Showing posts with label Chinese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese. Show all posts

Sunday, March 6, 2011

静夜思 (jìng yè sī) – 李白 (lǐ bái) - Thoughts in a Still Night

Source Website: http://blog.applechineseonline.com/?tag=chinese-culture
(for online self-taught Chinese learners)



PHOTO: 静夜思 (jìng yè sī) – 李白 (lǐ bái) - Thoughts in a Still Night
http://english.jiangxi.gov.cn/ChineseLearning/ChinesePoems/201003/W020100318315258341484.jpg
http://english.jiangxi.gov.cn/ChineseLearning/ChinesePoems/201003/t20100318_204961.htm


床 前 明 月光 ，- The bright moonlight before my bed,
chuáng qián míng yuè guāng

疑 是 地上 霜 。- Is thought to be the frost fallen on the ground.
yí shì dì shàng shuāng

举 头 望 明 月 ，- I lift my head to gaze at the bright moon,
jǔ tóu wàng míng yuè

低头 思 故乡 。- And then bow down to think of my native land.
dī tóu sī gù xiāng




PHOTO: 静夜思图片(jìng yè sī tú piàn) - [设计图,JPG] Thoughts in a Still Night picture
http://pic4.nipic.com/20090811/2274262_084241004_2.jpg
http://www.nipic.com/show/2/60/3ea94369a7c19d0d.html




Source Website: http://www.mychineselearning.com/resources/chinese-culture-and-traditions/libai.aspx

PHOTO: 静夜思 (jìng yè sī) – 李白 (lǐ bái) - Thoughts in a Still Night
http://www.mychineselearning.com/Data/image/libai.jpg
http://www.mychineselearning.com/resources/chinese-culture-and-traditions/libai.aspx


Li Bai (701-762) was also named Tai Bai or Qing Lian Ju Shi. He is the most famous poet in China.

Li Bai's birthplace is uncertain, but one candidate is Suyab in Central Asia (near modern-day Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan). However his family had originally dwelled in what is now southeastern Gansu , and later moved to Jiangyou, near modern Chengdu in Sichuan province, when he was five years old. At the age of ten, his formal education started.

He liked reading very much. And he was influenced by Taoism very much, as well as Confucianism.

After his school time, he left home to start his traveling life. He visited many interests of history, and the traveling enriched his experiences very much.

When he was 42 years old, a friend recommended him to the emperor. He was greatly delighted at first and eager to serve the emperor like an ancient capable statesman to achieve his ideality. But the Emperor Xuanzong only had him as a palace poet to write trivial lyrics while the emperor and Yang Guifei, his favorite imperial concubine, were feasting themselves.

Unwilling to serve such a meaningless function, Li Bai left the capital in less than two years. Then Li Bai went on with his aimless traveling all over the country again.


Finally, Daizong named Li Bai the Registrar of the Left Commandant's office in 762. When the imperial edict arrived in Dangtu, Anhui, Li Bai was already dead. According to legend, he was drowned attempting to embrace the moon's reflection in a river. In reality, Li Bai committed suicide as evidenced by his farewell poem.


Li Bai is considered as the foremost romantic poet in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). His political ambition was spoiled, so he turned to drinking to drown his sorrows and writing, which was described as "A hundred poems per gallon liquor." His poetry is still very popular and recited by Chinese children today.

Here is one of his poems as an example:



PHOTO: 《静夜思》记述李白置身在秋夜明月下的井边上,举头遥望,顿生思乡之情。
《Thoughts in a Still Night》is a description of Li Bai under the autumn moon by the side of a well, lift his head and gaze into the distance, experience a sudden devastating homesickness.
http://cathay.ce.cn/history/200711/21/W020071121479481913462.jpg
http://cathay.ce.cn/history/200711/21/t20071121_13671233.shtml


Translated by:
Using nciku (www.nciku.com), an online dictionary with English and Chinese language (with Pinyin) and Google Translate


Reference
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Sunday, May 31, 2009

Secondary School Mid-Year Holiday is a Nightmare!


