英语畅谈中国文化50主题 06

06-Gardens and Born Sights

A:Have you ever been to Suzhou? You can find over one hundreds private gardens from the old times in this city.

B:Suzhou is one of my favourite cities. Gardens in that area are known for their skillful combination of landscapes. The use manmade structures such as creeks¹, rocks, trees, plants, civilians², platforms, terraces and bridges. Together, they created a poetic³ atmosphere, just like painting that combines poems, calligraphy⁴, and scenery all in well. The rocks in the garden don’t have to be huge to look meaningful as long as they arranged in order. The same is true with the creeks. It is not the length of the creeks but the term of the curve which give the garden the feeling of liveliness. This is the manifestation⁵ of Confucian belief of harmony between man and nature. And the tower is worship of nature.

A: I don’t see a lot of harmony between man and nature in those particular gardens. There is too much human interference. You never find vast expenses grass and trees, most objects are symbolic⁶ and artificial, and they are separated from outside of the world by a wall.

B: This is something to do with Chinese philosophy. The imitation of nature reflects the worship of the nature. And pursuit a poetic state of mind. The walls around the garden are in effect a way to show modesty⁷ and unpretentiousness. Also, it separates people with different backgrounds.

A: human’s interference is at its utmost with Chinese born sights, instead of allowing them to growing freely, the plant is restricted and distorted in a crowed space.

B: Indeed, born sights are forced on different environments to plants. However, people like them for the philosophic⁸ applications, representing and interaction with world through portrait landscape, the used to be a saying to goes: three leaves and two flowers represent the world. In other words, the few pieces of leaves and flowers are enough to make you feel the change of the weather, the earth and the universe. That’s the beauty of born sights, the miniature give people of feeling of closeness to nature.

A: Frankly⁹, I still think is a bizarre way to enjoy nature by distorting at the first place. But thanks for your explanation, it help me understand that this is an unique view through an unique culture.

B: This is diversify¹⁰ of the world, we need to learn to accommodate each other. Maybe these were traditional Chinese gardens and born sights are all about.

1 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

4 calligraphy   

n.书法

参考例句：

• At the calligraphy competition,people asked him to write a few characters.书法比赛会上，人们请他留字。
• His calligraphy is vigorous and forceful.他的书法苍劲有力。

5 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

6 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

7 modesty   

n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素

参考例句：

• Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。
• As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。

8 philosophic   

adj.哲学的，贤明的

参考例句：

• It was a most philosophic and jesuitical motorman.这是个十分善辩且狡猾的司机。
• The Irish are a philosophic as well as a practical race.爱尔兰人是既重实际又善于思想的民族。

9 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

10 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。