Chinese 國語 6, First Semester 上, Lessons 1 and 2 第一課跟第二課

The Chinese text below was taken from the book published by Kang Shuan 康軒文教事業.

The red characters are the vocabulary words for that lesson.

一 One: 詩二首 Two Poems

冬夜讀書示子聿 For Dze Yu, Studying on a Winter's Evening     宋陸游 by Song Lu-you

古人學問無遺力,
The ancients studied with all their hearts,

少壯功夫老始成.
Only realizing success after a lifetime of study.

紙上得來終覺淺,
The meaning gained from reading is only the beginning,

絕知此事要躬行.
To understand this, one must practice.

注釋 Comments

1. 子聿: 陸游最小的兒子
2. 無遺力: 字面的意思是 "沒有留下力氣", 意即 "竭盡全力".
3. 紙: 這裡指 "書本".
4. 絕知: 理解透澈.
5. 躬行: 親自實踐.

語譯 Note

古人竭盡心力做學問, 往往從年輕時就開始, 到了年紀大些才能有所成就.  從書本上得到的知識終歸是表面的, 要想深入理解其中的道理, 就必須要親自實踐.  The ancients did their utmost to learn.  They started from a young age, and did not reach any level of scholastic achievement until they were much older.  The knowledge first gained from a cursory reading of a book is superficial.  To deeply understand it, you must practice it.*

賞析 Summary

這是一首對兒子諄諄教導的 "教子詩".  陸游在冬天的夜晚苦讀時有所感觸, 便寫成這首詩, 藉此告訴兒子為學的道理.  This is a "teacher's poem" provided for a son's instruction.  Lu You wrote this after he experienced trouble reading one winter evening.  He wrote this poem to explain to his son the reasons for study.

本詩以古人 "刻苦學習" 的態度來告誡兒子: 為學要孜孜不倦, 持之以恆, 從年輕時開始立志, 持續不斷的努力, 才會有所成就.  詩人進一步強調: "實踐" 是為學最重要的功夫.  要想深入理解書中的道理, 還有待自己的親身實踐, 才能徹底領悟.  This poem explains to his son the ancients' attitude of "studying to the bitter end."  Students must study tirelessly and persevere.  They must begin at a young age, work hard continuously, and only after doing so will they achieve something.  The poet goes on to stress the fact that "practice" is the most important element of study.  If you want to deeply understand the meaning of a text, you must practice it on your own if you want to fully comprehend it.

竹石 Bamboo and Rock     清鄭燮 by Ching Jeng-shie

咬定青山不放鬆,
Clutching the green mountain determinedly,

立根原在破岩中.
The roots having penetrated the rocks long before.

千磨萬擊還堅勁,
Resilient in the face of a thousand storms,

任爾東西南北風.
Unconcerned as to what quarter those storms come from.

注釋 Comments

1. 咬定青山: 這裡是指竹子的根牢牢扎進青山的岩石縫隙中.
2. 破岩: 破製的岩石縫隙.  這裡也比喻艱苦的環境.
3. 千磨萬擊: 指自然界的萬千摧殘與磨難.
4. 任爾: 隨便你.  任, 任憑.  爾, 你.
5. 東西南北風: 這裡用來比喻各方面的困難, 阻撓和打擊.

語譯 Notes

竹子緊緊咬住青山挺立著, 原來它的根深扎在青山的石縫中.  任憑四面八方的狂風暴雨不斷打擊, 搖動, 它還是堅韌穩固的生長著.  Bamboo clings tightly to the green mountain, having stretched its roots deeply into the rocks.  It reels under the onslaught of every kind of inclement weather, yet still continues to grow resiliently upward.

賞析 Summary

這是一首題畫詩, 我們可從詩句的描寫, 去想像竹子與岩石所呈現出的樣貌.  古人認為竹子具有不屈不撓的鬥志及謙虛的美德, 鄭燮在這首詩裡, 更詮釋了竹子的另一種美德 -- 堅韌.  This is a poem about a painting.  From the descriptions in the verses we can imagine the appearance of the bamboo and the rock.  The ancients believed that bamboo was both sturdy and beautiful, and these qualities can be felt in the poem.  This poem also illustrates another virtue of bamboo - its resilience.

