第一篇：北京故宫英文导游词
北京-故宫英文导游词必备学习
美式论文、报告写作技巧
编者按：美式教育的特点即是课程内容强调学生参与及创新运用，因此，报告便成了常见的考核学生学习成果的方式，比如实验报告、学期报告、专题报告、研究报告及论文(含毕业论文)等。研究生presentation 及 seminar 的机会更是占很大的比重，有些甚至占学期成绩很大比例。如何完成报告、论文同时得到良好的成绩，是本文提供给有志留学的有心人参考的目的。
美国大学生由於自小已养成自动寻找答案习惯，在启发式的教育环境下，写报告、论文对他们来说比较不陌生，虽然专业知识上美国学生不见得比外籍学生强，但是表达能力由於自小培养，加上英语能力的优势，常比外籍学生在报告、论文方面有较隹的利基。反之中国学生比较缺乏报告写作的训练，因此如果在留学过程中无法适应美式教育会比较辛苦，其实论文、报告的写作要领其实不难，只要把握技巧就可水到渠成。
通常论文由篇首(Preliminaries)，本文(Texts)以及参考资料(References)三部分构成;而这三大部分各自内容如下：
(一) 篇首：
封面(Title) 序言(Preface)
谢词(Acknowledge) 提要(Summary)
目录(Tables and Appendixes)
(二) 本文：
引言(Introduction)
主体，含篇(Part)、章(Chapter)、节(Section) 、以及注释 (Footnotes)
(三)参考资料：
参考书目(References or Bibliography)
附录资料(Appendix)。
进行论文或报告写作之前，先要确定想要表达的主题，主题确定后，将其具体表达，即为题目。题目可以提供研究者：
一.研究的方向
二.研究的范围
三.资料搜集的范围
四.预期研究成果
通常在确定题目之後就开始找资料从事研究，建议在找资料之前最好去问教授有哪些参考资料来源可供参考引用。构思为确定写作大纲或 Proposal 的先前步骤， 大纲是论文、报告的骨干， Proposal 是研究的架构、流程及范围的说明书。如何构思大纲或Proposal为论文、报告写作前的必要准备工作。好的论文或 1 研究报告，要基于在完整、详实的资料上，而参考资料除了和教授商借之外，最主要的来源就是图书馆了，一般参考资料来源可分成教科书或手册、政府机构的报告、科技或商业方面的杂志，及会议性质的资料。此外现代的电脑资料库也可帮助收集资料，在国外可利用学校的电脑连线资料库寻找自己需要的资料。当一切准备就绪，即可开始着手写报告，一般报告还分大报告如期末、专题等报告，及小报告如 Seminar 式的报告。
就算是小报告，也至少应含
(一)TITLE PAGES ：包含主题名称、作者、日期
(二)Summary： 即主要的结论
(三)Introduction：包括理论背景及内容
(四)Technical Sections：是论文的主体，为最重要的部份应再细分为 几个片断。
(五)Conclusions：即扼要的结论
(六)Appendixes：复杂公式的导引及叁考资料和电脑程式的报表可附加在 此项
美式报告的撰写通常要打字，两行式，行间若有未拼完的字要以音节来连接。写报告通常需要用到电脑，如有计算数字统计图表的需求，也常会用到程式软体如PASCAL、LOTUS，统计分析软体如SAS，也是不可或缺的，电脑绘图在今日已成为工商界及学术界的重要工具，文书处理更是最基本的要求，因此Word for Window、Powerpoint、Excel便成了颇受欢迎的工具。此外在英文语法、文法上的润饰与修改，如能请老美帮忙会比较好。
论文、报告完成后有时会需要做解说(Presentation)，用英文来讲演对中国人来说算是一大挑战，通常课堂讲演时间为十五分钟到三十分钟，若是论文囗试则至少一小时。投影机及麦克风的使用对讲演的效果有很大帮助，正式讲演前多预习几次，时间宜控制适中，上台时忌讳低头拿着报告照念，需留意听众的反应，切中主题，避免太多数字的导引。
北京-故宫英文导游词-导游英语
FORBIDDEN CITY(紫禁城) (In front of the meridian gate) Ladies and Gentlemen: I am pleased to serve as your guide today. This is the palace museum; also know as the Purple Forbidden City. It is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in China today. Under Ming Emperor Yongle, construction began in 1406. It took 14years to build the Forbidden City. The first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Emperor Zhudi. For five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of23 successive emperors until 1911 when Qing Emperor Puyi was forced to abdicate the throne .In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized the Forbidden City was a world cultural legacy. It is believed that the Palace Museum, or Zi Jin Cheng (Purple Forbidden City), got its name from astronomy folklore, The ancient astronomers divided the constellations into groups and centered them around the Ziwei Yuan(North Star). The constellation containing the North Star was called the Constellation of Heavenly God and star itself was called the purple palace. Because the emperor was supposedly the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position would be further highlighted the use of the word purple in the name of his residence. In folklore, the term ‖an eastern purple cloud is drifting‖ became a metaphor for auspicious events after a purple cloud was
2 seen drifting eastward immediately before the arrival of an ancient philosopher, LaoZi, to the Hanghu Pass. Here, purple is associated with auspicious developments. The word jin (forbidden) is self-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-limits to ordinary people. The red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are also symbolic. Red represents Happiness, good fortune and wealth. Yellow is the color of the earth on the Loess Plateau, the original Home of the Chinese people. Yellow became an imperial color during the Tang dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to wear it and use it in their architecture. The Forbidden City is rectangular in shape. It is 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meter wide from east west. It has 9,900 rooms under a total roof area 150,000 square meters .A 52-meter-wide-moat encircles a 9.9-meter—high wall which encloses the complex. Octagon —shaped turrets rest on the four corners of the wall. There are four entrances into the city: the Meridian Gate to the south, the Shenwu Gate(Gate of Military Prowess) to the north, and the Xihua Gate(Gate of military Prowess) to the north, and the Xihua Gate(Western Flowery Gate )to the west ,the Donghua (Eastern Flowery Gate) to the east.
