北京故宮英文導(dǎo)游辭

1、北京故宮英文導(dǎo)游辭FORBIDDENCITY(紫禁城)(Infrontofthemeridiangate)LadiesandGentlemen:Iampleasedtoserveasyourguidetoday.Thisisthepalacemuseum;alsoknowasthePurpleForbiddenCity.ItisthelargestandmostwellreservedimperialresidenceinChinatoday.UnderMingEmperorYongle,constructionbeganin1406.Ittook14yearstobuildtheForbid

2、denCity.ThefirstrulerwhoactuallylivedherewasMingEmperorZhudi.Forfivecenturiesthereafter,itcontinuedtobetheresidenceof23successiveemperorsuntil1911whenQingEmperorPuyiwasforcedtoabdicatethethrone.In1987,theUnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganizationrecognizedtheForbiddenCitywasaworldcul

3、turallegacy.ItisbelievedthatthePalaceMuseum ,orZiJinCheng(PurpleForbiddenCity),gotitsnamefromastronomyfolklore,TheancientastronomersdividedtheconstellationsintogroupsandcenteredthemaroundtheZiweiYuan(NorthStar).TheconstellationcontainingtheNorthStarwascalledtheConstellationofHeavenlyGodandstaritself

4、wascalledthepurplepalace.Becausetheemperorwassupposedlythesonoftheheavenlygods,hiscentralanddominantpositionwouldbefurtherhighlightedtheuseofthewordpurpleinthenameofhisresidence.Infolklore,thetermaneasternpurplecloudisdriftingbecameametaphorforauspiciouseventsafterapurplecloudwasseendriftingeastward

5、immediatelybeforethearrivalofanancientphilosopher,LaoZi,totheHanghuPass.Here,purpleisassociatedwithauspiciousdevelopments.Thewordjin(forbidden)isself-explanatoryastheimperialpalacewasheavilyguardedandoff-explanatoryastheimperialpalacewasheavilyguardedandoff-limitstoordinarypeople.Theredandyellowused

6、onthepalacewallsandroofsarealsosymbolic.Redrepresentshappiness,goodfortuneandwealth.YellowisthecoloroftheearthontheLoessPlateau,theoriginalhomeoftheChinesepeople.YellowbecameanimperialcolorduringtheTangdynasty,whenonlymembersoftheroyalfamilywereallowedtowearitanduseitintheirarchitecture.TheForbidden

7、Cityisrectangularinshape.Itis960meterslongfromnorthtosouthand750meterwidefromeastwest.Ithas9,900roomsunderatotalroofarea150,000squaremeters.A52-meter-wide-moatencirclesa9.9-meterhighwallwhichenclosesthecomplex.Octagonshapedturretsrestonthefourcornersofthewall.Therearefourentrancesintothecity:theMeri

8、dianGatetothesouth,theShenwuGate(GateofMilitaryProwess)tothenorth,andtheXihuaGate(GateofmilitaryProwess)tothenorth,andtheXihuaGate(WesternFloweryGate)tothewest,theDonghua(EasternFloweryGate)totheeast.ManpowerandmaterialsthroughoutthecountrywereusedtobuildtheForbiddenCity.Atotalof230,000artisansandon

9、emillionlaborerswereemployed.MarblewasquarriedfromfangshanCountryMountPaninJixianCountyinHebeiProvince.GranitewasquarriedinQuyangCountyinHebeiProvince.PavingblockswerefiredinkilnsinSuzhouinsouthernChina.BricksandscarletpigmentationusedonthepalatialwallscamefromlinqinginShandongProvince.Timberwascut,

10、processedandhauledfromthenorthwesternandsouthernregions.ThestructureinfrontofusistheMeridianGate.ItisthemainentrancetotheforbiddenCity.ItisalsoknowsasWufenglou(Five-PhoenixTower).Mingemperorsheldlavishbanquetshereonthe15thdayofthefirstmonthoftheChineselunaryearinhornoroftheircounties.Theyalsousedthi

