北京颐和园英文导游词（1）东宫门----佛香阁
2006-09-23 10:13阅读：
(Out side the east gate)东宫门外
Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to the Summer Palace. (After the
self-introduction of the guide -interpreter) I hope this will be an
interesting and enjoyable day for you .
During our tour, you will be introduced to time honored historical
and cultural traditions, as well as picturesque views and
landscapes.
The construction of the Summer Palace first started in 1750. At
that time, the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday and China was a
powerful Asian country with vast territories. The monarch in power
then was Emperor Qianlong. With supreme power and large sums of
money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans from all over
the country to carry out this construction work in honor of his
mother `s birthday. After 15 years and one seventh of the nation` s
annual revenue spent, the Garden of Clear Ripples was completed and
served as a testimony to China` s scientific and technological
achievements. In 1
860, this vast royal garden was burnt down along with the Yuanming
Yuan (Garden of Perfection and Brightness) by Angol-French allied
forces. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi reconstructed the garden on
the same site and renamed it the Garden of Nurtured Harmony (Summer
Palace). Characterized by its vast scope and rich cultural
embodiments, the Summer Palace has become one of the most famous
tourist sites in the world.
This is the main entrance to the Summer Palace-the East Gate On top
of the eaves of the door there is a plaque bearing a Chinese
inscription which means “Garden of Nurtured Harmony” , whose
calligrapher was Emperor Guangxu. The gate that you are now
entering was used exclusively by the emperor, the empress and the
queer mother. All others used the side doors.
(Inside the East Gate)东宫门内 the Summer
Palace can be divided into two parts: Longevity Hill and Kunming
Lake .The whole garden covers an area of 290 hectares, of whih
three- fourths consists of a lake and rivers .This imperial garden
features 3,000 room-units and covers an expanse of 70,000 square
meters with more than 100 picturesque spots of interest. The layout
of the Summer Palace includes three groups of architectures:
palaces where the emperor attended to state affairs, resting
palaces of the emperor and empress, and sightseeing areas. Entering
the East Gate we will come the the office quarters. Entering the
East gate we will come to the office quarters. The annex halls on
both sides were used for officials on duty.
This is the Gate of Benevolence and Longevity. Above the door there
is a plaque bearing the same name in both Chinese and Manchurian
characters. The gigantic rock in the foreground is known as Taihu
rock, or eroded limestone, quarried in Jiangsu Province and placed
here to decorated the garden.
On the marble terrace sits a bronze mythical beast, known as Qilin
or Xuanni . It was said to the one of the nine sons of Dragon King.
A point of peculiar interest is that it has the head of a dragon,
antlers of a deer, the tail of a lion and hooves of a ox, and is
covered with a unique skin. IT was considered an auspicious
creature that brought peace and prosperity.
This grand hall is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It was
built in 1750 , and was known as the Hall of Industrious
Government. Emperor Qianlong ruled that the halls where monarchs
attended to state affairs would be named after them . After the
rebuilding of the Summer Palace, the hall was renamed, suggesting
that benevolent rulers would enjoy long lives.
The arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. In the middle
of the hall stands a throne made of sandalwood and carved with
beautiful designs. In the background there is a screen carved with
nine frolicking dragons. On either side of the throne there are two
big fans made of peacock feathers, two column-shaped incense
burners, crane-shaped lanterns and an incense burner assuming the
form of Luduan, a mythological animal which was suppose to have the
power to prevent fire. The small chambers on eight side were where
the Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi rested and met
officials on formal occasions.
On the verandah in the foreground of the hall there are bronze
statues of dragon and phoenixes which served as incense burners on
major occasions. They are hollow and smoke comes through holes on
their backs. Also on the veranda are Tai Ping (Peace) bronze water
vats made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. As a precaution in
case of fire, a fire was lit underneath the vats in the winter to
keep the water in them from freezing.
(At the entrance of Garden of Virtuous
Harmony)德和园入口 we are now visiting the Garden of
Virtuous Harmony, where Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi
were entertained with Beijing Opera performances. IT mainly
consists of the Dressing House, The Grand Theater Building and the
Hall of pleasure smiles. The grand Theater Building known as the
“Cradle of Beijing Opera” was uniquely laid out and magnificently
decorated. On September 10, 1984, the Garden of Virtuous Harmony
opened its doors to visitors. There are also 7 exhibition halls
with articles of daily use on display here. The staff here put up
court dresses of Qing Dynasty in order to give the visitor a more
vivid impression.
