北京天安门英语导游词
Tian’anmen( the Gate of Heavenly Peace), is located in the center of Beijing. It was first built in 1417 and named Chengtianmen( the Gate of Heavenly Succession). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was seriously damaged by war. When it was rebuilt under the Qing in 1651, it was renamed Tian’anmen, and served as the main entrance to the Imperial City, the administrative and residential quarters for court officials and retainers. The southern sections of the Imperial City wall still stand on both sides of the Gate. The tower at the top of the gate is nine-room wide and five –room deep. According to the Book of Changes, the two numbers nine and five, when combined, symbolize the supreme status of a sovereign.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tian’anmen was the place where state ceremonies took place. The most important one of them was the issuing of imperial edicts, which followed these steps:
1) The Minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian( Hall of Supreme Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The minister would then carry the decree on a yunpan( tray of cloud), and withdraw from the hall via Taihemen( Gate of supreme Harmony)
2) The Minister would put the tray in a miniature longting( dragon pavilion). Beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen( Meridian Gate), to Tian’anmen Gate tower.
3) A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict. The civil and military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the tower would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting for the decree to the proclaimed.
4) The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped wooden box and lower it from the tower by means of a silk cord. The document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites.
5) The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole country.
Such a process was historically recorded as “ Imperial Edict Issued by Golden Phoenix”.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties Tian’anmen was the most important passage. It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.
On the Westside of Tian’anmen stands ZhongshanPark( Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Park), and on the east side, the Working People’s Cultural Palave. The Park was formerly called Shejitan( Altar of Land and Grain), built in 1420 for offering sacrificial items to the God of Land. It was opened to the public as a park in 1914 and its name was changed in 1928 to the present one in memory of the great pioneer of the Chinese Democratic Revolution.
The Working People’s Cultural Palace used to be Taimiao( the Supreme Ancestral Temple), where tablets of the deceased dynastic rulers were kept.
The stream in front of Tian’anmen is called Waijinshuihe( Outer Golden River),with seven marble bridges spanning over it . Of these seven bridges,historical records say the middle one was for the exclusive use of the emperor and was accordingly called Yuluqiao( Imperial Bridge). The bridges flanking it on either side were meant for the members of the royal family and were therefore called Wanggongqiao( Royal’s Bridges). Farther away on each side of the two were bridges for officials ranking above the third order and were named Pinjiqiao( ministerial Bridges). The remaining two bridges were for the use by the retinue below the third order and wre called Gongshengqiao( common Bridges). They anr the one in front of the Supreme Ancestral Temple to the east and the one in front of the Altar of land and Grain to the west.
The two stone lions by the Gate of Tian’anmen, one on each side were meant as sentries. They gaze toward the middle axis, guarding the emperor’s walkway. In front of the gate stands a pair of marble columns called Huabiao. They are elaborately cut in bas-relief following the pattern of a legendary dragon. Behind the gate stands another pair of similar columns. The story of Huabiao may be traced to a couple of sources. One of the versions accredits its invention to one of the Chinese sage kings named Yao, who was said to have set up a wooden pillar in order to allow the ordinary people to expose evil-doers, hence it was originally called a slander pillar. Later it ws reduced to a signpost, and now it serves as an ornament.
The beast sitting on the top of the column is called” hou”, a legendary animal, which is said to have been a watcher of an emperor’s behaviour. He was doing such duties as warning the emperor against staying too long outside the palace or indulging in pleasure and urging him to go to the people for their complaints or return in due time. Therefore, the two pairs of beasts were given the names” Wangjunhui”( Expecting the emperor’s coming back) and “ wangjunchu”( Expecting the emperor’s going out) respectinvely.
In the old days, Tian’anmen, as a part of the Imperial City, was meant for important occasions. The two rows of chaofang( antechamber), on the sides behind the main gate, wre reserved for civil and military members of the government waiting for imperial audience and in front of the gate, were offices of imperial administration.
On October 1, 1949, chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed on Tian’anmen Rostrum the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Since then Tian’anmen has been the symbol of New Chine\a. Chairman Mao’s portrait is hung above the central entrance, flanked by two slogans:” Long Live the Great Unity of the Peoples of the World”. Today , the splendour of Tian’anmen attracts million of visitors from all over the world. The Rostrum on its top was opened in 1988 to the public for the first time in its history. It offers a panoramic view of the Square and the city proper.
Tian’anmen Square
Situated due south of Tian’anmen, the Square has an area of 44 hectares( 109 acres) that can accommodate as many as one million people for public gatherings. It has witnessed may historical events in China’s modern history and is a place for celebrations on such festive days as international Labour Day on May 1st and national Day on October 1st.
Around the Square are several famous buildings:
1 The Great Hall of the People
This is one of the largest congressional buildings in the world. Built in 1959, the hall consists of three parts: a 10,000-seat auditorium in the center, a banquet hall in the north wing facing Chang’an Street, with a seating capacity of 5,000, and offices for the Standing Committee of the National Peoples’ Congress of China in the south. In addition, thirty-four reception chambers are named after various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly unde the Central Government, plus Hong Kong and Macao. Each is different from the other in decoration and furnishings to stress their local features.
