Text A Yunnan
导 读
古人用“彩云南现”来遥指云南这片神秘的高原。“一山不同族，十里不同天”，云南有52个民族居民，世居民族有26个，其中云南独有民族有15个。由于各自民族不同的自然环境，云南呈现出不同的社会文化形态。在云南这片神奇的土地上，北有雄伟壮丽的雪山冰川；南有广袤的热带雨林和珍稀动植物；西有蜿蜒奔腾的“三江并流”奇观；东有壮观的喀斯特岩溶地貌；中有众多的高原湖泊和四季如春的旅游名城——昆明。
Yunnan is without doubt one of the most alluring destinations in China.It’s the most varied of all China’s provinces,with terrain ranging from tropical rainforest to snow-capped Tibetan peaks.It’s also the sixth-largest province and home to a third of all China’s ethnic minorities (nearly 50％ of the province is non-Han) and over half of all China’s plant and animal species.If you can only get to one province in China,this might as well be it.
Dali Ancient City
Dali Ancient City is 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) away from Xiaguan in Dali City,Yunnan Province and is one of the “Three Ancients” (Ancient Cities,Ancient Pagodas and Ancient Steles) of the Dali Scenic Spot.It can be dated back to the year 1382 during the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) and has been among the top listed historical cities of China since 1982.With Erhai Lake to the east,and Cangshan Mountain to the west,its grand city wall,traditional Bai ethnic minority folk houses and marvelous scenery have been attracting many visitors.
According to literature,Dali Ancient City was a gateway to the Silk Road in Southwest China,and also served as a seat of government and a major military barracks for Yunnan Province in ancient times.It enjoyed magnificent scale,with a wall length of 6 kilometers (3.73 miles),a height of 7.5 meters (24.6 feet) and a thickness of 6 meters (19.7 feet).There were four city gates facing west,east,north and south,upon which sat a gate tower.Four further towers were also placed at the four corners of the city wall.As it underwent many phases of prosperity as well as decline,only the city base remains till today.We can explore the mystery belonging to that period of history,especially through witnessing some parts of the city wall,the North City Wall Tower and the South City Wall Tower which were restored in 1982.The city layout was uniform,with five main streets from south to north and eight main streets from east to west,while marketplaces were neatly arranged within the city,which has remained unchanged to this date.
The traditional Bai ethnic minority folk houses give the city distinctive feel,unlike any other Chinese city.A typical house is characterized by “3 rooms and a wall screening” and “4 joints and 5 courtyards”.“3 rooms and a wall screening” means that every house has a principle room and two wing-rooms and facing the principle room stands the wall screening.When the sun shines on the wall screening in the afternoon,the sunlight is reflected back to the courtyard,thus illuminating the whole area.“4 joints and 5 courtyards” means houses are built with four sides; and four courtyards in the joining parts of the houses’ corners and one big courtyard in the center makes five courtyards.The decoration is another construction feature of the folk residences,paying great attention to the gate tower,the eaves and corners.The windows,doors and the wall screening are adorned with Jianchuan woodcarvings,colored patterns,marbles and wash drawings.The delicacy,freshness and elegance of their construction may be called first-class among folk residences in Southwest China.
When people walk along the cobble-paved streets in the ancient city,a sense of primitive simplicity and elegance will be invoked.Besides the Bai ethnic minority traditional folk houses,the houses all with grey-green roof tiles,peculiar workshops,temples,schools and churches with an antique flavor scatter.Traditional artworks made of marble,such as pencil vases,striped screens,and a variety of woven handicrafts made of fine straw are laid chockablock on both sides of the street to be appreciated and purchased.The newly-opened Foreigner Street is also a must-see,providing snacks with the traditional flavors of the Bai ethnic community,as well as the famous “Three-course Tea” ceremony for receiving guests that includes “bitter tea” “sweet tea” and “final tea”.
Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake lies 200 kilometers (approximately 124 miles) from the center of Lijiang City,on the border between Ninglang County in Yunnan Province and Yanyuan County in Sichuan Province.The lake is like a beautiful pearl shining among the hills of the northwest plateau in Yunnan.
The lake is in the shape of a horse’s hoof—wide from north to south,and narrower from east to west.The vista of the lake changes constantly throughout the day.The morning mist mixed with the light of the rising sun gives the lake an orange glow covered by mist.When the light of the sun causes the hills to throw their shadows onto the water,the lake has a jade green color.The lake is calm and dark green in the evening when the sun sinks,and is peaceful when night comes.Gentle wind blows and water ripples.
On the lake there are five islands.They are of different sizes and are like green boats floating on the water.Heiwawu Island,Liwubi Island,and Lige Island are most notable.Heiwawu Island is in the center of the lake and has a variety of birds living on it.The smallest island on the lake is Nixi Island—an oblong rock covered with shrubs and moss.Besides the five islands,there are also three peninsulas and an island which is linked to a seawall on the shore by a path paved with small stones.
Mystery and charm surround the lake,partly because it was once an unspoiled place and still retains much of its totally natural beauty,but mostly because the Mosuo people who live there form a matriarchal society.There is no marriage.Men stay in the women’s home as mates called “Axia” and the intimate relationship lasts as long as they like.Children are brought up by women,and use the surname of their mothers.Families are composed of the members of the matrilineal kin.Women operate production and management,and hold the principal position in the society,forming a modern day “woman’s kingdom”,which adds mystique to this place.