(In front of the Grand Theater
Building)德和园大戏楼前 this building is 21 meters in height
and 17 meters in width and features three tiers of tilted eaves and
stages. All of the stages are connected to a raise ,and a winch is
installed at the top. A well and 5 ponds were sunk under the ground
stage. There are trapdoors in the ceiling for fairies to descend,
as well as on the floor for demons to surface. The underground
passages also served as a means of improving resonance and making
the performers` voices more audible .Of the three main theater
building of the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Theater Building is the
tallest and the largest. The other two are Changyin (Fluent Voice )
Pavilion in Chengde, an imperial summer resort. The building played
a major part in fostering the birth and development of Beijing
opera: since the completion of the Grand Theater Building, many
performances were held in it in honor of the Empress Dowager
Cixi.
(A lakeside walk from the Garden of Virtuous Harmony to
the Hall of Jade Ripples)从德和园沿湖岸去玉澜堂 we are now
standing in the middle of a rockery behind the Hall of Benevolent
and longevity. It appears that there` s nothing special ahead.
However, after we clear the rockery, we will reach Kunming Lake.
This is a application of a specific style of Chinese
gardening.
Not far away in the lake there is a islet. It is filled with peach
and weeping willow trees and serves as a ideal place to appreciate
the scenery. The pavilion on the islet is called Zhichun
(Understanding Spring) Pavilion and is chardcterized by four-
edged, multiple eaved roofs.
(In front of the Hall of Jade
Ripples)玉澜堂门前 this group of special and quiet
courtyard dwelling is the Hall of jade Ripples. It was first used
by Emperor Qianlong to attend to state affairs. IT was also where
Emperor Guangxu of the late Qing dynasty was kept under house
arrest.
This hall is a hallmark of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor
Guanxu was Empress Dowager Cixi` s nephew. After Emperor Tongzhi
died, Empress Dowager Cixi made her nephew, who was at that time
four years old a successor in order to continue her wielding of
power behind the scenes. When Emperor Guanxu was 19 years old
,Empress Dowager Cixi relinquished power to him but continued to
exert considerable influence. In 1898, the Reform Movement took
place with the aim of sustaining the corn principles of the Qing
Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The movement lasted for 103
days until it was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi. The emperor`
s six earnest reformists were beheaded and Emperor Guangxu was
placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .All the back
doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden
partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. Emperor
Guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. The wall remains intact for
tourists to see.. Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The
movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by Empress
Dowager Cixi. The emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded
and Emperor Guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for
10 years .All the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up
behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the
courtyard. Emperor Guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. The wall
remains intact for tourists to see.
(In front of Yiyunguan (Chamber of Mortal
Beings)宜芸馆前 this was where Empress and empress
dowager of China` s feudal system. However, Emperor Guanxu was not
the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The last in the line was
Emperor Puyi, who ascended the throne in 1908 at the age of three,
too young to be married . In 1912, he was forced to abdicate.
During the short reign of Emperor Puyi. Empress Longyu handled
state affairs on his behalf in the name of Empress Dowager. In
1911, a revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sun succeeded, and the year
after, Empress Longyu announced the abdication of the last emperor
of China.
(In the Hall of Happiness and
Longevity)乐寿堂里面 the aged empress Dowager Cixi was so
fond of the Summer Palace that she decided to live here from April
through October of every year. This group of buildings served as
her residence.
This group of courtyard dwellings consists of a forecourt and a
backyard with annex courts on each side .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. No wonder one of
Empress Dowager Cixi` s pleasure boat. On the pier there is a tall
lantern post. Flanking the staircase leading to the main entrance
of the hall, there are bronze cranes, deer and vases, symbolizing
universal peace. The interior layout is the same as the imperial
court, with throne, a large table and incense burners placed in the
middle. At mealtime, eunuchs-in –waiting would make a gigantic
table out of this table and Empress Dowager Cixi would dine on 128
courses. Because of this more than 1,800 tales of silver would be
spent each month on meals. On the east side of the Living Room is
the Cloak Room. The bedroom in on its west.
In front of the yaoyue (Inviting the Moon ) Gate of the
Long Corridor在长廊的入口邀月门前The famed Long Corridor is
ahead. Facing Kunming lake and in the foreground of Longevity Hill,
the Long Corridor stretches from Yaoyue (Inviting the Moon ) Gate
to Shizhang (Stony Old Man) Pavilion. IT is 728 meters in length
and consist of 273 sections and connects four octagonal pavilions.
In 1990 ,it was listed in Guinness Book of World Records.
(Strolling along the Long
Corridor)漫步于长廊中
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 (Beauty-Retaining Pavilion,
Enjoy-the Ripples Pavilion, Autumn Water Pavilion and Clarity
Distance Pavilion) were placed at bends and undulation. Thus
sightseers 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
creat a unified complex.