2 The Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution
These two museums were also built in 1959. the museum of Chinese History houses a permanent exhibition in four parts, covering the entire process of Chinese history spanning from 1.7 million years ago to 1919:
1) The Primitive Society( 1.7 million years ago to the 21st century BC);
2) The Slave Society(21st century BC to 476 BC.);
3) The Feudal Society(475 BC. To 1840 AD.);
4) The Semi-Colonial and Semi- Fedual Society(1840 to 1919.)
The Museum of the Chinese Revolution covers the period from 1919 to 1949.
3 The Monument to the People’s Heroes
the monument was built in memory of thousands of martyrs who died for the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people. Its construction began on August 1, 1952 and was not completed until 1958. in the form of an obelisk, the Monument as made of more than 17,000 pieces of tranite and white marble. The purple piece inlaid in the front of the Monument was brought from Qingdao, Shandong Province. It is 38 meters(124ft 8 in) high, the loftiest of its kind ever seen in the country. Not only is it an historic memorial for immortal heroes, but also it is an artistic work of excellent architectural value.
On the front side of the Monument is an engraved inscription in Chinese characters written by Chairman Mao Zedong, which reads” Eternal Glory to the People’s Heroes!”. On the back of the Monument is an article written by Chairman Mao, but in Chinese calligraphy by the late Premier Zhou Enlai.
At the top of the Monument are eight gigantic carved wreathes of such flowers as peony, lotus and chrysanthemum, symbolizing nobility, purity, and fortitude. At the base of the monument are eight marble reliefs depicting the Chinese historic events since 1840. They are:
1) The Burning of Opium in 1840:
2) The uprising of 1851 in Jintian, Guangxi;
3) The Revolution of 1911;
4) The May Fourth Movement of 1919;
5) The May 30th Movement of 1925;
6) The Uprising of 1927 in Nanchang, Jiangxi;
7) The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from 1937 to 1945;
8) The Victorious Crossing over the Yangtze River by the Peoples’s Liberation Army in 1949. This relief is flanked by two smaller ones—“ Supplying the Front” and “ Greeting the P.L.A.”.
4 Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum
Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Pepublic of China, passed away on Sepember 9, 1976. In commemoration of this great man, a mausoleum began to be constructed in November 1976, and was completes in August the following year. The Mausoleum was officially opened on September 9, 1977.
The mausoleum is surrounded by four groups of sculpture. East of the northern entrance is the sculpture depicting the period of the New Democratic Revolution( 1919-1949), and west of it is the one signifying the great achievements of the Chinese people during the period of slcialist revolution and construction since 1949. The sculptures in front of the southern gate are figures of workers, peasants soldiers, intellectuals, technicians and children.
Inside the Mausoleum are three main sections: A white marble statue of Chairman Mao is mounted on a platform in the front lobby. On the wall behind the statue is a 24-metre-long( 79-foot-long) tapestry, a fine needlepoint work with beautiful landscapes of the country.
In the main hall there is a crystal coffin, in which Chairman Mao’s body lies stately with the Communist Party’s flag covering over him.
On the wall of the southern lobby, a poem by Chairman Mao and in his own calligraphy is inscribed in gold inlay. It expresses his full great expectations for the country.
Tian’ anmen Square has now completed its renovation after eight months’ hard work to welcome the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic in 1999.
北京十三陵英语导游词
he Ming Tombs are 40 kilometers north of Beijing City on the southern slopes of Tianshou Mountain. They are the burial grounds of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. In July 2022 the site was designated a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO.
Empress Xu died in the 5th year of Yongle (1407). Zhu Di sent
Zhao Hong, secretary of the Ministry of Rites and a geomancer----Liao Junqing along with many others to Beijing in search of an auspicious place for the tombs. It is said that this group of people first selected the area of Tu Jia Ying, which means slaughter-house, and as such, it couldnt be used as the burial ground. Next they selected the foot of Yangshan Mountain, Changping. However, since the surname of the emperor (Zhu) is a homophone for pig and because a village named wolf mouth ravine was located there, they decided against using that area. Later, they found Yan-jiatai west of Beijing. Again, since Yanjia was the homonym of the death of the emperor, it was also deemed unsuitable. It was not until the 7th year of Yongle (1409), that they finally chose the present Heavenly Longevity Mountain as their cemetery grounds.
The whole area covers 40 square kilometers. It has mountains to its east, west and north, and Dragon Mountain and Tiger Mountain are on either side of its southern entrance. The 13 tombs go from north to south. They are arranged in the manner of the Imperial Palace, with the administration area in the front and living quarters in the rear. In front of the tombs are divine passes, stone archways and steel towers. The Precious City and Ming Tower stand over the Underground Palace.