11、splaceforpunishingofficalsbyfloggingthemwithsticks.Qingemperorsusedthisbuildingtoannouncethebeginningofthenewyear.QingEmperorQianglongchangedtheoriginalnameofthisannouncementceremonyfrombanli(announcementofcalendar)tobanshou(announcementofnewmoon)toavoidcoincidentalassociationwithanotherEmperorsname

12、,H on gli,whichwasc on sideredatabooatthattime.Qi ngDyn astyemperorsalsousedthisplacetoholdaudienceandforotherimportantceremonies.Forexample,whentheimperialarmyreturnedvictoriouslyfromthebattlefield,itwasherethattheEmperorpresidedovertheceremonytoacceptprisonersofwar.(AfterenteringtheMeridianGateand

13、standinginfrontoftheFiveMarbleBridgesonGoldenWaterRiver)nowweareinsidetheForbiddenCity.Beforewestartourtour,Iwouldliketobrieflyintroduceyoutothearchitecturalpatternsbefourus.Tocompletethissolemn,magnificentandpalatialcomplex,avarietyofbuildingswerearrangedonanorth-southaxis,and8-kilometer-longinvisi

14、blelinethathasbecomeaninseparablepartoftheCityofBeijing.TheForbiddenCitycoversroughly one-hirdofthisce ntralaxis.Mostoftheimporta ntbuildi ngi ntheForbidde nCitywereearrangedalongthisline.Thedesignandarrangementofthepalacesreflectthesolemndignityoftheroyalcourtandrigidly -stratifiedfeudalsystem.TheF

15、orbiddenCityisdividedintoanouterandaninnercount.Wearenowstandingonthesouthernmostpartoftheoutercount.InfrontofusliestheGateofsupremeHarmony.Thegateisguardedbyapairofbronzelions,symbolizingimperialpoweranddignity.Thelionswerethemostexquisiteandbiggestofitskind.Theoneontheeastplayingwithaballisamale,a

16、ndballissaidtorepresentstateunity.Theotheroneisafemale.Underneathoneofitsforeclawsisacubthatisconsideredtobeasymbolofperpetualimperialsuccession.ThewindingbrookbeforeusistheGoldenWaterRiver.Itfunctionsbothasdecorationandfirecontrol.ThefivebridgesspanningtheriverrepresentthefivevirtuespreachedbyConfu

17、cius:benevolence,righteousness,rites,intellenceandfidelity.Therivertakestheshapeofabowandthenorth-southaxisisitsarrow.ThiswasmeanttoshowthattheEmperorsruledthecountryonbehalfofGod.(InfrontoftheGateofSupremeHarmony)TheForbiddenCityconsistsofanoutercountyardandaninnerenclosure.Theoutcountyardcoversava

18、stspacelyingbetweentheMeridianGateandtheGateofHeavenlyPurity.ThethreebighallsofSupremeHarmony,CompleteHarmonyandPreservingHarmonyconstitutethecenterofthisbuildinggroup.Flankingtheminbilateralsymmetryaretwogroupsofpalaces:Wenhua(ProminentScholars)andWuying(BraveWarriors).Thethreegreathallsarebuiltona

19、spaciousH-shaped,8-meter-high,triplemarbleterrace,Eachlevelofthetripleterraceistallerthantheonbelowandallareencircledbymarblebalustradescarvedwithdragonandphoenixdesigns.Therearethreecarvedstonestaircaseslinkingthethreearchitectures.ThehallofsupremeHarmonyisalsothetallestandmostexquisiteancientwoode

20、n-structuredmansioninallofChina.FromthepalaceofHeavenlyPurithnorthwardiswhatisknownastheinnercourt,whichisalsobuiltinbilaterallysymmetricalpatterns.InthecenterarethePalaceofHeavenlyPurity,theHallofUnionandPeaceandPalaceofEarthlyTranquility,aplacewheretheEmperorslivedwiththeirfamiliesandattendedtosta

