Travel in Chinese Lesson 51 The Great Wall 1

在黄家雪梅、黄人豪、小杰商量爬长城的事情）

小杰：爸爸，你知道孟姜女的故事吗？

黄：当然知道了。

雪梅：你可不知道，自从她昨天上课的时候学了这个故事，现在逢人就问。

小杰：爸爸，既然你知道这个故事，就带我去长城玩儿吧，来北京这么久，我还没去过呢。

雪梅：老公，我正琢磨周末去哪儿呢？要不我们就带小杰去一趟长城吧。

小杰：太好了！爸爸，你说我们能不能找到当年孟姜女哭长城的地方？

雪梅：那只不过是个传说而已，你还当真了。

黄：来，小杰，我考考你，你知道孟姜女是什么时候的人吗？

小杰：让我想想，你难不倒我的，是秦朝的。

黄：对啊，而我们现在可以看到的长城主要是明代修建的。

小杰：这么说，传说里的长城和现在看到的长城根本就不是一回事儿。

黄：对，你真聪明。

雪梅：老公，刚才你说现在看到的主要是明长城，那么明朝以后就不再修了吗？

黄：基本上是这样的，从清朝初期开始便不再修长城了。

小杰：那为什么呢？

黄：想知道答案啊，你要先回答我一个问题，你知道为什么要修长城吗？

小杰：我们老师说是为了帮助人们打仗用的。

雪梅：说实话，我真怀疑长城在战争中能起多大的作用？

黄：在以前，长城的确对人们很有帮助，但到了清朝，它已经挡不住现代的枪炮了。

雪梅：哦，怪不得清朝的时候已经不再修长城了呢。

小杰：爸爸，你说长城有多长啊，有人说在月球上都能看见长城呢。

黄：想知道长城有多长，你去了以后不就知道了吗？

小杰：听你这么一说，我都等不及了，恨不得马上就飞过去看看。

黄：飞？哈哈，看你，都急成这样了。

小杰：好吧，现在开始倒计时。

雪梅：你还是先去写作业吧。离周末还有好几天呢。
 

Translation:

（The family are discussing about going to the Great Wall.）

Xiao: Dad, do you know the story of Meng Jiangnv?

H: Of’ course I do.

M: You know what, since she learned the story in class, she keeps asking about it.

Xiao: Dad, can you take me to the Great Wall, since you know this story? I’ve been in Beijing for a while but I haven’t been to the Great Wall.

X: Dear, I was wondering wher to go at the weekend. Then, how about we take Xiaojie to the Great Wall?

Xiao: Great. Dad, do you think we can still find the place wher Meng Jiangnv’s tears swept away the Great Wall?

X: That’s only a legend. Don’t take it seriously.

H: Come, Xiaojie. Let me test you. Do you know which dynasty Meng Jiangnv was from?

Xiao: Let me see. Qin Dynasty. You won’t get me.

H: Right. But the part of the Great Wall we see today was mainly built in the Ming Dynasty.

Xiao: Then, the Great Wall in the legend and the Great Wall we see today are totally different.

H: Yes. How clever you are!

X: Dear, just now you said that the part of the Great Wall we see today was mainly built in the Ming Dynasty. Does it mean that the wall-building completely stopped after that?

H: It’s generally like that. Starting from the Qing Dynasty, no more of the Great Wall was built.

Xiao: Why?

H: Do you want to know the answer? Let me ask you a question first. Do you know why the Great Wall was built?

Xiao: Our teacher told us that it was used to help people in battle.

X: Frankly speaking, I really doubt the role the Great Wall played in war.

H: The Great Wall was very helpful before the Qing Dynasty. But after that, with the coming of guns and cannons, it became useless.

X: Oh, no wonder the wall-building stopped in the Qing Dynasty.

Xiao: Dad, how long is the Great Wall? It is said you can even see it from the moon.

H: If you really want to know, go and see it for yourself.

X: After what you’ve said, I can’t wait. I have an urge to fly there right away.

H: Fly? Haha, look, how excited you are!

Xiao: I don’t care what you say, as long I see the Great Wall as soon as possible.

X: Go and do your homework. There are several days to go before the weekend.

Xiao: It’s no fun.
 

Bookmarks

1)的确，确实 really, indeed

例）四川菜的确很辣。

Sichuan food really is quite hot.

例）逛庙会的确很有意思。

It ’s really interesting to go to a temple fair.

2)根本 simply, fundamentally

例）今年冬天根本就不冷。

It’s not cold at all this winter.

例）他做的菜根本就不好吃。

His cooking is really bad.

Sign Posts

Meng Jiangnu

In this lesson we heard about the tale of Meng Jiangnu, perhaps the most famous tale about the Great Wall. Like many fables, there are slightly different versions that have been told over the years. The story dates from the Qin Dynasty, when China was first unified into one country over 2000 years ago. This is the time when smaller walls from various kingdoms were joined into one Great Wall under the orders of Qin Shihuang, the first Emperor of China. He is regarded in Chinese history as a great military leader who unified China, but a very cruel and harsh leader as well. At this time, many soldiers were conscripted into the army against their will and treated as slave labour.

Meng Jiangnu was a beautiful woman who lived in Jiangsu province, far from the capital of China at the time and far from the Great Wall, which ran along the northern boundary of the empire. She had just been married a few days when her husband was suddenly conscripted into the army and taken away by force. Their young marriage was torn apart, and Meng Jiangnu cried every day.

Months later, as winter arrived, she prepared some winter clothing for her husband and started off to find him. It was a long journey to the northern regions so far from her home, and at first she had no idea wher she might find him. Eventually, she met some labourers who told her they had worked with her husband building the Great Wall nearby. When she asked of his wherabouts, she was told that he had died just a month ago from exhaustion and starvation. So many workers had died during the building of the wall that they were forced to simply bury the bodies inside the wall as it was built.

Meng Jiangnv went to this place along wall and cried and cried for several days. Suddenly there was a loud crack and the wall broke open. She found the remains of her husband along with all the other workers, and was thus able at least to give him a proper burial. It’s a story of undying love, and the power of love to overcome all obstacles.

Substitution and Extension

1)V+不及

例）烤鸭有你说得那么好吃吗？我已经等不及要去尝尝了。

Is Peking Duck really as good as you say? I can hardly wait to taste it.

例）快点儿吧，要不然我们会来不及上火车的。

Hurry up! Otherwise, we will miss the train.

2)......而已 nothing more

例）我只不过随便说说而已，你还当真了。

I was just speaking casually. You took it seriously.

例）别生气，只是开个玩笑而已。

Don't be angry. We were just kidding.