There were 16 emperors during the Ming Dynasty. Buried in the Ming tombs, are 13 Ming emperors and 23 empresses, as well as many concubines, princes, princesses and maids. The other 3 emperors, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Qiyu are buried in other locations.
The founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, established his capital in present day Nanjing where he was buried after his death. His tomb is called Xiaoling (Tomb of Filial Piety).
The body of the second emperor of the Ming, Zhu Yunwen, is missing. Some said that he died in a fire, while others said that he went to a temple and became a monk. There is no final conclusion yet.
The seventh Ming Emperor Zhu Qiyu, was buried as a prince by his elder brother Zhu Qizhen at Jinshankou, a western suburb of Beijing, because in the Tumubao Upheaval, Emperor Zhu Qizhen became a captive and the younger brother of Zhu Qizhen. Zhu Qiyu was chosen as the new emperor, but later Zhu Qizhen was back and proclaimed his re-enthronement in the Seizing Gate Upheaval.
The Memorial Arch was built in the 19th year of Jiajing (1540) as a symbol of the Ming Tombs. It is 14 meters high and 28. 86 meters wide, and has 5 arches supported by 6 pillars with beautiful bas-relief carvings of lions, dragons and lotus flowers. The Memorial Arch is the biggest and the most exquisite stone arch preserved in the country today. The major designs of dragon and cloud decorations reflect the character of imperial architecture. In addition, it also demonstrates the skillful artistry of the Ming craftsmen.
The Big Palace Gate is the front gate of the Ming Tombs, and is more commonly known as Big Red Gate. Facing south, there are three arch entrances to the gate, the main inlet to the Ming Tombs. Flanking the gate are two stone tablets, inscribed with orders for the emperor, officials and other people to dismount, before entering into the tomb area. If they did not obey, they would be punished for their disrespect. The rules governing the Ming Tombs in the Ming Dynasty, stipulate that one who sneaks into the tomb area to pick firewood and break twigs would be flogged. Those who came to fetch dirt and stone would be beheaded. Those who entered arbitrarily into the tomb area would be flogged a hundred times.
The Tablet House was built in the 10th year of Xuande (1435), and stands about 10 meters high with two tiers of eaves. A huge tablet stands in the middle of the Tablet House. The front side bears an inscription by Emperor Renzong for Chengzu. The reverse side is a poem by Qing Emperor Qianlong recording in detail the conditions of the broken Changling, Yongling, Dingling and Xiling. On the east side is the record of expenditures for repairing the Ming Tombs by the Qing government. On the west side is an epitaph by Qing Emperor Jiaqing. It was written in the 9th year of Jiaqing (1804) describing the cause of the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
On the north side of the Tablet House, stands a group of stone carvings (36 in all). Behind the house, there are two stone pillars. Beyond the pillars are stone animals and other statues. Lions, Xie Zhi, camels, elephants, and Qi Lin horses .All of the animals are in two pairs. Two stand, while the other two kneel. It is followed by the statues of military officers, civil officials and officials of merit, four in each group. These stone animals and statues were made in the 10th year of Xuande (1435). They reflect the imperial power when he was alive and the imperial dignity after he was deceased. The animals and statues were created using whole blocks of stone weighing a couple of tons and each was delicately and masterfully carved.
Here stands Ling Xing Gate, also known as the unique Dragon and Phoenix Gate, with the meaning of the Gate of Heaven. The gate is pierced with six door leaves, attached to three archways. The top of the central section of the three archways is decorated with flames and precious pearl, so it is also known as the Flame Archway. To the north of the Dragon and Phoenix Gate there lays a seven-arch marble bridge, leading to the gate of Changling. To the east of the seven-arch bridge stands an old five-arch bridge, which was the original site of the seven-arch bridge.
Actually we are standing on the axle line of the Ming Tombs, otherwise known as the Sacred Way or the Tomb path. We passed the Memorial Arch, the Big Palace Gate, the Tablet House, Sacred Way, stone animals and statues, and Ling Xing Gate. This seven-kilometer long sacred pathway leads from south to north, all the way to the Gate of Changling.
Now, we are moving to Chang Ling. Changling is the first tomb built in the Ming Tombs area, covering 10 hectares and containing Emperor Zhu Di and his empress Xu.
Zhu Di (Chengzu) of the Ming Dynasty was the fourth son of the first Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, born in 1360. Zhu Di was conferred the title of the prince of Yan in the 3rd year of Hongwu (1370). He was appointed at Beiping. After the death of Zhu Yuanzhang (the first Ming Emperor), Zhu Di used the pretext of eliminating evil officials at the side of Emperor Jianwen to lead an army expedition down south to Nanjing. He seized the throne in the 4th year of Jianwen (1402) and ascended the throne in June inside the Hall of Ancestral Worship in Nanjing. Zhu Di was an emperor of outstanding accomplishment in the Ming Dynasty. As soon as he became the prince of Yan, he led the generals out to battle. He had great achievements in calming down the north. After he took over his nephews power and became the emperor, he still went out to battle throughout the country and consolidated the rule of the Ming Dynasty. He made the important decision to move the capital to Beijing. During the rule of Zhu Di, magnificent developments were made in the economy, culture and in diplomacy. In terms of culture, Zhu Di successively sent Grand Academician Xie Jin, Yan Guangxiao and others to compile the Yongle encyclopedia. The book has become the largest book ever complied in Chinese history. For expanding external exchanges and trade, Zhu Di selected eunuch Zheng He to lead a large fleet filled with precious gold, silver, silk and satins to sail to southeast Asia and Africa seven times in the early years of Yongle.
