被用来帮助犁地、耕种、驮重物。

The ox has long had a significant place in Chinese culture.

牛在中国文化中向来占有重要地位。

Ancient Chinese poets and writers frequently described the ox in literature.

中国古代诗人和作家常在文学作品中描写牛。

In the Classic of Poetry, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, the animal was mentioned in nine out of the 305 pieces.

在我国现存最早的诗歌总集《诗经》的305篇诗歌中，有9篇都提到了牛。

The ox is considered a symbol of diligence and earnestness in Chinese culture.

在中国文化中，牛被视为勤劳诚恳的象征。

To this day, the phrase "the spirit of ox" still refers to conquering anything that may present itself as an obstacle.

如今，“牛气冲天”仍喻意能够战胜一切成为阻碍之事。

The spirit is highly praised and many people follow it as their work ethic².

这一精神也被高度赞扬，很多人将其奉为工作准则。

When someone achieves a great accomplishment³ through hard work, people often use "niu", meaning "awesome⁴", to describe him or her.

当有人通过辛苦努力获得巨大成就时，人们往往会会说他或她“牛”，意为“很棒”。

Oxen seldom bully⁵ the weak or fear the strong.

牛很少欺软怕硬。

They work hard and make sacrifices.

它们努力工作，牺牲自我。

This is reflected in a couplet from a poem by Lu Xun (1881－1936): "Fierce-browed, I coolly defy a thousand pointing fingers; Head bowed, like a willing ox I serve the children", which fully⁶ expresses the poet's loyalty⁷ to the people.

这点体现在了鲁迅一首诗的对句“横眉冷对千夫指，俯首甘为孺子牛”中，这两句诗充分表达了诗人对人民的忠诚。

So naturally, those who were born in the Year of the Ox are often expected to be hardworking, reliable and loyal.

因此，在牛年出生的人自然常常被认为是勤劳、可靠、忠诚的人。

"They never seek to be the center of attention and do not look for praise," the website China Highlights noted⁸.

“他们从不想要成为关注的焦点，也不期许获得赞美，”“中华游”网站上如此写道。

1 plow   

n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough

参考例句：

• At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
• We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。

2 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

3 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

4 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

5 bully   

n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮

参考例句：

• A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
• The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。