纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 064大卫对瓶（7）

 

Foreign rulers, the Mongols; foreign materials, Muslim blue; and foreign markets, Iran and Iraq; all played an essential part in the creation¹ of what to many outside China is still the most Chinese of objects, blue-and-white porcelain². Soon these ceramics³ were being exported from China in very large quantities, to Japan and south-east Asia, across the Indian Ocean to Africa and the Middle East. And far beyond that. Here's author Jenny Uglow:

"Then it comes to Europe, and the Dutch adapt it to their life, and so it comes to Britain, and we adapt it to the forms of jugs⁴ we like, the plates we love, and so on. It becomes translated, it's like a wonderful language which is perpetually⁵ translated to the culture where it's arriving and is loved. People say it's a very, sort of, elemental thing: it's blue and white, it's the blue sky and the white clouds, or the blue sea and the white sand. And behavioral psychologists who've looked at the way people react to colour say that blue and white is seen as immensely serene⁶ and relaxing. But I think also it has to do with the great long history - you know, a thousand years of history - and the way that the blue-and-white designs themselves seem to be mysterious and 'other' and have their own stories as well. It's a combination of colour appeal and historical appeal."

域外的统治者——蒙古人，域外的材料——回回青，以及域外的市场——伊朗与伊拉克，是成就青花瓷的关键，而吊诡的是，它在中国以外被当作了最具中国特色的物品。很快，这种瓷器便从中国大量出口，输送至日本、东南亚，跨越印度洋?来到非洲、中东以及更遥远的地方。

几个世纪之后，这种起源于伊斯兰国度伊朗的蓝白配色，经过蒙古治下的中国人改造，成为青花瓷来到欧洲，并受到了狂热追捧。一如对待其他热销商品，本土制造商很快便开始对它进行大规模仿制。

 

1 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

2 porcelain   

n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的

参考例句：

• These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。
• The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。

3 ceramics   

n.制陶业；陶器

参考例句：

• an exhibition of ceramics by Picasso 毕加索陶瓷作品展
• The ceramics bore the imprint of Luca della Robbia. 陶器上印有卢卡·德拉·罗比亚的字样。

4 jugs   

（有柄及小口的）水壶( jug的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Two china jugs held steaming gravy. 两个瓷罐子装着热气腾腾的肉卤。
• Jugs-Big wall lingo for Jumars or any other type of ascenders. 大岩壁术语，祝玛式上升器或其它种类的上升器。

5 perpetually   

adv.持久地，没完没了地

参考例句：

• She wore a perpetually martyred expression. 她总是那么一副可怜兮兮的样子。
• We belong perpetually to each other for life or for death. 我们永远相依为命，同生死，共患难。

6 serene   

adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的

参考例句：

• He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。
• He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。