Empress Xu was buried together with Emperor Zhu Di in Changling. Empress Xushi was the eldest daughter of Xu Da who was one of the founding fathers of the Ming Dynasty. Throughout her lifespan, Xu Shi complied 20 articles of internal lectures and a book advising to be good, so as to cultivate peoples minds. She was the very first one to be buried in Changling and in the Ming Tomb area.
The Hall of Eminent Favor in Changling is the best preserved among the thirteen tombs. It is a valuable relic of ancient Chinas wooden structures. It is nine rooms wide and five rooms long, a hall size rarely seen in China. The roof is made of top-class double eaves and there are multiple rooms covered with yellow glazed tiles. The hall is supported by 60 thick Nanmu pillars, the middle four in the hall are the thickest, the diameter of each one can reach over one meter. It is known as the best Nanmu (phoebe) hall in the country.
Now we are going to Dinging. Dingling is located at the east foot of Dayu Mountain. Buried here are the 13th Ming Emperor Wanli (Zhu Yijun) and his two empresses Xiaoduan and Xiaojing. Zhu Yijun was the longest on the throne of the Ming Emperors. (He was emperor for 48 years). He was the greediest and laziest emperor in the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yijun ascended the throne at the age of 9. After he came to power, he was supported by the chief minister Zhang Juzheng. At this time, various aspects of society gained development.
Later ,Zhang Juzheng died of illness. Not long after Wanli managed state affairs on his own, he used the chance to select the location for his tomb site when he went to pay homage to the ancestors tombs. He spent eight million taels of silver (250,000 kilos of silver) and six years to build a high quality tomb Dingling. After the Dingling was completed, Zhu Yijun personally went to inspect it, and felt very satisfied with the result. He went so far as to hold a grand banquet in the Underground Palace, which was unheard of in history.
Zhu Yijun was a typical muddle-headed emperor. Reflecting on his reign, he did not pay attention to state affairs for 28 out of his 48 year rule. The state organ was effectively semi-paralyzed during his reign. Later generations commented that the fall of the Ming dynasty was caused by this emperor.
Zhu Yijun had two empresses. Empress Xiaojing was originally a maid of Wanlis mother Cisheng. Later she gave birth to a son of the emperor. That son was the one-month emperor Guangzong (Zhu Changluo). She died of illness 9 years earlier than Shenzong died. She was buried as a concubine at Pinggangdi, around the east pit, at the Heavenly Longevity Mount. After Xiaojing was conferred the title of “grandmother of the emperor”, her body was moved to the Underground Palace of Dingling, and buried together with Emperor Wanli and Empress Xiaoduan on the same day. Xiaoduan was conferred the title of empress, but she could not give birth to either a son or a daughter to the emperor. Xiaoduan died of illness. A hundred days later, Emperor Wanli (Zhu Yijun) died too. Empress Xiaoduan, Emperor Wanli, and Empress Xiaojing were buried together in the Underground Palace.
The tablet in front of Dingling has no words on it. It is called the wordless tablet. There is a pair of coiling dragons along the top and a pattern of sea waves carved on the bottom. Its base is composed of a tortoise (Bixi). It is said that the dragon has nine sons. In twelve of the Ming Tombs, excluding Changling, all the tablets are wordless. Originally there were no tablet houses in front of the Tombs, but later the tablet houses and steeles of the first six tombs were completed. But the emperor Jiajing at the time indulged in drinking, lust and searching for longevity pills, so he had no time to pay attention on the inscriptions. Consequently the six tablets are wordless. And in keeping with this tradition, that’s why the tablets later on are also blank.
Now we are arriving at The Gate of Eminent Favor and the Hall of Eminent Favor of Dingling, The Hall of Eminent Favor is also called Hall of Enjoyment. It was the place where the emperor and his entourage held grand sacrificial rites. They were mostly destroyed when the Qing soldiers came. And they were destroyed again later, so now only the ruins remain.
Moving on, this is the exhibition rooms that were built after the excavation of the Underground Palace. The exhibition explains in detail the history of the tomb master and introduces the tomb excavation process. The exhibition rooms are divided into two parts, the south and the north. In the south room, on display are the sacrificial objects of Emperor Wanli unearthed from the Underground Palace. In the north room, on display are the sacrificial items of the two empresses. All of then are fancy and invaluable.