21、teaffairs.Flankingthesestructuresarepalacesandhallsinwhichconcubinesandprinceslived.Therearealsothreebotanicalgardenswithintheinnercount,namely,theimperialGarden,CaninggardenandQuailinggarden.AninnerGoldenWaterRiverflowseastwardlywithintheinnercourt.Thebrookwindsthroughthreeminorhallsorpalacesandlea

22、dsoutoftheForbiddenCity.ItisspannedbytheWhiteJadeBridge.Theriverisli nedwithwi ndi ng,marblearvedbalustrades.MostofthestructureswithintheForbiddenCityhaveyellowglazedtileroofs.Asidefromgivingprominencetothenorth-southaxis,otherarchitecturalmethodswereappliedtomakeeverygroupofpalatialstructuresunique

23、intermsofterraces,roofs,mythicalmonstersperchingontheroofsandcolored,drawingpatterns.Withthese,thegrandcontouranddifferenthierarchicspectrumofthecomplexwerestrengthened.Folklorehasitthattherearealtogether9,999room-unitsintheForbiddenCity.SinceParadiseonlyhas10,000rooms,theSonofHeavenonearthcutthenum

24、berbyhalfaroom.ltisalsorumouredthatthishalf-oomislocatedtothewestoftheWenyuangePavilion(imperiallibrary).Asamatteroffact,althoughtheForbiddenCityhasmorethan9,000room-units,thishalf-roomisnonexist ent.TheWe nyuan gePavili on isalibrarywhereSiKuQua nShu-Chi nasfirstcomprehensiveanthology-wasstored.（1）

25、（3）（4）（5）（6）（7）（8）（AfterwalkingpasttheGateofSupremeHarmony）LadiesandGentlemen,thegreathallweareapproachingistheHallofSupremeHarmony,thebiggestandtallestofitskingintheForbiddenCity.Thisstructurecoversatotalbuildingspaceof2,377squaremeters,andisknowforitsupturned,multiplecounterparteaves.TheHallofSupr

26、emeHarmonysitsonatripleH-shapedmarbleterracetheis8metershighandlinkedbystaircases.Thestaircaseonthegroundfloorhas21stepswhilethemiddleandupperstairwayseachhave9.TheconstructionoftheHallofSupremeHarmonybeganin1406.Itburneddownthreetimesandwasseverelydamagedonceduringamutiny.Theexistingarchitecturewas

27、builtduringtheQingDynasty.Onthecornersoftheeavesalineofanimal-nailswereusuallyfastenedtothetiles.Theseanimal-nailswerelaterreplacewithmythicalanimalstowardoffevilspirits.Therearealtogether9suchfastenersontopofthishall.Thenumberninewasregardedbytheancientstobethelargestnumeralaccessibletomanandtowhic

28、honlytheemperorswereentitled.Therewasatotalof24successiveemperorsduringtheMingandQingdynastieswhowereenthronedhere.Theballwasalsousedforceremonieswhichmarkedothergreatoccasions:theWinterSolstice,TheChineseLunarNewYear,theEmperorsbirthday,conferralofthetitleofempress,theannouncementofnewlawsandpolici

29、es,anddispatchesofgeneralstowar.Onsuchoccasions,theEmperorwouldholdaudienceforhiscourtofficialsandreceivetheirtributes.ThisareaiscalledtheHallofSupremeHarmonySquare,whichcoversatotalof30,000squaremeters,Withoutasingletreeorplantgrowinghere,thisplaceinspiresvisitorstofeelitssolemnityandgrandeur.Inthe

30、middleofthesquarethereisacarriagewaythatwasreservedfortheEmperor.Onbothsidesoftheroadthegroudbrickswerelaidinaspecialwaysevenlayerslengthwiseandeightlayerscrosswise,makingupfifteenlayersinall.Thepurposeofthiswastopreventanyonefromtunnelinghiswayintothepalace.Inthecountyardthereareironvatsforstoringw