Manpower and materials throughout the country were used to build the Forbidden City. A total of 230,000 artisans and one million laborers were employed. Marble was quarried from fangshan Country Mount Pan in Jixian County in Hebei Province. Granite was quarried in Quyang County in Hebei Province. Paving blocks were fired in kilns in Suzhou in southern China. Bricks and scarlet pigmentation used on the palatial walls came from linqing in Shandong Province .Timber was cut ,processed and hauled from the northwestern and southern regions.
The structure in front of us is the Meridian Gate. It is the main entrance to the forbidden City. It is also knows as Wufenglou(Five-Phoenix Tower). Ming emperors held lavish banquets here on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar year in hornor of their counties .They also used this place for punishing officals by flogging them with sticks. Qing emperors used this building to announce the beginning of the new year. Qing Emperor Qianglong changed the original name of this announcement ceremony from ban li(announcement of calendar)to ban shou(announcement of new moon )to avoid coincidental association with another Emperor` s name, Hongli, which was considered a taboo at that time. Qing Dynasty emperors also used this place to hold audience and for other important ceremonies. For example,when the imperial army returned victoriously from the battlefield ,it was here that the Emperor presided over the ceremony to accept prisoners of war. (After entering the Meridian Gate and standing in front of the Five Marble Bridges on Golden Water River) now we are inside the Forbidden City.Before we start our tour, I would like to briefly introduce you to the architectural patterns befour us .To complete this solemn, magnificent and palatial complex, a variety of buildings were arranged on a north-south axis, and 8-kilometer-long invisible line that has become an inseparable part of the City of Beijing. The Forbidden City covers roughly one –third of this central axis. Most of the important building in the Forbidden City weree arranged along this line. The design and arrangement of the palaces reflect the solemn dignity of the royal court and rigidly –stratified feudal system. The Forbidden City is divided into an outer and an inner count.We are now standing on the southernmost part of the outer count. In front of us lies the Gate of supreme Harmony .The gate is guarded by a pair of bronze lions ,symbolizing imperial power and dignity. The lions were the most
3 exquisite and biggest of its kind. The one on the east playing with a ball is a male, and ball is said to represent state unity. The other one is a female. Underneath one of its fore claws is a cub that is considered to be a symbol of perpetual imperial succession. The winding brook before us is the Golden Water River. It functions both as decoration and fire control .The five bridges spanning the river represent the five virtues preached by Confucius :benevolence, righteousness, rites, intellence and fidelity. The river takes the shape of a bow and the north-south axis is its arrow. This was meant to show that the Emperors ruled the country on behalf of God. (In front of the Gate of Supreme Harmony) The Forbidden City consists of an outer countyard and an inner enclosure. The out count yard covers a vast space lying between the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Heavenly Purity. The ―three big halls‖ of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and Preserving Harmony constitute the center of this building group. Flanking them in bilateral symmetry are two groups of palaces: Wenhua (Prominent Scholars) and Wuying (Brave Warriors) . The three great halls are built on a spacious ―H‖-shaped, 8-meter-high, triple marble terrace, Each level of the triple terrace is taller than the on below and all are encircled by marble balustrades carved with dragon and phoenix designs. There are three carved stone staircases linking the three architectures .The hall of supreme Harmony is also the tallest and most exquisite ancient wooden-structured mansion in all of China. From the palace of Heavenly Purith northward is what is known as the inner court, which is also built in bilaterally symmetrical patterns. In the center are the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and Peace and Palace of Earthly Tranquility, a place where the Emperors lived with their families and