Now we arrive at The Soul Tower, this is the symbol of the tomb. It is a stone structure with colorful painted decorations. The Soul Tower and the Precious citadel of Dingling have never been damaged seriously. The Soul Tower is the best preserved architecture above the ground of Dingling. On top of the yellow, glazed tiled roof of the Soul Tower sits a big stone tablet. Two Chinese characters----Dingling, are carved on the tablet. Inside the Soul Tower, on top of another stone tablet, there are two big characters----the Great Ming written in seal characters. On the body of the tablet, seven Chinese characters-----Tomb of Emperor Shenzong Xian are carved. The Soul Tower is connected with the Precious Citadel. The Precious Citadel is a large round wall built with bricks. The Precious Citadel wall is 7.5 m high, and lower part is thick while the upper part is thin. The round walls perimeter is over 800 meters, and inside the wall is a large artificial mound, the emperors tomb mound, known as Precious Top.
Dingling is the only Ming Tomb to be excavated. Formal excavation work started in May 1956 and ended in 1958. First, the working personnel discovered an exposed gateway at the side wall to the southwest of the Precious Citadel of Dingling. So they dug the first tunnel facing the position of the gateway. At the bottom of the tunnel, they discovered a tunnel made of bricks. Three months later, along the direction of the tunnel, to the west of the Soul Tower, they dug the second tunnel. During the digging, they encountered with a stone tablet which inscribed the words from here 48. 8m forward and 10. 7m downward lies the precious wall. Therefore it gave the correct direction of opening up the Underground Palace.
According to the direction of the stone tablet, after digging the third tunnel, they found a stone tunnel. At last they got to the precious wall. Thus they opened the precious wall with a square stone room. To the west end of the room, lay two marble doors. The working personnel used a wire and wood plank to remove the self-acting stone bar, which was against the back of the door. With this method, they opened the entrance of the Underground Palace.
The palace has no beam which was built according to the principles of geomancy Altogether there are five chambers. The chambers are separated by seven marble doors. The Underground Palace is 27 meters deep, covering an area of 1,195 square meters. There is a same structure stone door in between the front, middle and rear chambers. The door is made of marble. The biggest marble door is 3. 3 meters high, 1.7 meters wide, 4 tons in weight. It looks heavy, but it is reasonably designed. The pivot of the stone door is inclined to the door axle, so the door is easy to open and close. On top of the door is a lintel (made of bronze) tube weighing about 10 tons to prevent the door from falling. Carved on the front of the marble door are 9 rows of 81 knobs and strange animals with rings in their mouths. Located on the reverse side, opposite the animals, is a protruding section that holds the doors self-acting stone bar.
The front and middle chambers are 7. 2 meters high and 6 meters wide. The floor is covered with gold bricks. According to records, the gold bricks are smooth and durable. The more you polish them, the brighter they become. There are no decorations in the front and two annex chambers. In the middle chamber, there are three marble thrones for Emperor Wanli and his two Empresses, known as the precious thrones. In the front of the thrones, there are five yellow glazed offerings and one blue-and-white porcelain jar of Jiajing Years style with a cloud-and-dragon design. It is about 0.7 meters in diameter. Originally there was sesame oil in the jar. On the surface of the oil was a copper tube with a wick inside. It is called the everlasting lamp. Due to the lack of oxygen, the light went out so the oil had not been used all.
The rear chamber is the biggest of the three. It is 9.5 meters high, 31 meters long, 9.l meters wide, the floor is paved with polished stones. In the rear chamber, there is a coffin platform edged with white marble. Placed on the platform are the coffins of Emperor Wanli and his two Empresses as well as 26 vermilion boxes filled with funeral objects.
In the middle of the coffin platform, there is a rectangular hole filled with soil called Gold Well. Putting jade stone around the coffin or inside the coffin or in the mouth of the deceased is called being buried with jade. Ancient people believed Gold Well was the pit of geomancy. It could prevent the body from decay for a long time. Being buried with jade on a Gold Well was the highest standard of entombment one could receive in the feudal era.
Originally the empresss coffin should have been placed in the rear chamber. Then why were the coffins of the two empresses also in the same chamber as the emperors? In 1620, first empress Xiaoduan died in April, then in July Emperor Wanli also died. After that, the son of Zhu Changluo died 29 days after his succession. In only a few months, two emperors and one empress had died in succession. In addition they had removed Empress Xiaojings coffin to Dingling. All the burdens of the funeral burials fell on the just enthroned Emperor Zhu Youjian. The preparation work was done in a hurried fashion (this was clearly recorded in historical documents). The rainy season had already arrived before the funeral could occur and the passage leading to the empress annex chamber may not have been convenient to open. So the coffins of the emperor, empresses all entered the Underground Palace through the front entrance. After the coffins entered the Underground Palace, since the passage to the annex chambers were narrow, the coffins of the empresses would not fit through it. So they had to put all the three coffins together into the rear chamber.
Now please follow me out of the underground palace. And our tour for today is completed. I hope you have found our time together informative and enjoyable. We now have half an hour for a rest, and then we will get together here at 4:00pm. Thank you.