Holiday (noun) is known as:
  • A period of time spent away from home for enjoyment and relaxation
  • (Often plural) Chiefly Brit & NZ a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest or recreation
  • A day on which work is suspended by law or custom, such as a bank holiday
From: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Holiday
By Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006



From http://www.rd.ca/cms/images/image/extraburnout_230_y0u.jpg


School Assignment (noun) is defined as:
  • A school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher
From: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/school+assignment?qsrc=2446
By WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.


Nightmare (noun) is known as:
  • A dream arousing feelings of intense fear, horror, and distress.
  • An event or experience that is intensely distressing.
  • A demon or spirit once thought to plague sleeping people.
From: http://www.answers.com/topic/nightmare



This coming Secondary School Mid-Year Holiday is from 29 May 2009 till 28 June 2009, almost the same as the Great Singapore Sales. It is supposed to be a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for the students. Students can take this opportunity to catch up with what they are weak in and have the rest of the time for rest or recreation activities.

Unfortunately this is not the case. The schools have been very enthusiastic in preparing and creating new lessons, worksheets, assignments, forums and quiz for almost every subject to be carried out by the students during the holiday period. Just to name a few subjects, English, Chemistry, Physics, Social Studies, E-Maths, A-Maths, Chinese, ..... For Chinese, they have to read two story books and complete the online assignments.


From http://genychina.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/technology-overload2.gif
During the school holiday, the students have to go back to take their English Oral Communication exam. Meanwhile they are told of a guide book, which cannot be found in any bookshop, to refer to. Even before the Oral exam has started, the schools have started posting articles, worksheets, assignments and lessons for the students to work on.

We are to suppose that the teachers would like to have their holidays and put the plight of their students to the back of their mind. The MOE has the slogan "Teach less, Learn more", which they intend to strictly adhere to. After all, a fully paid holiday is hard to come by, especially during this recession period. Brown harvests and green shoots have no value if there are iron bowls full of rice. Ah Kong's money seems to be easily planned and obtained.


Two headed tree ?
To have an idea of the amount of time required to carry out the tasks, they are tabulated for easy understanding and calculation.





















Estimated number of days available = 20
Time required per day = 224 ÷ 20 = 11.2 hours
This hour is 100% more than that of a normal 5.5hrs school day.

The student also has another 5 days of school related activities to attend.
It will be a very exhausting holiday.
When the school re-opens on 29 June 2009 there is a group of students selected to perform one week of official duties for the Asian Youth Game hosted in Singapore. During this one week, the rest of the students will attend classes normally whereas those on duty will be denied this opportunity. Instead they will have problems catching up with their studies. What the school is willing to do is just to keep the homework papers for them. Even that is also to be done by a school colleague living nearby. There is no plan on how to remedy the missed lessons. This is a very stressful situation for the student and this “crime” is allowed to be committed by the school which participated in the AYG.
Reference
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Sunday, March 8, 2009

Life is tough for You and Me (Part 1) - 艰苦的生活 (jiān kǔ de shēnɡ huó)

Doing translation from Chinese to English does injustice to the Chinese Literature. At most we can manage to obtain is the "gist". This remark is make by many people including (Dr.) Ms Lee Wei Ling, Director of the National Neuroscience Institute, in her article "A meaningful life in good times and bad", published by TheSundayTimes on March 8, 2009.


Picture is retrieve from http://twinswongdiary.blogspot.com/

Ms Lee mentioned "Intellectual knowledge and emotional reaction involve different areas of the brain and ... " after intellectual reasoning comes the emotion. We therefore are unable to remain calm and emotionally detached when misfortune strikes. Similarly something different and new will excite and increase our curiosity.

