白小琦《巧克力英语》第12课:大雁塔(图)

Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, ascended the throne after he had killed both his elder brother Li Jiancheng, the lawful inheritor of the throne according to the feudalism tradition and younger brother Li Yuanji. Li Shimin did those cruel things because of the struggle for the power with his brothers who thought Li Shimin was the dreadful challenge for them and tried to kill Li Shimin by poison and other ways.

After being suffered a lot from the hard time given by his brothers, Li Shimin even thought of committing suicide that was stopped by his wife, later empress Zhang Sun. Li Shimin was grateful from deep down in his heart to his empress and determined to pass his throne to one of the three princes born by empress Zhang Sun.

But hateful things happened and history repeated itself again. Li Shimin obliged his first and second sons to die as their fighting for the throne triggered Li Shimin’s grief while Li Zhi, the third son of Li Shimin’s was very nice and stayed away from the throne fighting. Having no choices, Li Shimin passed his power to Li Zhi who was nice but too weak to be an emperor. 

“What are you going to do if I pass my throne to you?” Li Shimin asked Li Zhi one day before the transfer of the power. “I just want to build a temple,” honestly answered Li Zhi “ and pray for my mother.” The prince’s words pleased Li Shimin very much. The members of royal family, officials and maids of honor donated a large amount of money to make a temple built for the former empress. That is the reason why “The Big Thanksgiving Temple” where there is the Wild Goose Pagoda came from.

The best monks, including the most famous master Xuan Zhuang, should be invited to work in ““The Big Thanksgiving Temple” as it was an royal one. The monks working in “The Big Thanksgiving Temple” used to eat everything, meat, fruits, vegetables and corns etc. But unfortunately their food ran out for a few days and they were starving to death when a wild goose fell right down onto their courtyard from the sky. The wild goose could have been roasted into a good delicious meal. The monks refused to eat the wild goose even though they were hungry and dying since as far as they were concerned, the wild goose was rather a Bodhisattva than a simple bird. 

The monks buried the wild goose under the courtyard of “The Big Thanksgiving Temple” and built a seven-storeys pagoda above where the wild goose was buried as monument. In every day Chinese, we often say, “It is much better to save one’s life than to have built a seven-storeys futu.” Actually in Buddhism the seven-storeys pagoda is called “ seven-storeys futu. ”

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is an architecture miracle because it has been standing there for more than one thousand years.

课文注释

Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, ascended the throne after he

唐朝第二位皇帝李世民是

had killed both his elder brother Li Jiancheng, the lawful inheritor of the throne 

在杀了他的哥哥，封建传统中皇位的合法继承人李建成和弟弟李元吉之后继承

according to the feudalism tradition and younger brother Li Yuanji. Li Shimin did 

皇位的。李世民做出那些残忍的事情，

those cruel things because of the struggle for the power with his brothers who thought 

是缘于他们兄弟之间的权利斗争。他的兄弟们认为：李世民是他们致命的挑战。

Li Shimin was the dreadful challenge for them and tried to kill Li Shimin by poison 

李世民的兄弟曾几次三番地试图通过下毒药等方法杀害李世民。

and other ways.After being suffered a lot from the hard time given by his brothers, Li Shimin 

在经历了他兄弟给他的许多磨难之后，

even thought of committing suicide that was stopped by his wife, later empress Zhang 

李世民甚至想去自杀。李世民的夫人，后来的长孙皇后阻止了李世民的自杀行为。

Sun. Li Shimin was grateful from deep down in his heart to his empress and 

李世民打心眼里感激自己的皇后并且

determined to pass his throne to one of the three princes born by empress Zhang Sun.

决定将皇权传给长孙皇后生养的三个皇子中的一个皇子。

But hateful things happened and history repeated itself again. Li Shimin obliged 

但是，可憎的事情发生了，历史重演了。李世民

his first and second sons to die as their fighting for the throne triggered Li Shimin’s 

给他的大儿子和二儿子赐死，他们为了皇权展开的斗争激起了李世民的悲伤。

grief while Li Zhi, the third son of Li Shimin’s was very nice and stayed away from 

在这期间，李世民的三儿子李治却非常善良，远离权利斗争。

the throne fighting. Having no choices, Li Shimin passed his power to Li Zhi who 

尽管李治太过软弱，李世民没有办法，不得不将皇权传给李治。

was nice but too weak to be an emperor. 

“What are you going to do if I pass my throne to you?” Li Shimin asked Li Zhi

“假如我把皇权给你，你要干什么？”在权利交接前的一天李世民问李治

one day before the transfer of the power. “I just want to build a temple,” honestly 

道。李治老实地回答说：“我只想修一座庙，为我母亲祈祷。”

answered Li Zhi “ and pray for my mother.” The prince’s words pleased Li Shimin 

李治的话使得李世民十分喜悦。

very much. The members of royal family, officials and maids of honor donated a large 

为了给已故皇后修庙，皇室成员、衙门官员以及宫女都捐了大量的钱财。

amount of money to make a temple built for the former empress. That is the reason 

这就是大雁塔所在的《大慈恩寺》的来历。

why “The Big Thanksgiving Temple” where there is the Wild Goose Pogoda came from.