北京颐和园英语导游词
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen:
My name is ｘｘ. I’m very honored to be youre guide. I do hope all of you could like my guiding and enjoy everything on your pleasant day. This morning we are going to visit the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is located on the northwest suburbs of Beijing, about 20 kilometers away from the center of the city. So it will take us about 1 hour to get there. Before we arrived at the Summer Palace, I would like to introduce you a brief introduction of the woderful imperial garden. The Summer Palace is the most beautiful and the largest imperial garden existing in Chinan, and it is the best-preserved imperial garden in the world. In 1998, it was placed on the List of World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO.
The Summer Palace was first built as an imperial garden at the beginning of 12th century in the Jin Dynasty. The construction continued to the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the Qing Dynasty, the building of imperial gardens reached its culmination. During Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the famous ‘Three Hills and Five Gardens’ were built on the northwest suburbs of Beijing. The Summer Palace was a part of it and at that time was called the Garden of Clear Ripples. In 1860, the Anglo-French Allied Forces invaded Beijing. The ‘Three Hills and Five Gardens’ were burnt down to ashes.
In 1888, the Empress Dowager Cixi spent the navy fund having the Garden of Clear Ripples rebuilt. And then she renamed it the Garden of Nurtured Harmony (Summer Palace).
In 1900, the Allied Forces of Eight Powers invaded Beijing. The Summer Palace was once again severely damaged. It was rebuilt again in 1902.
In 1924, the Last Emperor Puyi was driven out of the palace, after that, the Summer Palace was turned into a public park.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please look over there, in front of us is an archway. It is called “Emptiness and the collection of excellence”, and it is the first scenery of the Summer Palace. The two Chinese words on the front side of the archway mean emptiness and refer to everything in nature and in the scenery. The two words on the back side mean Collection of Excellence and refer to the tranquility of the beautiful scenery just within the garden.
(outside the East Palace Gate)
Now, we have arrived at the East Palace Gate. It’s the main entrance of the Summer Palace. On top of the gate there is a plaque with three Chinese characters ‘The Summer Palace’ in Emperor Guangxu’s handwriting. The gate that we are now entering was used by the emperor, the empress only in the old days.
(Inside the East Palace Gate)
Now we are inside the Summer Palace. In front of us is the second gate of the Summer Palace— the Gate of Benevolence and Longevity. The annex halls on both sides were used for officials on duty and the offices of the Privy Council. Well, Before we start our tour in the garden, I will briefly introduce you the layout of the Summer Palace and our tour route. O.K., ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? Let’s look at the map together, From it we can see the Summer Palace covers an area of 290 hectares, which the lake occupies the three-fourths. The whole garden can be divide into three parts: the area was for political activities, resting places of the emperor and empress, and sightseeing areas. Our tour will start from the area of the political activities, and end off the Marble Boat. On the way, we will visit the main constructions of the Summer Palace, such as the Hall of Jade Ripples, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, the Long Corridor, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds and so on. It will take us about two hours to visit the Summer Palace. Please attention, we won’t walk back and our driver will pick us up at the North Gate. Should you get lost or separated from the group, please meet us at the North Gate.
Ok, everyone, let’s start our tour from the emperors’ office --- the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. Follow me please.
(Inside the courtyard of the Benevolence and Longevity)
Passing through the Gate of Benevolence and Longevity, we have already entered the courtyard of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. The huge rock in front of us is Taihu Rock. It was quarried from Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province, so it was known as Taihu Rock. Please look around the courtyard and you can see there are four grotesque shaped rocks placed in each corner of this courtyard, representing the four seasons of the year. The Taihu Rocks are usually used as decoration for beautifying gardens and they are thin, crease, leak and penetration in characters.
The bronze mythical animal behind the Taihu Rock is known as Suanni or some people call it Qilin. According to ancient Chinese mythology, the dragon had nine sons, but none of them became a real dragon. Suanni was one of the nine sons of the dragon. It was an auspicious animal that could avoid evil spirits in ancient lengeds. Suanni has the head of dragon, the antlers of dear, the hooves of ox and the tail of lion.
(In front of the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity)
This grand hall is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It was first built in 1750. The name of this hall taken from a book entitled ‘Lun Yu’ by Confucius doctrine means, “ those who are benevolent can enjoy a long life.” This hall was the place where Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi held audience and handled state affairs when they were in the Summer Palace. For protecting the historical cultural relic, we couldn’t enter the hall. So I would like to briefly introduce you the decorations in the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. The arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. In the middle of the hall stands an emperor’s throne carved with nine dragons on design. There are two big fans on both sides behind the throne which are made of peacock feathers. Behind the throne there is a big screen with red sandalwood frame and glass mirror inlaid. On the mirror there are 226 Chinese characters of the word ‘Longevity’ written in different styles. There are two scrolls on each side of the wall with a big Chinese character ‘Longevity’ written on it. It was said that the word ‘Longevity’ written by Empress Dowager Cixi. There are 100 bats painted at the background of the scroll symbolizing happiness.