attended to state affairs. Flanking these structures are palaces and halls in which concubines and princes lived. There are also three botanical gardens within the inner count, namely, the imperial Garden, Caning garden and Quailing garden. An inner Golden Water River flows eastwardly within the inner court. The brook winds through three minor halls or palaces and leads out of the Forbidden City. It is spanned by the White Jade Bridge. The river is lined with winding, marble –carved balustrades. Most of the structures within the Forbidden City have yellow glazed tile roofs. Aside from giving prominence to the north-south axis, other architectural methods were applied to make every group of palatial structures unique in terms of terraces, roofs, mythical monsters perching on the roofs and colored, drawing patterns. With these, the grand contour and different hierarchic spectrum of the complex were strengthened. Folklore has it that there are altogether 9,999 room-units in the Forbidden City. Since Paradise only has 10,000 rooms, the Son of Heaven on earth cut the number by half a room. It is also rumoured that this half
–room is located to the west of the Wenyuange Pavilion (imperial library). As a matter of fact, although the Forbidden City has more than 9,000 room-units, this half-room is nonexistent .The Wenyuange Pavilion is a library where ―Si Ku Quan Shu‖- China `s first comprehensive anthology-was stored.
(After walking past the Gate of Supreme Harmony) Ladies and Gentlemen, the great hall we are approaching is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the biggest and tallest of its king in the Forbidden City. This structure covers a total building space of 2,377 square meters, and is know for its upturned, multiple counterpart eaves . The Hall of Supreme Harmony sits on a triple ―H‖-shaped marble terrace the is 8meters high and linked by staircases. The staircase on the ground floor has 21 steps while the middle and upper stairways each have 9.
The construction of the Hall of Supreme Harmony began in 1406. It burned down three times
4 and was severely damaged once during a mutiny. The existing architecture was built during the Qing Dynasty. On the corners of the eaves a line of animal-nails were usually fastened to the tiles. These animal-nails were later replace with mythical animals to ward off evil spirits. There are altogether 9 such fasteners on top of this hall. The number nine was regarded by the ancients to be the largest numeral accessible to man and to which only the emperors were entitled.
There was a total of 24 successive emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties who were enthroned here. The ball was also used for ceremonies which marked other great occasions: the Winter Solstice, The Chinese Lunar New Year, the Emperor` s birthday, conferral of the title of empress, the announcement of new laws and policies, and dispatches of generals to war .On such occasions, the Emperor would hold audience for his court officials and receive their tributes.
This area is called the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square, which covers a total of 30,000 square meters, Without a single tree or plant growing here, this place inspires visitors to feel its solemnity and grandeur. In the middle of the square there is a carriageway that was reserved for the Emperor. On both sides of the road the groud bricks were laid in a special way seven layers lengthwise and eight layers crosswise, making up fifteen layers in all. The purpose of this was to prevent anyone from tunneling his way into the palace. In the count yard there are iron vats for storing water to fight fires. In the whole complex there are altogher 308 water vats. In wintertime, charcoal was burned underneath the vats to keep the water from freezing .Why so vast a square? It was designed to impress people with the hall` s grandeur and vastness. Imagine the following scene. Under the clear blue sky, the yellow glazed tiles shimmered as the cloud-like layers of terrace, coupled with the curling veil of burning incense, transformed the hall of supreme Harmony into a fairyland. Whenever major ceremonies were held, the glazed, crane-shaped candleholders inside the hall would be it, and incense and pine branches burnt in front of the hall. When the Emperor appeared, drums were beaten and musical instrument played. Civilian officials and generals would kneel know in submission.