The lake is encircled with hills.The water is clean and inviting,with fish swimming in it.The forest around is dense and the air is fresh.This is a place that is little tainted by modern industry—the natural beauty is retained.The weather is pleasant—it is cool in summer and warm in winter.All the seasons are as comfortable as spring,but the best seasons here are spring and summer when the hills are emerald green,the flowers are in bloom and the birds are singing happily.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Located between 100°04′ east longitude and 27°03′～27°40′ north latitude,Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Mountain) is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere.Consisting of 13 peaks,among which Shanzidou is the highest one with an altitude of 5,600 meters (18,360 feet),Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles).Viewed from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away,the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds,hence,the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
According to the research of geologists,for about 400 million years the area around Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was the ocean and it was during the last 600 thousand years that the different landscapes had come into being because of the uprising of the lithosphere.Archaic legend about this mysterious and beautiful snow mountain goes like this: Once upon a time,Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain were twins.They had lived on panning in Golden Sand River until one day an evil fiend usurped the river.The brothers were very brave and had a fierce fight with the fiend,Haba died in the fight and Jade Dragon drove off the fiend after wearing out 13 swords.For guarding the people and preventing the return of the fiend,Jade Dragon held the 13 swords in hands day and night.As time passed,the brothers had turned into the two snow mountains,and the 13 swords had become the 13 peaks.Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a holy mountain for the local Naxi people not only because of the legend,but also because long time ago,it was a place for young lovers to sacrifice their young lives in honor of true love and to escape from the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants.In fact,one fourth of all plant species in China can be found here and 20 primeval forest communities shelter a big family of 400 types of trees and 30 kinds of animals which are protected by the state.These species live in different temperature levels and create different kinds of views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.The 13 peaks,which have the altitudes of at least 4,000 meters,are covered by snow all year round; the mountain is called the “Natural Glacier Museum” for it has all types of glacier.Move down from the mountaintop and you can see rivers and pools,which are formed by the thawed snow water running along the valley and through the forests.The plants and the animals are different according to the altitude,so are the views.Every sight brings you a surprise and every step takes you to a new scene.Each of the meadows on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain has its own special character due to their different landscape and height.For instance,Yunshanping (Spruce Plateau) is grassland with gigantic spruces whilst Ganhaizi (Dry Sea) used to be a highland lake as its name suggests,the meadow was formed after the water had dried up.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain now is a famous scenic spot for sightseeing,mountaineering,skiing,exploration,scientific research and taking holiday.Besides,widespread legends and myths of the Naxi ethnic minority and the unclimbed Shanzidou are all important attractive spots for those who come to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Words & Expressions
1.alluring[ə'ljuəriŋ] adj.诱惑的；诱人的；迷人的；吸引人的
2.barrack['bærəks] n.兵营；营房；简陋的房子；警察所（barrack的复数）
3.wing-room n.厢房
4.eaves[iːvz] n.屋檐；凸出的边缘
5.chockablock['tʃɔkə'blɔk] adv.拥挤地；塞满地
adj.拉紧的；塞得满满的
6.glow[ɡləu] n.灼热；色彩鲜艳；兴高采烈
vi.发热；洋溢；绚丽夺目
7.ripple['ripl] n.涟漪；波纹（ripple的复数）
v.呈波状（ripple的单三形式）
8.oblong['ɔblɔŋ，-lɔːŋ] adj.椭圆形的；长方形的
n.椭圆形；长方形
9.moss[mɔs] n.苔藓；泥沼
10.seawall['siːwɔːl] n.海塘；防波堤
11.kin[kin] n.亲戚；家族；同族
12.mystique[mi'stiːk] n.奥秘；秘诀；神秘性
13.inviting[in'vaitiŋ] adj.诱人的；有魅力的
14.emerald['emərəld] n.绿宝石；翡翠；祖母绿；翠绿色
adj.翠绿色的；翡翠的
15.glacier['ɡlæsjə] n.冰河；冰川
16.enlace[in'leis] vt.缠绕；围绕；捆扎
17.lithosphere['liθəsfiə] n.陆界；岩石圈
18.archaic[ɑː'keiik] adj.古代的；陈旧的；古体的；古色古香的
19.fiend[fiːnd] n.魔鬼；能手；成癖者
20.usurp[juː'zəːp] vt.篡夺；夺取；侵占
vi.篡夺；篡权
21.sanctuary['sæŋktjuri，-tʃuə-] n.避难所；至圣所；耶路撒冷的神殿
22.spruce[spruːs] adj.整洁的
n.云杉
Notes
1.matriarchal society （母系社会）：A matriarchy is a society in which females，especially mothers，have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority.The male equivalent is a patriarchy.
2.arranged marriage （包办婚姻）：An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed，meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship.
Exercises
I.Translate the following phrases into Chinese.
1.Bai ethnic minority
2.Three-course Tea
3.matriarchal society
4.Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
5.arranged marriage
II.Translate the following sentences into Chinese.
1.If you can only get to one province in China,this might as well be it.
2.When people walk along the cobble-paved streets in the ancient city,a sense of primitive simplicity and elegance will be invoked.
3.The lake is like a beautiful pearl shining among the hills of the northwest plateau in Yunnan.
4.It was a place for young lovers to sacrifice their young lives in honor of true love and to escape from the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.
5.Jade Dragon Snow Mountain now is a famous scenic spot for sightseeing,mountaineering,skiing,exploration,scientific research and taking holiday.
III.Decide whether each of the following statements is true (T) or false (F) according to the passage.
1.The islands on the Lugu lake are like green boats floating on the water.
2.Mystery and charm surround the lake,mainly because it was once an unspoiled place and still retains much of its totally natural beauty.
3.Children are brought up by Mosuo women,but use the surname of their fathers.
4.The snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds,hence,the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
5.Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary only for rare animals.