Well, please look up the two pairs of incense burners in the shape of a dragon and a phoenix in front of the hall. They were used to burn incense sticks to create the appropriate atmosphere. In the old days, the dragon and phoenix were the symbol of the emperor and empress. According to ritual, the dragons should be placed in the center while phoenixes were to either side in front of the hall.However, here, the dragons are off to the sides and the phoenixes are in the middle. This was a product of the end of Qing Dynasty when Empress Dowager Cixi handled state affairs behind the screen.
(At the entrance of Garden of virtuour Harmony)
We are now visiting the Garden of Virtuous Harmony, where Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi were entertained with Bejing Opera performances. It mainly consists of the Dressing House, the Grand Theater Building and the Hall of Pleasure Smile. The Grand Theater Building was known as the ‘Cradle of Beijing Opera’ was uniquely laid out and magnificently decorated. There are 7 exhibition halls with articles of daily use on display here.
(In front of the Grand Theater Building)
This is the Grand Theater Building. Of the three main theater buildings of the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Theater Building is the tallest and largest one. The other two are Changyin Pavilion in the Forbidden City and Qingyin Pavilion in the Mountain Resort in Chengde. The Grand Theater Building, a three-storied structure, has a double roof with upturned eaves. It is 21 meters high and 17 meters wide. Performances could be staged simultaneously on three levels. The top one was a symbol of happiness, the middle level was emolument level and the bottom stage was named longevity stage. Each level has the entrance and the exit. There are some trapdoors in the ceiling and below the floor for ‘celestial being’ to fly down from the sky and the ‘devils’ to appear from the earth to set off a certain atmosphere on the stage. There is also a well and five ponds built under the stage for a good effect of water scenes. The stage is open to three sides.
Well, please look at the construction that stands right opposite the Grand Theater Building, it’s the Hall of Pleasure Smile. The Empress Dowager Cixi used bo sit inside the hall to watch and enjoy the Peking Opera.
(A lakeside walk from the Garden of virtuous Harmony to the Hall of Jade Ripples)
We are now standing in the middle of a rockery behind the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It appears that there’s nothing special ahead. However, after we clear the rockery, we will reach Kunming Lake. This is an application of a specific style of Chinese
gardening.
Now, we are walking along the bank of the Kunming Lake. Look over there, not far away in the lake there is an islet. It’s called the Spring Heralding Islet. The pavilion on the islet is called the Spring Heralding Pavilion. A number of willow trees and peach trees were planted on this islet. In early spring, when the ice begins to melt, peach trees are red in pink blossoms, willow trees turn a tender green signaling that the early spring has returned. Hence the name ‘Heralding Sping Pavilion’.
(In front of the Hall of Jade Ripples)
This group of special and quiet courtyard dwellings is the Hall of Jade Ripples. The words “Jade Ripples” came from a verse “Gentle ripples gushing out of Jade Spring”, which refers to the rippling water in the lake. It was first used by Emperor Qianlong to attend to state affairs. In the late Qing Dynasty, it was where Emperor Guangxu was put under house arrest.
This hall is a hallmark of the Movement of 1898. Emperor Guangxu was Emperor Dowager Cixi’s nephew. After Emperor Tongzhi died, Emperor Dowager Cixi made her nephew, who was at that time four years old a successor in order to continue her hold on imperial power. She ‘handled state affairs behind the screen’. After Emperor Guangxu ‘managed state affairs personally’ at the age of 19, a political conflict occurred between the conservatives and the reformers. In 1898, the Reform Movement took place with the aim of sustaining the core principles of the Qing Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The movement lasted for103 days until it was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi. It was called the ‘Hundred-Day Reform’. After the reform failed, Emperor Guangxu was put under house arrest here. For the strict control of him, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered to build many brick walls in the front, back, and on the right and left of the Hall of Jade Ripples. At that time the hall was entirely sealed up, just like a prison. Today only the hidden walls in the east and west annex room still maintain its original appearance. It is open to visitors as the relic related to the 1898 Reform Movement.
(In front of the Chamber of Collecting Books)
This is the Chamber of Collecting Books. In Chinese, it’s called “Yi Yun Guang”. “Yun” was a kind of fragrant weed. In ancient times, it was usually used as termite repellent in rooms where books were stored.In the Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the purpose of the hall was for collecting books. Later it was converted into a residence. There used to be the residence of Guangxu’s Empress Longyu, and his favorite concubine Zhenfei.
