Hello China（《你好，中国》）是一档大型多媒体系列文化节目，用英文介绍100个代表中国传统文化精华的汉语词汇.
№1 China(中国)
The ancient Yellow River flows uninterrupted from east to west for thousands of years. Silk was made into cloth, while clay was made into pottery and ceramics. Millions of stones were piled into the Great Wall. The country created many wonders, such as the Great Wall, Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Terracotta Warriors and Chinese Kung Fu. Beijing is the capital of Zhongguo, or China, which opens to and embraces the world. The Beijing Olympic Games 2008, and the Shanghai World Expo 2010 were held here in Zhongguo. Peking Opera and Western Opera are performed on the same stage. Cultures of the whole world show brilliant vitality in this ancient country. This is zhōnɡɡuó. Hope you can understand her, appreciate her and love her. All the Chinese people, Black-eyed and yellow-skinned welcome you with open arms.
№2 Ni Hao(你好)
Nǐ hǎo! Ni hao is the most commonly used greeting. Kong Qiu, or Confucius, told people 2,500 years ago that everyone must follow etiquette. So, China is called the 'home of etiquette'. Ni hao is the most typical greeting in China wishing you well. A greeting that wishes you good health, a good job and a happy family. Let's say that together: 'Ni hao!'. Ni hao!
№3 Confucius and Chinese philosophy(孔子)
Born in 551 BC, Confucius, kǒng zǐ, has made the greatest contribution to Chinese culture of anyone in history. Although he was raised in a poor family, he visited famous scholars and learned a lot. He developed his thoughts into a system of philosophy known as Confucianism. Confucianism emphasized self-cultivation, harmonious relationships with each other and respect for the elderly. Friends should be honest to each other. Rulers should make an effort to provide a happy life for people. He was a great teacher as well and promoted education for ordinary people. He traveled around to promote his political thinking but failed. But he never gave up. Kong Zi is a great Chinese spiritual leader. Over the last 2,000 years, his philosophy has continued to influence China and the rest of the world. It is also regarded as the symbol of oriental culture.
№4 Sun Tzu - The Ultimate Master of War(孙子)
Sun Tzu, who lived in China during the Spring and Autumn Period, is regarded as the ultimate master of war. His great military work, The Art of War, has been read for more than 2,000 years. Sun Tzu believed that competition between economies and logistics is the nature of war. Only if the nation is prosperous and its people are strong enough will they win the war, otherwise the war will bring huge damages to the nation and people. Gathering information on your enemies is the key to winning wars. The victorious general must be familiar with his enemies just as with himself and direct troops according to the newest situation. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without force. His spirit reminds us that peace is the common objective we should pursue.
№5 Lao Tzu - Father of Chinese Philosophy(老子)
Kong Qiu (Confucius), the historical Chinese saint, is considered to be the greatest teacher of China. His teacher was Lao Tzu. Kong Qiu said that Lao Tzu was a dragon who hid in the clouds. He learned from Lao Tzu all his life but could not understand all his great wisdom. 2,500 years later, his work has been translated into many foreign languages. Lao Tzu believed that people should learn from nature and keep a harmonious relationship with nature. Beside a river, Lao Tzu told Kong Tzu that a saint should act like flowing water. Water gives life to others but does not fight with others. A saint makes no error and no one hates him. Therefore, he can make great achievements. In China, Lao Tzu is considered the elite of teachers.
笔者注：此处圣人应该译作sage，而不是saint 基督教圣徒。
№6 Sun and Chinese solar terms(太阳)
Sun, tài yáng, brings light and vitality to the world. Legends say that there were ten taiyang in the sky in ancient times. People couldn't put up with the hot weather brought by ten taiyang. A hero named Houyi shot down nine taiyang with his bow. The Chinese created a calendar according to shadows produced by the last taiyang. The Chinese have created 24 solar terms according to the circulation laws of taiyang. They are used to guide farming activities. The rise and set of taiyang represents hope in the hearts of Chinese people.