The last Qing emperor Puyi assumed the throne in 1908, at the age of three, His father carried him to the throne. At the start of the coronation, the sudden drum-beating and loud music caught the young emperor unprepared .He was so scared that he kept crying and shouting,‖I don’t want to stay here. I want to go Home.‖ His father tried to soothe him, saying, ‖It` all soon be finished .It` all soon be finished ‖The ministers present at the event considered this incident inauspicious. Coincidentally, the Qing dynasty collapsed three years later and there with concluded China `s feudal system that had lasted for more than 2,000 years. (On the stone terrace of the Hall of Supreme Harmony) This is a bronze incense burner. In it incense made of sandalwood would be burnt on important occasions. There are altogether 18 incense burners, representing all of the provinces under the rule of the Sing monarchs. On either side of the Hall, 4 bronze water-filled vats were placed in case of fire. Next to the terrace on either side, there is a bronze crane and tortoise, symbols of longevity. This copper-cast grain measure is called ‖jialiang.‖ It served as the national standard during the Qing dynasty. It was meant to show that the imperial ruler were just and open to rectification. On the other side there is a stone sundial, an ancient timepiece. The jialiang and the sundial were probably meant to show what the Emperor represented: that he was the only person who should possess the standards of both measure and time. In the very forefront of the Hall of Supreme Harmony , there are 12 scarlet , round pillars supporting the roof. The hall is 63 meters from east to west and 37 meters from north to south, It is
5 35 meters in height. In front of this architechture, there stands a triple terrace with five staircases leading up to the main entrance .It has 40 gold doors and 16 gold-key windows with colored drawings on the pillars and beams. In the middle of the hall, a throune carved with 9 dragons sits on a 2-meter-high platform. Behind the throne there is a golden screen and in front of it, there is a imperial desk . The flanks are decorated with elephants, Luduan(a legendary beast), cranes, and incense barrels. The elephant carries a vase on its back that holds five cereals(i. e. rice, two kinds of millet, wheat and beans),which was considered a symbol of prosperity. As ancient legend has it that luduan can travel 18,000 li (9,000 kilometers )in one day and knows all languages and dialects. Only to a wise adjust monarch will this beast be a guardian.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony is also popularly known as Jinluan Dian (gold bell hall or the throne hall). The floor of the hall is laid with bricks that turn it into a smooth, fine surface as if water has been sprinkled on it .The so-called golden brick, in fact, has nothing to do with gold. Reserved exclusively for the construction of the royal court, it was made in a secretive, and complex way, and, when struck, sounds like the clink of a gold bar. Each brick was worth the market price of one dan (or one hectoliter ) of rice. The hall is supported by a total of 72 thick pillars .Of these, 6 are carved in dragon patterns and painted with gold and surround the throne. Above the very center of this hall there is a zaojing, or covered ceiling, which is one of the Specialities of China `s ancient architure. In the middle of the ceiling is a design of a dragon playing with a ball inlaid with peals. This copper ball, hollow inside and covered with mercury, is known as the Xuanyuan Mirror and is thought to be made Xuanyuan, a legendary monarch dating back to remote antiquity. The placing of the caisson above the throne is meant to suggest that all of China` s successive emperors are Zuanyuan` s descendants and hereditary heirs. Now you might have noticed that the Xuanyuan mirror is not directly above the throne. Why? It is rumored that Yuan Shikai, a self-acclaimed warlord-turned emperor moved the throne further back because he was afraid that the mirror might fall on him .In 1916 when Yuan Shikai became emperor, he removed the original throne with a Western-style, high-back chair. After the foundation of the People` s Republic of China in 1949 the throne was found in a shabby furniture warehouse. It repaired and returned to the hall. (Leading the tourist to the bronze vats either on the east or the west) the water vats in front of the palaces or house were called ―menhai,‖ or sea before the door by the ancient Chinese. They believed that with a sea by the door, fire could not wreak havoc. The vats served both as a decoration and as a fire extinguisher. They were kept full of water all year round.
During the Qing Dynasty, they were altogether 308 vats in the palace enclosure. They were made of gilt bronze or iron. Of couse, the gilt bronze vats were of the best quality. When the allied forces (Britain, Germany, France, Russia, the United States, Italy, Japan and Austria) invaded Beijing in 1900 under the pretext of suppressing the Boxer Rebellion, the invadersransacked the imperial compound and scraped and gold off the vats with their bayonets. During the Japanese occupation of Beijing, many vats were trucked away by the Japanese to be made into bullets . (In front of the Hall of Complete Harmony) The square architecture before us is called the Hall of Complete Harmony. It served as an antechamber. The Emperor came here to meet with his countiers and add his final touches to the prayers which would be read at the ancestral Temple. The seeds, snowers and prayer intended for spring sowing were also examined here. The two Qing sedan chairs here on display were used for traveling within the palace during the reign of Emperor Qianlong.