This corridor can also be called a “corridor of paintings ”: There
are more than 14,000 paintings on its beams. Some of them are of
birds, flowers and landscapes of the West lake in Hangzhou, Zhejian
Province. Others present scenes from literary classics. The
majority of the landscape painting were done under the order of
Emperor Qianlong, who preperred the scenery of South China.
(By the door leading to the exhibition of cultural
relics)文物展览厅 this group of temple-shaped structures
are known as Qinghua (Clarified China) Hall ,also known as Arhat
Hall during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The original hall burned
down in 1860. After it was reconstructed, it was renamed.
Qinghua Hall is now used as a exhibition hall displaying rare
cultural relics collected in the Summer Palace. The hall consists
of 6 exhibition rooms with tens of thousands of articles of
treasure on display in turn. Among the exhibits there are bronze
ware, porcelain, jade assemblages from the Ming and Qing dynasties,
and rare and paintings. There is also a gigantic stone slab, which
is more than 3 meters in height and width. It bears the handwritten
inscriptions of Emperor Qianlong is commemoration of the
suppression of a rebellion in the Xinjiang region. Only this slab
survived when the Angle-French allied forces set fire to the Summer
Palace.
(In front of the Gate of Dispelling
Clouds)排云门前
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 Hall of Dispelling Clouds was where numerous
palatines kowtowed to Empress Dowager Cixi. It was surrounded by
galleries and flanked by annex halls. In the forecourt there is a
pool and marble bridges . Starting from the lakeside, there lies in
succession a memorial archway, the Gate of Dispelling Clouds, the
Hall of Dispelling Clouds and the Tower of Buddhist Incense. All of
these structures are built on a central axis and each is taller
than its predecessor. This was designed to give prominence to the
last structure, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, which was a symbol
of imperial power. The layout of this group of architectures was
based on scenes described in Buddhist sutras. This group of
structure are among the most magnificently constructed here in the
Summer Palace.
(Inside the Hall of Dispelling
Clouds)排云殿内 The original buildings on this site were
burned down by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. A new set of
structures was built during the reign of Emperor Guanxu, and was
called the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, suggesting that it was a
fairyland.
The hall was built on a high terrace, and has 21 room. Inside the
hall are a throne, screens, tripods and mandarin fans. On a
platform you will see bronze dragons, phoenixes and tripods. At the
foot of the platform there are four bronze water vats, the ancient
form of fire extinguishers.
The 10th day of lunar October was ,Empress Dowager Cixi` s
birthday. On that day ,she sat on the throne here to receive
congratulations and gifts.
Now we are going to pay a visit to the highlight of the Summer
Palace- the Tower of Buddhist Incense. What we are now standing on
is a stone terrace which is 20 meters in height. It has a semi
housed stairway of 100 steps, you will live for 100 years. So, let`
s go !
(In the front of the Tower of Buddhist
Incense)佛香阁前 An octagonal structure with three
storeys and quadruple eaves, the Tower of Buddhist Incense is the
very center of the Summer Palace, and is one of the masterpieces of
ancient Chinese architecture. The tower is 41 meters in height, and
is buttressed by 8 solid pillars made of lignumvitae logs. With its
complex structure, ingenious layout, towering terrace and
convincing grandeur, the Tower of Buddhist Incense was artfully set
out by the imperial gardens and beautiful scenery surrounding it
.The Tower overlooks Kunming Lake and other picturesque spots
within an area of tens of kilometers .On the west side of the Tower
stands Baoyunge (Precious Cloud Pavilion). IT is made of bronze and
is7.5 meters in height and 270 tons in weight. It resembles its
wooden counterparts in every detail. It is one of the largest and
most exquisite bronze pavilions still on existence in China. Lamas
prayed here during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in honor of the
monarchs and their families. At the turn of the century 10 bronze
windows were spirited abroad. In 1992 an American company bought
the windows and returned them intact to China.
(On a hilltop leading from the back door of Tower of
Buddhist Incense)从佛香阁后门去山（万寿山）顶 Now we can see the
long and snaking Western Causeway and a shorter dike that divides
Kunming Lake into three areas that contain South Lake Island,
Seaweed-viewing Island and circle city island. The three island
represent three mountain in ancient Chinese mythology, i. e.
penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou. This peculiar method of
incorporating a lake a three mountains within a single garden was a
brainchild of Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years
ago, bearing testimony to feudal monarchs` s longing for longevity.
As the legend goes many heavenly elixirs grew on the three mythical
islands. Using artificial building techniques, the ancient Chinese
built this masterpiece based on the myth to make the mythical on
appear to be accessible to humans.