№7 Moon and its significance in Chinese culture(月亮)
This character means moon with wax and wane. Mythical meanings are attributed to yuè liàng in Chinese legends. Legend has it, that Chang'e, the wife of Ancient Chinese hero Hou Yi, stole her husband's elixir and ate it. Then she became a fairy and flew to the yue liang. She lived alone on the yue liang with only the company of a rabbit. Worshipping yue liang is an ancient custom in China. A round yue liang represents family reunion and often reminds people of their family.
№8Chinese Lunar Calendar(农历)
The lunar calendar (nóng lì) is the traditional Chinese calendar and is often used in agriculture. According to nong li, the crescent appears on the first day of each month and full moon comes out at the middle of the month. The cycle lasts for about 30 days. 24 days mark 24 divisions of the solar year in nong li, according to the different positions of the Sun. For example, the division 'Lichun' or 'the beginning of Spring', reminds people that Spring is coming. 'Jingzhe' or 'the walking of insects' means that the weather is getting warmer. 'Lixia' or 'the beginning of Summer' is the point that crops are blooming. 'Dahan' or 'the great cold' is the end of severe Winter. All these create a circle. Year after year people experience the mysteries of nature with nong li.
№9 The Chinese compass and explorer Zheng He(指南针)
A compass, zhǐ nán zhēn, indicates north and south. It was invented by Chinese 2,000 years ago. The ancient zhǐ nán zhēn looked like a spoon. When the spoon was put on the plate, its handle could point to the south using magnetic fields. Then Chinese used a little steel needle to replace the spoon. This made the zhǐ nán zhēn easier to carry. Six hundred years ago, Zheng He, a famous eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, traveled to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean seven times. Zheng even reached the Red Sea with the help of the zhǐ nán zhēn. The invention boosted the development of navigation.
№10 Gunpowder - An explosive Chinese invention(火药)
Gunpowder (huǒ yào) is another ancient Chinese invention. It was invented by accident. More than 1,000 years ago, people experimenting in a pharmacy made the discovery. They found that if sulphur, charcoal and potassium nitrate were mixed together with a certain proportion, the mixture would explode. Gunpowder changed the style of wars. The steel age ended and gunpowder-based weapons are now widely used. More than 600 years ago, primitive guns were used in China. Cannon balls were propelled by the thrust of the huǒ yào explosion. Now, huǒ yào is also widely used in fireworks. The splendid fireworks at the Beijing Olympic Games garnered wide acclaim and admiration from the audience.
№11 Paper - Chinese inventions (造纸术)
Paper, zhǐ, was a Chinese invention. 2,000 years ago, Chinese invented paper-making. This zhǐwas made of silk and was so expensive that only the emperor and aristocrats could afford to use it. 1,900 years ago, a eunuch called Cai Lun improved the paper-making process. He made cheap jinzhǐout of tree bark and rags. The improvement in paper-making spread zhǐfar and wide, and many different types of zhǐwere invented by Chinese people. Xuan paper, a kind of high quality rice paper, best shows the charm of traditional. Chinese painting and calligraphy. Jute paper is used to transcribe Chinese classics. Later, Chinese zhǐspread to the West via the Chinese Silk Road. Thousands of years of culture and civilization were recorded on zhǐ, and passed to different parts of the world.
№12 Invention of printing (印刷术)
A Chinese named Bi Sheng invented movable type print around 1,000 years ago. The movable components are cubes made of baked clay. Characters were carved on each piece of clay, which looked like the seals widely used in China. The movable components could be arranged freely to form different vocabularies and sentences. They were fixed on an iron plate with frames in certain sequence. Then ink was painted and a piece of paper was laid down. A printed sheet was created this way. This technique improved the efficiency of printing and transformed traditional transcription into modern printings and paintings spread widely in the world with the help of yìn shuā.
№13 Peking opera (京剧)
Jingju, or Peking opera, is an ancient performance art with a history of 200 years. Jingju has four kinds of roles according to different identities and personalities. The lyrics of Jingju are performed with swinging or rhythmic speaking, accompanied by dozens of musical instruments. Now, jingju still enchants many Chinese people and foreigners with its unique charm.