本詩前兩句寫竹子的生命情態, "咬定" 二字充分表現出竹子堅強的生存意志, 後兩句寫竹子面對打擊時所展現出的韌性.  竹子 "堅韌" 的精神, 其實正是詩人的自我期許, 也是他的人格特質.  這首詩的文字雖然淺顯, 卻蘊含深刻的人生哲理.  The first two verses of this poem describe how bamboo survives.  The two characters for "clutching" fully represent the bamboo's resilience and determination.  The last two verses of this poem explain how it meets every challenge with a resilient spirit.  In truth, these qualities can also be ascribed to the poet, who shared them with bamboo.  Although the words of this poem are simple, they have a deep philosophical meaning.

二 Two: 神奇的藍絲帶 The Magical Blue Ribbon

二十世紀初, 大英帝國在授予榮譽勛章時, 會把勛章繫在絲帶上.  從那時候開始, 各種不同顏色的絲帶, 就被賦予不同的象徵.  西元一九八0年, 三十八歲的美國婦女海莉思 (Helice), 發起了 "藍絲帶頒獎儀式".  她認為, 對於別人好的表現, 要用實際行動表達自己的心意, 才能給對方最大的鼓舞.  在這個儀式中, 人們會慎重的把一條藍絲帶頒贈給周圍值得鼓勵, 讚美的人.  In the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire awarded medals of honor tied with a ribbon.  From that time, ribbons of different colors have been used for different purposes.  In 1980 Helice, a 38 year old American woman, invented the "blue ribbon award ceremony."  Her idea was that one's appreciation for others' compassionate gestures should be demonstrated, in order to give the other person the best kind of encouragement.  In the course of this ceremony, people can solemnly award a blue ribbon to those who truly deserve praise.

海莉思不但設計藍絲帶的樣式, 還準備了許多條藍絲帶, 開始對身邊的人表達自己的感激.  第一批藍絲帶不久就獲得了廣大的迴響, 照亮了人性良善的一面, 激盪出許多感人的故事.  許多得到藍絲帶的人, 也購買更多的藍絲帶, 讓溫馨感人的真實故事, 不斷的傳遞下去.  Helice didn't only originate the blue ribbon ceremony.  She also prepared many blue ribbons, and gave them to the people in her life who deserved her recognition.  In short order the first blue ribbon was awarded to overwhelming public praise, thus illuminating the goodness of human nature.  Many touching stories emerged.  Many of those who received a blue ribbon went on to purchase others, and they made certain that other touching stories were realized.

這些故事中, 最令人津津樂道的, 是跟一位中學老師有關.  西元一九八八年, 一位紐約的中學老師, 在自己班上進行了藍絲帶的頒獎儀式.  她慎重的把藍絲帶頒贈給班上每一位學生, 誠懇的說: "你們太棒了, 就是你們, 讓我的教書生涯充滿了喜悅."  這天下午, 師生彼此談心, 真情流露.  One of these heartwarming stories has to do with a middle school teacher.  In 1988, this middle school teacher held a blue ribbon ceremony in her own class.  She solemnly awarded a blue ribbon to each student in her class, and sincerely said to them: "You are great.  You've filled my teaching career with joy."  On the afternoon of that day, the teacher and her students talked and shared their true feelings with one another.**

放學時, 老師送每位學生三條藍絲帶, 並且吩咐了一項作業: 每位學生必須找到一個人, 送出第一條藍絲帶, 表達自己的感謝; 再把剩下的兩條藍絲帶交給這個人, 請他找到另一個人, 表達感恩.  這個得到第二條藍絲帶的人, 也必須找到一個人, 送出最後一條藍絲帶.  學生的作業不僅是要送出藍絲帶, 還要追蹤藍絲帶所帶來的影響, 並且在班上報告結果.  After school the teacher gave each student three blue ribbons, and gave them this bit of homework: each student had to find one person, and give them a ribbon as a token of their appreciation.  They then had to give the other two ribbons to the person [they were awarding], and ask him or her to find a third person, and express their appreciation.  This third person, who'd received the second ribbon, also had to find a fourth person, and give them the last blue ribbon.  The students' homework wasn't only giving away the blue ribbons, but also measuring the effect their ribbons had, and reporting on this effect to their class.***