Trying to discover another language and bring its meaningful content to another language requires effort. The reward is that it brings satisfaction upon accomplishment. Discovering the Chinese language and bringing its content to English language is one enjoyable way to increase the brain activities. It has been known that doing these translations improve and stimulate many areas of the brain. These in turn reduce the rate of senility and help to maintain the functioning of our mind.

For most of us, misfortune occurred many times, since the beginning of our life. We came out and shortly make to cry so that our body mechanism started its operating and developing functions. Then comes the stress to face the harsh world. We have to grow, develop and maintain our emotional health and living skills. Until now, we still have added stresses and challenges. At this moment, "The Great Recession" is haunting and tearing us apart.

Some of the following Chinese sayings may describe the situation and predicaments more meaningfully.

历史上空前绝后 – Unmatched in history (Of the past)
Lì shǐ shàng kōng qián jué hòu


Picture is retrieve from http://www.airmb.com/uploadfile/200806/17/2035422489.jpg


机会越来越渺茫 – Opportunity is getting lesser and lesser
Jī huì Yuè lái Yuè miǎo máng


Picture is retrieve from http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh162/laurieming/a21dd0bb.jpg

机会空前无有 – Opportunity unheard of and is appearing now
Jī huì kōng qián wú yǒu


Picture is retrieve from http://fmn004.xnimg.cn/fmn004/blog/20080715/20/40/A561762420670GAR.jpg


休想美梦成真 – Forget about your beautiful dream coming true
Xiū xiǎng měi mèng chéng zhēn


Picture is retrieve from http://img.blog.163.com/photo/PECCxmTDMUHlFAsuZ_Q1wg==/4558768722806678587.jpg


千载难逢的机会 – A golden opportunity; the chance of a lifetime
Qiān zǎi nán fénɡ de jī huì

好自为之 – Make best use of it
Hǎo zì wèi zhī

Picture is retrieve from http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ZZoVr2xtY3o/Rr9sjskGjjI/AAAAAAAAHVI/HcLuxBhtGtc/IMG_5232.jpg


幸勿失之交臂 – Don't let slip such a golden opportunity
Xìng wù shī zhī jiāo bì


Picture is retrieve from http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ZZoVr2xtY3o/Rr9tQ8kGj1I/AAAAAAAAHXc/Jz4HgVqrioE/IMG_5299.jpg


怅惋不已 – Regret losing the chance
Chàng wǎn bù yǐ


Picture is retrieve from http://img3.pcpop.com/upimg3/2008/10/26/0006259067.jpg


理所当然 – Take things for granted
Lǐ suǒ dāng rán


Picture is retrieve from http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ZZoVr2xtY3o/Rr9sEMkGjWI/AAAAAAAAHTc/egavgr1__5g/IMG_5164.jpg


自以为是 – Smug, full of oneself
Zì yǐ wéi shì




最高近界 – The highest, best, closest or most expert
zuì ɡāo jìn jiè


Picture is retrieve from http://www.yxgz.cn/Files/Remoteupfile/2007-11/28/2007062214154265501.jpg

通情达理 – Understanding and reasonable; sensible
Tōng qíng dá lǐ


Picture is retrieve from http://twinswongdiary.blogspot.com/

随心所欲 – To do as one likes, wishes
Suí xīn suǒ yù


Picture is retrieve from http://www.up37.com/bbs/UploadFile/2007-10/2210105787993.jpg


做事不能太随心所欲了，要顾全大局 – One cannot do things all as one wishes, one should bear in mind the overall situation
Zuò shì bù néng tài suí xīn suǒ yù le, yào gù quán dà jú


Translated by Dr. eye 7.0 (Commercial Version) For Windows 2000/XP/2003 developed by Inventec (Shanghai) Corporation © 2006

Han Yu Pin Yin by Clavis Sinica Chinese Text Annotator developed by a faculty member at the University of Michigan as a supplementary learning tool for English-speaking students of the Chinese language. © Copyright Clavis Sinica 2008

References
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