6 (In front of the hall f Preserving Harmony) this is the Hall of Preserving Harmony. During the Qing Dynasty, banquets were held here on New Year` s eve in honour of Mongolian and Northwestern China` s xingjiang princes and ranking officials. The Emperor also dinned here with his new son-in-law on the wedding day. Imperial examinations were also held here once every three years. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were three levels of exams: the county and prefectural level, the provincial level and national level. The national exam was presided over by the emperor. The civil service exam in ancient China started during the Han Dynasty. It served the purpose of recruiting Confucian scholars to the ministers and high officials. During the Tang and Qing dynasties reinstituted and ancient system. Once every three years, three hundred scholars from all over the country came to Beijing and took exams for three day and night. This system was abolished in 1905. (Behind the hall of preserving harmony) this is the largest stone carving in the palace . It is 16.73 meters long, 3.07 meters wide and 1.7 meters thick .It weighs about 200 tons. The block was quarried in Fangshan County, roughly 70 kilometers away. To transport such a huge block to Beijing, laborers dug wells along the roadside half a kilometer apart, and used the groundwater to make a road of ice in the winter. Rolling blocks were used in the summer. In 1760, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty ordered the carving of the existing cloud and dragon design in place of the old one which dated back to the Ming Dynasty. Note : From here, the tour can be conducted via three different routes: a western route(Route A), a central route (Route B) or an eastern route (Route C) .The commentary for each follows. Route A Ladies and Gentlemen: You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City. Now I ` d like to show you around the hall of mental cultivation and the imperial garden . The hall of mental cultivation is situated is in the western part of the innermost enclosure and is symmetrical to Fengxian (enshrinement of forebears) Hall in the east. This hall was built during the Ming Dynasty. IT is a H-shaped structure consisting of an antechamber and a main building .The hall is surrounded by corridors. In front of the hall is the Office of Privy Council.
Before Emperor Kangxi of Qing the Dynasty came to power the Hall of Heavenly Purity served as the living quarter of the emperors. Emperor Yongzheng chose to live in this hall and attended to every day state affairs from here .For the sake of protecting cultural relics, this hall is not open to the public .You can have a look at the inside from the door. The central hall was the audience chamber where the emperor read memorials, granted audience to officials and summoned his minsters for consultation. The western chamber of the hall was where the emperor read reports and discussed military and political affairs. The hall consists of many inner rooms and is decorated with images of Buddha and miniature pagodas. On the screen wall there hangs a picture of two emperors in the Han costume. In a southern room there three rare calligraphic scrolls, hence the name of the room ―Sanxitang‖ (Room of Three Rare Treasures) . The room on the eastern side is of historical interst because it was here that Empress Dowager Cixi usurped power and made decisions on behalf of the young emperor . A bamboo curtain was used to separate them . Empress Dowage Cixi was born in 1835 in Lu` an Prefecture of shanxi province. She` s of Manchurian nationality and her father was a provincial governor from south China. When she was 17 years old ,she was selected to become a concubine of Emperor Xianfeng and moved into the Forbidden City. She gave birth to a son when she was 21years old and was made a concubine the
7 following year. When the emperor passed away in the summer of 1861, her son ascended the throne and title of Cixi, meaning ―Holy Mother‖ was conferred upon her and she became the Empress Dowager. In that same year Empress Dowager Cixi carried out a count coup d` etat and ruled behind the scenes with another empress dowager, Ci` an, for 48 years. She passed away in 1908 at the age of 73. It was in reference to this situation that the term ―attending to state affairs behind a bamboo curtain‖ developed .In 1912 , Empress dowager Longyu declared the abdication of the last Qing emperor Puyi. They were allowed to remain in the Forbidden City for the next 13 years .The royal family was forced to move out permanently in 1924. Behind the central hall were the living accommodation of 8 successive Qing emperors .Three of them actually passed away here. The side rooms flanking the hall were reserved for empresses and concubines. Now let` s continue with our tour. It will take us to the Hall of heavenly purity , the hall of union and peace ,the palace of earthly tranquility, and the imperial garden. Route B (Inside the Hall of heavenly Purity) Ladies and Gentlemen: We are now entering the inner court. From the Gate of Heavenly Purity northward lies the inner court where the emperors and empresses once lived .The Hall of heavenly Purity is the central hall of the inner court ,and was completed during the Reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. There are 10 pillars supporting the entire structure and the hall is 20 meters in height .In the center of the hall there a throne. Above it hangs a plaque with an inscription that reads ―Be open and above-board,‖ written by Shenzhi,the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Beginning with Qianlong` s reign, the name of the successor to the throne was not publicly announced .instead, it was written on two pieces of paper, one to be kept on the emperor` s person throughout his reign, and the other placed in a small strongbox that was stored behind his plaque. The box was opened only after the emperor passed away. Altogether there where 4 emperors who ascended the throne in this way, namely Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daohuang and Xian feng. The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperors lived during the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to tradition ,extravagant annual banquets were held here on New Year` s Eve in honour of royal family members. Foreign ambassadors were received here during the late-Qing period. Two important ―one thousand old men` s feasts‖ of the Qing Dynasty were also held here. All the invitees had to be at least 65 years of age.This hall was also used for mourning services. (Inside the Palace of Union and Peace) this hall sits between the Hall of heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth ,as well as national peace .It was first built in 1420 and reconstructed in 1798. The hall is square in shape ,and is smaller than the Hall of complete Harmony .You will see a plaque here inscribed with two Chinese characters, wu wei, which were handwritten by Emperor Qianglong. A throne sits in the middle of the hall with a screen behind it .Above the throne there hangs a caisson ,or covered ceiling. The emperor held birthday celebrations and other major events here. In 1748 during Emperor Qianlong` s reign, 25 jade seals representing imperial authority were kept in this hall .No seals were allowed out of the room without the prior consent of the emperor. On each flack there is a water clock and a chiming clock. (Inside the palace of earthly tranquility) This used to be the central hall where successive Ming empresses lived. During the Qing dynasty,