31、atertofightfires.Inthewholecomplextherearealtogher308watervats.Inwintertime,charcoalwasburnedunderneaththevatstokeepthewaterfromfreezi ng.Whysovastasquare?ltwasdesig nedtoimpresspeoplewiththehallsgra ndeurandvastness.Imaginethefollowingscene.Undertheclearbluesky,theyellowglazedtilesshimmeredastheclo

32、ud-likelayersofterrace,coupledwiththecurlingveilofburningincense,transformedthehallofsupremeHarmonyintoafairyland.Whenevermajorceremonieswereheld,theglazed,crane-shapedcandleholdersinsidethehallwouldbeit,andincenseandpinebranchesburntinfrontofthehall.WhentheEmperorappeared,drumswerebeatenandmusicali

33、nstrumentplayed.Civilianofficialsandgeneralswouldkneelknowinsubmission.ThelastQingemperorPuyiassumedthethronein1908,attheageofthree,Hisfathercarriedhimtothethrone.Atthestartofthecoronation,thesuddendrum-beatingandloudmusiccaughttheyoungemperorunprepared.Hewassoscaredthathekeptcryingandshouting,Idont

34、wanttostayhere.Iwanttogohome.Hisfathertriedtosoothehim,say in g,ltallso on befi ni shedtallso on befi ni shedThem ini sterspresenta ttheeventconsideredthisincidentinauspicious.Coincidentally,theQingdynastycollapsedthreeyearslaterandtherewithconcludedChinasfeudalsystemthathadlastedformorethan2,000yea

35、rs.(OnthestoneterraceoftheHallofSupremeHarmony)Thisisabronzeincenseburner.lnitincensemadeofsandalwoodwouldbeburntonimportantoccasions.Therearealtogether18incenseburners,representingalloftheprovincesundertheruleoftheSingmonarchs.OneithersideoftheHall,4bronzewater-filledvatswereplacedincaseoffire.Next

36、totheterraceoneitherside,thereisabronzecraneandtortoise,symbolsoflongevity.Thiscopper-castgrainmeasureiscalledjialiang.ltservedasthenationalstandardduringtheQingdynasty.ltwasmeanttoshowthattheimperialrulerwerejustandopentorectification.Ontheothersidethereisastonesundial,anancienttimepiece.Thejialian

37、gandthesundialwereprobablymeanttoshowwhattheEmperorrepresented:thathewastheonlypersonwhoshouldpossessthestandardsofbothmeasureandtime.lntheveryforefrontoftheHallofSupremeHarmony,thereare12scarlet,roundpillarssupportingtheroof.Thehallis63metersfromeasttowestand37metersfromnorthtosouth,ltis35metersinh

38、eight.lnfrontofthisarchitechture,therestandsatripleterracewithfivestaircasesleadinguptothemainentrance.Ithas40golddoorsand16gold-keywindowswithcoloreddrawingsonthepillarsandbeams.Inthemiddleofthehall,athrounecarvedwith9dragonssitsona2-meter-highplatform.Behindthethronethereisagoldenscreenandinfronto

39、fit,thereisaimperialdesk.Theflanksaredecoratedwithelephants,Luduan(alegendarybeast),cranes,andincensebarrels.Theelephantcarriesavaseonitsbackthatholdsfivecereals(i.e.rice,twokindsofmillet,wheatandbeans),whichwasconsideredasymbolofprosperity.Asancientlegendhasitthatluduancantravel18,000li(9,000kilome

40、ters)inonedayandknowsalllanguagesanddialects.Onlytoawiseadjustmonarchwillthisbeastbeaguardian.TheHallofSupremeHarmonyisalsopopularlyknownasJinluanDian(goldbellhallorthethronehall).Thefloorofthehallislaidwithbricksthatturnitintoasmooth,finesurfaceasifwaterhasbeensprinkledonit.Theso-calledgoldenbrick,