The best monks, including the most famous master Xuan Zhuang, should be 

因为《大慈恩寺》是皇家寺庙，应当请包括玄奘法师在内的、最好的和尚

invited to work in ““The Big Thanksgiving Temple” as it was an royal one. The 

去那里工作。

monks working in “The Big Thanksgiving Temple” used to eat everything, meat, 

《大慈恩寺》的和尚们曾经连肉、水果、蔬菜以及五谷杂粮等等在内,什么都吃。 

fruits, vegetables and corns etc. But unfortunately their food ran out for a few days 

但是，不幸的是，有几天时间他们遇到饥荒。正当他们饿得要死的时候，一只

and they were starving to death when a wild goose fell right down onto their 

大雁从天而降，掉在了寺庙的院内。

courtyard from the sky. The wild goose could have been roasted into a good delicious 

本来，他们可以把那只大雁烤制成美餐一顿。

meal. The monks refused to eat the wild goose even though they were hungry and 

尽管和尚们饿得要死，但是他们还是拒绝吃雁。因为就他们而言，那只大雁简直

dying since as far as they were concerned, the wild goose was rather a Bodhisattva 

就是菩萨，而不仅仅是只简单的鸟。

than a simple bird. 

The monks buried the wild goose under the courtyard of “The Big Thanksgiving 

和尚们将那只大雁埋在了《大慈恩寺》院内的地下。

Temple” and built a seven-storeys pagoda above where the wild goose was buried as 

并且在埋雁处的地面上修建了一座七层高塔以做纪念。

monument. In every day Chinese, we often say, “It is much better to save one’s life 

在日常汉语中，我们经常说：“救人一命胜造七级浮屠。”

than to have built a seven-storeys futu.” Actually in Buddhism the seven-storey 

事实上，在佛教中，那种七层高塔就被称做“浮屠”。

pagoda is called “ seven-storeys futu. ”

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is an architecture miracle because it has been 

大雁塔是一个建筑奇迹，因为它已经屹立了一千多年。

standing there for more than one thousand years.

日常会话

A: Hello!

B: Hi!

A: Very nice to meet you again. 

B: Me, too. Where have you been lately? 

A: I’ve been to Thailand for two weeks. How are you doing?

B: I’m doing well.

A: How is your mom? 

B: She is fine, thank you. How is your dad? 

A: He is fine, too. He keeps watching VCD in his room. Do you like watching it? 

B: No, I don’t. I like playing poker. 

A: That’s no good. 

B: Why? 

A: You should be playing outdoors. 

B: Thank you for your kindness. 

A: You are welcome! 

英语故事

一次与某名牌大学的一位硕士研究生谈论外语学习。笔者问他英语学到了什么程度？他答到：已经学完了英语语法，剩下的只需扩大词汇量就行了。这答案令我十分惊讶。多年以来，通过教语法教学生学英语，不知误了多少人的子弟！

据说，一位老兄携夫人带着翻译去机场迎接美国客人。宾主相见，寒暄一阵。客人夸道：“You wife is beautiful!” 翻译翻道：“你太太非常漂亮！”主人回答：“哪里！哪里！”翻译又翻道：“Where! Where!” 此言一出，老外皱起了眉头。老外心想：我夸他的太太漂亮，他怎么能反问我哪块漂亮？无奈之中，老外说：“Her nose, he eyes, her mouth and everywhere!” 她的鼻子、眼睛、嘴巴，她身上到处都漂亮！

后来，老外与主人谈到了主人的儿子。老外问道：“How old is your son?” 翻译翻道：“你儿子多大了？” 主人答道：“他都二十六岁了，还是条光棍。”翻译翻道：“He is twenty six already, but he is still a smooth stick.” 

正在老外纳闷：“他儿子怎么会是一根光滑的棍子？”的时候，主人又添了一句：他是单位领导的大红人。翻译翻道：“He is his boss’s big red man.”

在以上毫无语法错误的英语的引导下，一个明明白白的老外走到了糊里糊涂的境地，又从糊里糊涂走到了糜子地里。

课后练习：请正确朗读、理解以下日常会话

A: Hello!

你好！

B: Hi!

你好！

A: Very nice to meet you again.

再次见到你很高兴。 

B: Me, too. Where have you been lately? 

我也很高兴。你最近去哪了？

A: I’ve been to Thailand for two weeks. How are you doing?

我到泰国去了两个星期。你好吗？

B: I’m doing well.

我很好。

A: How is your mom? 

你妈妈好吗？

B: She is fine, thank you. How is your dad? 

她很好，谢谢。你爸爸好吗？

A: He is fine, too. He keeps watching VCD in his room. Do you like watching it? 

他也很好。他老是在房间里看VCD。你喜欢看吗？

B: No, I don’t. I like playing poker.

不，我不喜欢。我喜欢打扑克。 

A: That’s no good. 

那可不好。

B: Why? 

为什么？

A: You should be playing outdoors.

你应该做户外运动。 

B: Thank you for your kindness.

谢谢你的好心。 

A: You are welcome! 

不谢。

本课要求：

1 正确朗读、理解课文；

2 熟记课中的英语故事；

3 熟读日常会话。

作者白小琦，陕西省清涧县人，中国首支国家柔道队队员，教育学硕士学位，美国UCLA访问学者，Concordia College汉语及中国文化学分老师，现定居悉尼。

《巧克力英语》版权归作者白小琦所有，任何转载和私自下载存留的行为，需获白小琦书面授权。任何咨询事宜，请邮件至news@sydneytoday.com。

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