8 it was converted into a place where sacrifices and wedding ceremonies were held .The room on the western side was used for sacrifices and the room on the east was the seeding chamber. Route C Ladies and Gentlemen: You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City. Now I` d like to show you around scenes of interest along the eastern route. The first is the Treasure Hall. This mansion is called the Hall of Imperial Zenith. This is where Sing Emperor Quailing lived after abdication. Nearly 1,000 artifacts and treasures are on display here, among which the Golden Hair Tower is one of the most famous. This tower is 1.53meters in height and its base is 0.53 meters in circumference .It was built under the order of Emperor Quailing to be used to collect fallen hair in commemoration of his mother. There is also a ―Day harnessing Water Jade Hill ‖ on display here. Yu was a legendary monarch of the remote Ixia dynasty. Under his leadership, the people learned how to harness the Yellow River. This jade assemblage, 224 centimeters in height and 5 tons in weight, is the largest jade artwork in China. This mat was woven with peeled ivory. These artifacts are among China` s rarest treasures. (In front of the Nine-Dragon Screen) this is the Nine-Dragon Relief Screen .Erected in 1773,it is 3.5 meters in height and 29.4 meters in width. Underneath is a foundation made of marble .The surface of the screen is laid with a total of 270 colored, glazed tiles in the design of 9 dragons ,some rocky mountains ,clouds and the sea. It was meant to ward off evil spirits The ancient Chinese regarded 9 dragons, some rocky mountains, clouds and the sea. It was meant to ward off evil spirits .The ancient Chinese regarded 9 as the largest numeral and the dragon as a auspicious beast .The 9 dragons are different in color and posture and all are made of glazed tiles. Interestingly a piece of the third dragon from the left is made of wood. It is believe that when the Nine-dragon Screen was almost finished ,a piece of glazed tile was damaged .Emperor Qianlong was scheduled to inspect the work the following day .Using quick wits, the craftsman in question molded the missing piece with clay and sailed through the imperial inspection. Later ,he asked a carpenter to carve a wooden one to replace the one made of clay. (Approaching the Imperial garden) Behind the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and trading the north-south axis is the imperial Garden. There are old trees, rare flowers and exotic rock formation in this garden .It cover a space of 11,700 square meters, or roughly 1.7 percent of the Forbidden City. Most of the structures in the garden are symmetrically arranged . However, each is different in terms of parrern and decoration. Woods clumps of bamboo screen off the
garden and strengthens its deep and serene atmosphere.
There main structure of the Imperial Garden is the Qin` an Hall. Positioned in the central-northern part of the garden ,this hall is flanked by other halls and pavilions on the east and west. The hall sits on a marble pedestal. The Taoist deity of Zhenwu is enshrined here and emperor would pay homage here a quarterly basis. Taoist rites were held during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. In front of the hall there is a cypress that is 400 years old .In all there are a dozen such rare trees in the garden, and most of them are cypresses or pines. To the northwest of the hall , there is the Yanhui(Sustaining Sunshine) Pavilion and to the northeast there lies the Duixiu (Accumulated Refinement )Hill. This Hill was built over the foundation of the long- pershed Guanhua (Admiring Flowers) Hall of the Ming Dynasty. It is 14 meters in height and made of al
9 kinds of rocks quarried in jiang su province. At its base stand two nstone lions, each carrying a dragon shooting water 10 meters up into the air from its mouth. There are meandering paths leading to the hilltop. At the top of Duixiu Hill sits the Yujing (Imperial Viewing)Pavilion. Traditionally, On the day of the Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month ), the emperor ,his consort, and his concubines would climb up to Yujing Pavilion to enjoy the scenery.At the southeastern corner of the garden is Jiangxue(Crimson Snowy) Verandah. Nearby to the southwest lies Yangxing Study (study of the cultivation of nature) .The yangxing study was used as a royal library during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Puyi once studied English there. In front of the Jiangxue Verandah some Chinese flowering crabapples grow. The structure got its name from the crabapples who blossoms trun from crimson to snowy white. In front of the Verandah, there grows a rare flower that was brought from henna Province under the order of Empress dowager Cixi. In the northest is Chizao Tang (Hall of Using Flowery Language), once used as a library where rare books were stored. There are also specific pavilions symbolizing the four seasons .The halls of Wanchun and Qianqiu ,representing spring and autumn respectively ,are square in shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shaped ridges. The halls of Chengrui and Fubi,dedecated to winter and summer, are characterized by two verandahs and bridges at their bases .Paths were paved with colorful pebbles and arranged in 900 different designs. The Imperial Garden ca n be accessed through the Qiong yuan (Jade garden )West gate or the qiong yuan east gate. A third gate, the shunzhen(Obedience and Fidelity)Gate, opens to the north. Its doors are laid in glazed tiles and it was only used by the empress or concubines.