(In the Hall of Happiness and Longevity)
This group of courtyard is the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. It was the major architectural structure in the living quarters and the residence of Empress Dowager Cixi. The whole compound was basically made of wood, which is ideal for ventilation and lighting. With its quiet and tasteful layout, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity made life very easy and convenient. In front of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity there is a huge rock placed in the middle of this courtyard named “Qing Zhi Xiu” and nicknamed as “Family Bankruptcy Rock”. This huge rock was discovered in Fangshan District by a Ming official Mi Wanzhong. He wanted to transport it to his own garden “Shaoyuan”. In the old days, transporting such rock was very difficult. After spending all his money to ship it, he still could not succeed in doing this. The big rock was then left on the roadside somewhere near Liangxiang County, 30 kilometers southwest of Beijing. Hence it was nicknamed “Family Bancruptcy Rock”. Later Emperor Qianlong discovered it and transported to the Garden of Clear Ripples and laid in front of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. The colorful glass chandeliers hanging inside the hall was introduced from Germany in 1903. It is one of the earliest electric lights in China.
(In front of the Gate of Inviting the Moon of the Long Corridor)
Ladies and Gentlemen, you may have visited some of the best museums in the world, such as the Louvre in France and the Museum of Great Britain. Now I will show you a special gallery in the palace—the Long Corridor. In 1990, the Long Corridor was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as ‘the longest painted corridor’ in the world’. It would be a pity if we leave the Summer Palace without visiting the Long Corridor and the Marble Boat. Now, here we go, the Long Corridor first!
(Strolling along the Long Corridor)
The Long Corridor starts from the Gate Inviting the Moon to the Shizhang Gate. It is 728 meters long and consists of 273 sections. The Long corridor is one of the major structures of the Summer Palace. Since the corridor was designed to follow the physical features of the southern slope of Longevity Hill, four multiple-eaved, octagonal pavilions ( Retaining the Goodness Pavilion, Living with the Ripples Pavilion, Autumn Water Pavilion, Clear and Far Pavilion) were placed at bends and undulation, they represent four seaons of a year. Thus visitors will hardly notice the rise and fall of the terrain. As a major part of the architectural style of the Summer Palace, the Long Corridor serves as an ingenious connector between the Lake and the Hill. Scattered buildings on the southern slope were linked to create a unified complex.
The Long Corridor is the longest covered veranda in any Chinese garden. On the purlins and beams of the covered veranda, there are over 14,000 Suzhou style paintings. Among them, there are 546 color paintings relating to the scenes of West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Beside the colorful paintings of natural scenery, there are also scenes of flowers, birds, fish, insects, mythology and figures. The paintings of figures are mainly adapted from ancient Chinese classical literature, such as ‘Pilgrimage to the West’, ‘The Romance of the Three Kingdoms’, ‘The western Chamber’, “Water Margin’, and ‘The Dream of the Red Mansion’.
(In front of the Gate of Dispelling Clouds)
Now we are approaching the central part of the structures on the lakeside slope, the Tower of Buddhist Incense within the Hall of Dispelling Clouds. The central axis line starts from the wharf next to the lake to the Sea of Wisdom on top of the Hill. The main architectural structures here are the Gate of Dispelling Clouds, Hall of Dispelling clouds, Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Sea of Wisdom, which altogether form a splendid three-dimensional landscape. The layout of this group of architectures was based on scenes described in Buddhist sutras. This group of structures are among the most magnificently constructed here in the Summer Palace. This is a good place to taking photos, we will stay here for about 15 minutes.
Now we are walking continuely along the Long Corridor, the next scene we are going to visit is Marble Boat.
Look over there! Halfway up the slope there stands the Hall of Listening to Orioles. It was the place for emperor and empress to enjoy opera and court music. It is said the singing of orioles is very pleasing. Before the Garden of Virtuous Harmony was built, Empress Dowager Cixi enjoyed opera and music here. Now the hall is one of the most famous restaurants in China, featuring imperial dishes and desserts.
This is the famous Marble Boat. A famous scientist of China’s Eastern Han Dynasty once said, “Water can float the boat, but it can also tip it over.” A prime minister of Tang Dynasty Wei Zheng once used these words to persuade Li Shimin, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He said people are water and the emperor is the boat. People can support a good emperor. However, they also can overthrow the dynasty. Emperor Qianlong built this huge boat in the Garden in order to make the allusion concrete. On one hand, Emperor Qianlong encouraged himself to run the country well. On the other hand, he wanted to show that his rule of the Qing Dynasty was as firm as the Marble Boat and there was no fear of overturning the boat. The Marble Boat was the place for Emperor Qianlong to sample tea and enjoy the scenery of Kunming Lake. Emperor Qianlong once came here to engage in the freeing of captive animals. In the times of Qianlong, the Marble Boat was a Chinese styled stone boat with a Chinese style wooden superstructure on the top of it. When it was rebuilt in the times of Guangxu, a foreign and Chinese elements mixed resulting in two wheels to be added to the boat, one on each side. The floor was paved with colored bricks. All of the windows were inlaid with multiple-colored glass. A big mirror was installed on the superstructure for viewing rain.
Our tour is drawing to a close after we visited the Marble Boat. Today we only visited the major scenic spots of the Summer Palace. I have left other spots of interest for your next visit. I will now show you out through the Ruyi Gate. Our coach is waiting for us outside the gate. I do hope you enjoyed today’s tour. Thank you.
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