№14 Traditional Chinese painting - Water, ink and poetry (国画)
Red, green, black, white, heavy, light, dry and wet changes of water and ink on paper show the mysteries of traditional Chinese painting, guó huà. Tools and materials involve writing brushes, ink, colored ink, rice paper and silk. The hardness or softness of brushes, paper absorbency and color determine the features of guó huà. Water, ink and lines are the most essential factors for guó huà. Unlike Western paintings, guó huà doesn't use three dimensions or realism. Instead, paintings involve a unique Chinese view of scenery. It's very common that a Chinese painting is attached with a poem. If you understand guo hua you will have a better understanding of Chinese people.
№15 Chinese frescoes - Ancient artworks (壁画)
Chinese frescoes date back to the prehistoric period some 10,000 years ago. People carved images of human activities and natural views on rocks. Excavated from tombs built 2,200 years ago, the bì huà remains clear, vivid and colorful. Legend has it that an ancient painter drew a dragon on the wall and when he added eyes to the drawing the image turned into a real dragon. With the introduction of Buddhism to China, bì huà on the subject of religion rapidly developed. The bì huà, or frescoes, in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes are the most famous ones in China. They are a collection of masterpieces of numerous painters in the past 1,000 years. They tell historical tales and religious stories.
№16 Dance brings Chinese people together (舞蹈)
Scenes of dancing were drawn on pottery in China some 5,000 years ago. At that time, people danced at ceremonies for worship. There was a concubine who could dance on a tray in the imperial palace about 2,000 years ago. She danced so lightly that she supposedly would fly away when the wind blew. Legends say that an emperor made his soldiers dance when he returned in triumph. The dance was powerful and vigorous. People also dance on festivals, celebrations and weddings. You can see abundant styles of wǔ dǎo in China, a country composed of many ethnic groups. Wǔ dǎo shortens the distance between people.
№17 Chinese music and its natural origins (音乐)
Chinese music originated from nature. The sounds of the wind blowing through the trees, birds chirping and water flowing are the inspiration of Chinese yin yue. Xun, an ancient egg-shaped instrument made of pottery, can imitate the sound of the wind by blowing through the holes. The bone flute, which was made 8,000 years ago, could also imitate the sounds of nature. There were 125 instruments in the private orchestra of a noble more than 2,000 years ago, according to archaeological findings. Various categories make up Chinese yin yue, some involving more modern elements. However, the natural beauty of Chinese yin yue has endured from classic styles to the modern form classic styles to the modern compositions.
№18 Traditional Chinese chime bells - Bian zhong (编钟)
Chime bells, biān zhōnɡ, are the most majestic and holy ancient instrument in China. As a symbol of power, they were used for sacrificial ceremonies or other crucial ceremonies, starting 3,500 years ago. Bian zhong were composed of bells with different scales. The bells are played by mallets and create the sounds of seven musical scales, mush like the piano. What's more amazing is that one bell can generate two notes when struck at different spots. This set of bian zhong was discovered in the tomb of an ancient monarch. The ancient treasure finally saw the light of day. Its exquisite cast and pure sound revealed the high level of ancient. Chinese civilization and wisdom.
№19 Gu Qin - Chinese musical instrument (古琴)
Long, long ago, a person was playing gǔ qín. A woodcutter heard the song and said,"I feel the mountains and ricers in the music". The player was happy that man understood what is in his heart an made friends with him. The body of gǔ qín is made of wood and the strings are made of silk. Playing gǔ qín in an elegant environment brings people back to nature. Playing gǔ qín can purify the soul. It represents wisdom, talent an emotion. In 1977, a recording of Flowing Water was broadcasted on the Voyage 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts in outer space.
№20 Calligraphy - The ancient art of expression (书法)
Chinese calligraphy (shū fǎ) refers to writing art and techniques with writing brushes. 1,600 years ago, a boy named Wang Xizhi worked hard at calligraphy. He washed his writing brushes in a pool and the pool turned black. Eventually he became a prominent calligrapher in China. Writing brushes, Chinese inks, rice paper and ink slabs are the basic tools of calligraphy. Proper technique for handling the writing brushes and maintaining the proper angle between the tips of brushes and the paper are required. The structure of each individual character and overall arrangement are both important. Calligraphers have created plenty of masterpieces which have been passed from generation to generation. One of the masterpieces is the "Orchid Pavilion Preface"by Wang Xizhi. Shu fa represents the aesthetic taste and philosophy of Chinese scholars.