As our tour of the Forbidden City draws to a close, I hope that I have helped you understand why the Palace is a treasure of China and one of the cultural relics of the world. It is under the strict protection of the Chinese government. Since 1949 when the people` s Rupublic of China was founded, nearly one trillion RMB was spent on its restoration and refurbishment. The Forbidden City has undergone four major facelifts to date. Each year, the government earmarks a large sum to gather, sort and study cultural relics. The Palace now contains a total of 930,000cultural relics. Well, so much for today .Let` s go to reboard the coach. Thank you !
第二篇：北京故宫英文导游辞
FORBIDDEN CITY(紫禁城) (In front of the meridian gate)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am pleased to serve as your guide today.
This is the palace museum; also know as the purple Forbidden City. It is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in China today. Under Ming Emperor Yongle, construction began in 1406. It took 14years to build the Forbidden City. The first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Emperor Zhudi. For five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of23 successive emperors until 1911 when Qing Emperor puyi was forced to abdicate the throne .In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized the Forbidden City was a world cultural legacy.
It is believed that the palace Museum, or Zi Jin Cheng (purple Forbidden City), got its name from astronomy folklore, The ancient astronomers divided the constellations into groups and centered them around the Ziwei Yuan(North Star). The constellation containing the North Star was called the Constellation of Heavenly God and star itself was called the purple palace. Because the emperor was supposedly the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position would be further highlighted the use of the word purple in the name of his residence. In folklore, the term ”an eastern purple cloud is drifting” became a metaphor for auspicious events after a purple cloud was seen drifting eastward immediately before the arrival of an ancient philosopher, LaoZi, to the Hanghu pass. Here, purple is associated with auspicious developments. The word jin (forbidden) is self-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-limits to ordinary people.
The red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are also symbolic. Red represents happiness, good fortune and wealth. Yellow is the color of the earth on the Loess plateau, the original home of the Chinese people. Yellow became an imperial color during the Tang dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to wear it and use it in their architecture.
The Forbidden City is rectangular in shape. It is 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meter wide from east west. It has 9,900 rooms under a total roof area 150,000 square meters .A 52-meter-wide-moat encircles a 9.9-meter—high wall which encloses the complex. Octagon —shaped turrets rest on the four corners of the wall. There are four entrances into the city: the Meridian Gate to the south, the Shenwu Gate(Gate of Military prowess) to the north, and the Xihua Gate(Gate of military prowess) to the north, and the Xihua Gate(Western Flowery Gate )to the west ,the Donghua (Eastern Flowery Gate) to the east.
Manpower and materials throughout the country were used to build the Forbidden City. A total of 230,000 artisans and one million laborers were employed. Marble was quarried from fangshan Country Mount pan in Jixian County in Hebei province. Granite was quarried in Quyang County in Hebei province. paving blocks were fired in kilns in Suzhou in southern China. Bricks and scarlet pigmentation used on the palatial walls came from linqing in Shandong province .Timber was cut ,processed and hauled from the northwestern and southern regions.
The structure in front of us is the Meridian Gate. It is the main entrance to the forbidden City. It is also knows as Wufenglou(Five-phoenix Tower). Ming emperors held lavish banquets here on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar year in hornor of their counties .They also used this place for punishing officals by flogging them with sticks.
Qing emperors used this building to announce the beginning of the new year. Qing Emperor Qianglong changed the original name of this announcement ceremony from ban li(announcement of calendar)to ban shou(announcement of new moon )to avoid coincidental association with another Emperor` s name, Hongli, which was considered a taboo at that time. Qing Dynasty emperors also used this place to hold audience and for other important ceremonies. For example,when the imperial army returned victoriously from the battlefield ,it was here that the Emperor presided over the ceremony to accept prisoners of war.