有一位學生, 把藍絲帶送給社區裡專門指導中學生升學的諮商師, 感謝她多年來, 提供大家許多實用的建議.  這位諮商師沒想到平時例行的工作能得到褒獎, 心裡非常高興.  她開心的收下另外兩條藍絲帶, 打算協助這位學生完成作業.  One student gave their blue ribbon to a youth counselor that lived in the community to thank her for her years of service and her practical advice.  This counselor never imagined that someone doing her type of work could receive an award, and she became very happy.  She gladly received the two additional blue ribbons, and planned on helping the student complete his or her homework.

諮商師仔細想了想, 決定把藍絲帶送給自己的老闆.  在她的心目中, 老闆是個創意十足的天才.  雖然老闆個性嚴肅, 拙於言辭, 但總能針對問題提出與眾不同的見解, 讓大家的工作更加順利.  下午茶的時候, 諮商師送出了藍絲帶, 還跟老闆閒話家常.  原本不苟言笑的老闆, 露出靦腆的笑容, 對這位員工的鼓勵非常感動.  The counselor though the matter through deeply, and then decided to give the blue ribbon to her boss.  She considered her boss to be a very creative and talented man.  Although he was very serious and retiring in nature, he was good at coming up with solutions to a variety of problems, and made everyone's work easier.  While they were having afternoon tea, the counselor gave him the blue ribbon, and talked with her boss about his home life.  Her boss, who was not given to emotional displays, was moved to smile by his employee's words of encouragement.

這天老闆收下兩條藍絲帶後, 跟平常一樣很晚才回到家, 他走進屋裡以後, 沒有先回自己的房間, 而是直接走進十四歲兒子的房間, 對兒子說: "孩子, 我愛你.  雖然你曾遭遇很多挫折, 但一直努力不懈, 這點連我也不見得做得到.  我以你為榮, 好孩子!" 接著, 他把藍絲帶輕輕的別在兒子的衣襟上.  得到父親的藍絲帶後, 兒子哭得好傷心.  因為父親一向對他要求嚴格, 他也一直很努力的表現, 可是在此之前, 他得到的責備總是多於讚美.  他以為自己什麼都做不好, 沒想到這條神奇的藍絲帶, 讓父親說出藏在心裡的話, 也帶給了他無比的信心.  On the same day that her boss received the two blue ribbons, he went home as usual.  After he entered his house, and before going to his bedroom, he went into his 14 year old son's room.  He said to his son: "Child, I love you.  Although you have encountered many obstacles, I know you've been working hard at overcoming them.  I'm not sure if even I could do this.  I see how hard you've been trying, my child!"  After this he gently pinned the blue ribbon onto his son's clothes.  Having received his father's blue ribbon, his son cried gratefully.  Because of his father's expectations he'd been working hard, but before that time he'd always received more blame than praise.  He'd thought that he couldn't do anything right, and he couldn't have imagined that this magical blue ribbon would move his father to speak the words that had been kept inside his heart.  This [gave the son] immense confidence.

直到現在, 還有許多人代表關愛, 善意, 鼓勵, 支持的藍絲帶, 在各地傳遞著愛的火花.  我們可以隨著海莉思女士的創意, 送出有形的 "藍絲帶", 也可以把無形的藍絲帶 -- 主動的表達謝意及真誠的讚美, 送給周圍的人.  當我們的社會充滿相互欣賞與真誠讚美時, 將會是多麼美好的世界啊!  Up until the present time there have been many blue ribbons, each representing love, kindness, encouragement, or support, and these blue ribbons have been awarded - with love - throughout the world.  We can all follow Helice's example, and give invisible blue ribbons to everyone we love and appreciate.  When our society is full of such mutual appreciation and heartfelt praise, our world will be so beautiful! 

*By "practice" the book implies memorization/recitation.  These were popular educational strategies in ancient China.

**Feeling nauseous yet?

***Reminds me of that movie Pay It Forward.  I bet you more than one teacher showed that movie to his or her class before - you guessed it - asking them to hand out blue ribbons.