41、infact,hasnothingtodowithgold.Reservedexclusivelyfortheconstructionoftheroyalcourt,itwasmadeinasecretive,andcomplexway,and,whenstruck,soundsliketheclinkofagoldbar.Eachbrickwasworththemarketpriceofonedan(oronehectoliter)ofrice.Thehallissupportedbyatotalof72thickpillars.Ofthese,6arecarvedindragonpatte

42、rnsandpaintedwithgoldandsurroundthethrone.Abovetheverycenterofthishallthereisazaojing,orcoveredceiling,whichis on eoftheSpecialitiesofChi nasa ncie ntarchiture .In themiddleoftheceilingisadesignofadragonplayingwithaballinlaidwithpeals.Thiscopperball,hollowinsideandcoveredwithmercury,isknownastheXuan

43、yuanMirrorandisthoughttobemadeXuanyuan,alegendarymonarchdatingbacktoremoteantiquity .Theplaci ngofthecaiss on abovethethro neismea nttosuggestthatallofChi nassuccessiveemperorsareZua nyuan sdesce ndan tsa ndhereditaryheirs.NowyoumighthavenoticedthattheXuanyuanmirrorisnotdirectlyabovethethrone.Why?It

44、isrumoredthatYuanShikai,aself-acclaimedwarlord-turnedemperormovedthethronefurtherbackbecausehewasafraidthatthemirrormightfallonhim.In1916whenYuanShikaibecameemperor,heremovedtheoriginalthronewithaWestern-style,high-backchair.AfterthefoundationofthePeoplesRepublicofChinain1949thethronewasfoundinashab

45、byfurniturewarehouse.Itrepairedandreturnedtothehall.(Leadingthetouristtothebronzevatseitherontheeastorthewest)thewatervatsinfrontofthepalacesorhousewerecalledmenhai,orseabeforethedoorbytheancientChinese.Theybelievedthatwithaseabythedoor,firecouldnotwreakhavoc.Thevatsservedbothasadecorationandasafire

46、extinguisher.Theywerekeptfullofwaterallyearround.DuringtheQingDynasty,theywerealtogether308vatsinthepalaceenclosure.Theyweremadeofgiltbronzeoriron.Ofcouse,thegiltbronzevatswereofthebestquality.Whenthealliedforces(Britain,Germany,France,Russia,theUnitedStates,Italy,JapanandAustria)invadedBeijingin190

47、0underthepretextofsuppressingtheBoxerRebellion,theinvadersransackedtheimperialcompoundandscrapedandgoldoffthevatswiththeirbayonets.DuringtheJapaneseoccupationofBeijing,manyvatsweretruckedawaybytheJapanesetobemadeintobullets.(InfrontoftheHallofCompleteHarmony)ThesquarearchitecturebeforeusiscalledtheH

48、allofCompleteHarmony.Itservedasanantechamber.TheEmperorcameheretomeetwithhiscountiersandaddhisfinaltouchestotheprayerswhichwouldbereadattheancestralTemple.Theseeds,snowersandprayerintendedforspringsowingwerealsoexaminedhere.ThetwoQingsedanchairshereondisplaywereusedfortravelingwithinthepalaceduringt

49、hereignofEmperorQianlong.(InfrontofthehallfPreservingHarmony)thisistheHallofPreservingHarmony.Durin gtheQi ngDyn asty,ba nq uetswereheldhere onNewY earseve inhono urofMon golia nan dNorthwesternChi nasxi ngjia ngpri ncesa ndrankin gofficials.TheEmperoralsodinnedherewithhisnewson-in-lawontheweddingda

50、y.Imperialexaminationswerealsoheldhereonceeverythreeyears.DuringtheMingandQingdynasties,therewerethreelevelsofexams:thecountyandprefecturallevel,theprovinciallevelandnationallevel.Thenationalexamwaspresidedoverbytheemperor.ThecivilserviceexaminancientChinastartedduringtheHanDynasty.Itservedthepurpos

51、eofrecruitingConfucianscholarstotheministersandhighofficials.DuringtheTangandQingdynastiesreinstitutedandancientsystem.Onceeverythreeyears,threehundredscholarsfromalloverthecountrycametoBeijingandtookexamsforthreedayandnight.Thissystemwasabolishedin1905.(Behindthehallofpreservingharmony)thisisthelar

52、geststonecarvinginthepalace.Itis16.73meterslong,3.07meterswideand1.7metersthick.Itweighsabout200tons.TheblockwasquarriedinFangshanCounty,roughly70kilometersaway.TotransportsuchahugeblocktoBeijing,laborersdugwellsalongtheroadsidehalfakilometerapart,andusedthegroundwatertomakearoadoficeinthewinter.Rol

53、lingblockswereusedinthesummer.In1760,EmperorQianlongoftheQingDynastyorderedthecarvingoftheexistingcloudanddragondesigninplaceoftheoldonewhichdatedbacktotheMingDynasty.Note:Fromhere,thetourcanbeconductedviathreedifferentroutes:awesternroute(RouteA),acentralroute(RouteB)oraneasternroute(RouteC).Thecom

54、mentaryforeachfollows.RouteALadiesandGentleme n:Yo uhavesee nthethreemai nhallsoftheForbidde nCity.Nowldliketoshowyouaroundthehallofmentalcultivationandtheimperialgarden.ThehallofmentalcultivationissituatedisinthewesternpartoftheinnermostenclosureandissymmetricaltoFengxian(enshrinementofforebears)Ha

55、llintheeast.ThishallwasbuiltduringtheMingDynasty.lTisaH-shapedstructureconsistingofanantechamberandamainbuilding.Thehallissurroundedbycorridors.lnfrontofthehallistheOfficeofPrivyCouncil.BeforeEmperorKangxiofQingtheDynastycametopowertheHallofHeavenlyPurityservedasthelivingquarteroftheemperors.Emperor

56、Yongzhengchosetoliveinthishallandattendedtoeverydaystateaffairsfromhere.Forthesakeofprotectingculturalrelics,thishallisnotopentothepublic.Youcanhavealookattheinsidefromthedoor.Thecentralhallwastheaudiencechamberwheretheemperorreadmemorials,grantedaudiencetoofficialsandsummonedhisminstersforconsultat

57、ion.Thewesternchamberofthehallwaswheretheemperorreadreportsanddiscussedmilitaryandpoliticalaffairs.ThehallconsistsofmanyinnerroomsandisdecoratedwithimagesofBuddhaandminiaturepagodas.OnthescreenwalltherehangsapictureoftwoemperorsintheHancostume.Inasouthernroomtherethreerarecalligraphicscrolls,henceth

58、enameoftheroomSanxitang(RoomofThreeRareTreasures).TheroomontheeasternsideisofhistoricalinterstbecauseitwasherethatEmpressDowagerCixiusurpedpowerandmadedecisionsonbehalfoftheyoungemperor.Abamboocurtainwasusedtoseparatethem.EmpressDowageCixiwasbor nin 1835in Lua nPrefectureofsha nxiprovi nce.ShesofMa

59、nchuria nn atio nalitya ndherfatherwasaprovi ncialgovernorfromsouthChina.Whenshewas17yearsold,shewasselectedtobecomeaconcubineofEmperorXianfengandmovedintotheForbiddenCity.Shegavebirthtoasonwhenshewas21yearsoldandwasmadeaconcubinethefollowingyear.Whentheemperorpassedawayinthesummerof1861,hersonascen

60、dedthethroneandtitleofCixi,meaningHolyMotherwasconferreduponherandshebecametheEmpressDowager.InthatsameyearEmpressDowagerCixicarriedoutacountcoupdetatandruledbehindthesceneswithanotherempressdowager,Cian,for48years.Shepassedawayin1908attheageof73.Itwasinreferencetothissituationthatthetermattendingto