(After entering the Meridian Gate and standing in front of the Five Marble Bridges on Golden Water River)
now we are inside the Forbidden City.Before we start our tour, I would like to briefly introduce you to the architectural patterns befour us .To complete this solemn, magnificent and palatial complex, a variety of buildings were arranged on a north-south axis, and 8-kilometer-long invisible line that has become an inseparable part of the City of Beijing. The Forbidden City covers roughly one –third of this central axis. Most of the important building in the Forbidden City weree arranged along this line. The design and arrangement of the palaces reflect the solemn dignity of the royal court and rigidly –stratified feudal system.
The Forbidden City is divided into an outer and an inner count.We are now standing on the southernmost part of the outer count. In front of us lies the Gate of supreme Harmony .The gate is guarded by a pair of bronze lions ,symbolizing imperial power and dignity. The lions were the most exquisite and biggest of its kind. The one on the east playing with a ball is a male, and ball is said to represent state unity. The other one is a female. Underneath one of its fore claws is a cub that is considered to be a symbol of perpetual imperial succession. The winding brook before us is the Golden Water River. It functions both as decoration and fire control .The five bridges spanning the river represent the five virtues preached by Confucius :benevolence, righteousness, rites, intellence and fidelity. The river takes the shape of a bow and the north-south axis is its arrow. This was meant to show that the Emperors ruled the country on behalf of God.
(In front of the Gate of Supreme Harmony)
The Forbidden City consists of an outer countyard and an inner enclosure. The out count yard covers a vast space lying between the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Heavenly purity. The “three big halls” of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and preserving Harmony constitute the center of this building group. Flanking them in bilateral symmetry are two groups of palaces: Wenhua (prominent Scholars) and Wuying (Brave Warriors) . The three great halls are built on a spacious “H”-shaped, 8-meter-high, triple marble terrace, Each level of the triple terrace is taller than the on below and all are encircled by marble balustrades carved with dragon and phoenix designs. There are three carved stone staircases linking the three architectures .The hall of supreme Harmony is also the tallest and most exquisite ancient wooden-structured mansion in all of China. From the palace of Heavenly purith northward is what is known as the inner court, which is also built in bilaterally symmetrical patterns. In the center are the palace of Heavenly purity, the Hall of Union and peace and palace of Earthly Tranquility, a place where the Emperors lived with their families and attended to state affairs. Flanking these structures are palaces and halls in which concubines and princes lived. There are also three botanical gardens within the inner count, namely, the imperial Garden, Caning garden and Quailing garden. An inner Golden Water River flows eastwardly within the inner court. The brook winds through three minor halls or palaces and leads out of the Forbidden City. It is spanned by the White Jade Bridge. The river is lined with winding, marble –carved balustrades. Most of the structures within the Forbidden City have yellow glazed tile roofs.
Aside from giving prominence to the north-south axis, other architectural methods were applied to make every group of palatial structures unique in terms of terraces, roofs, mythical monsters perching on the roofs and colored, drawing patterns. With these, the grand contour and different hierarchic spectrum of the complex were strengthened. Folklore has it that there are altogether 9,999 room-units in the Forbidden City. Since paradise only has 10,000 rooms, the Son of Heaven on earth cut the number by half a room. It is also rumoured that this half –room is located to the west of the Wenyuange pavilion (imperial library). As a matter of fact, although the Forbidden City has more than 9,000 room-units, this half-room is nonexistent .The Wenyuange pavilion is a library where “Si Ku Quan Shu”- China `s first comprehensive anthology-was stored.
(In front of the hall f preserving Harmony)
this is the Hall of preserving Harmony. During the Qing Dynasty, banquets were held here on New Year` s eve in honour of Mongolian and Northwestern China` s xingjiang princes and ranking officials. The Emperor also dinned here with his new son-in-law on the wedding day. Imperial examinations were also held here once every three years. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were three levels of exams: the county and prefectural level, the provincial level and national level. The national exam was presided over by the emperor. The civil service exam in ancient China started during the Han Dynasty. It served the purpose of recruiting Confucian scholars to the ministers and high officials. During the Tang and Qing dynasties reinstituted and ancient system. Once every three years, three hundred scholars from all over the country came to Beijing and took exams for three day and night. This system was abolished in 1905.
(Behind the hall of preserving harmony)
this is the largest stone carving in the palace . It is 16.73 meters long, 3.07 meters wide and 1.7 meters thick .It weighs about 200 tons. The block was quarried in Fangshan County, roughly 70 kilometers away. To transport such a huge block to Beijing, laborers dug wells along the roadside half a kilometer apart, and used the groundwater to make a road of ice in the winter. Rolling blocks were used in the summer. In 1760, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty ordered the carving of the existing cloud and dragon design in place of the old one which dated back to the Ming Dynasty.
Note : From here, the tour can be conducted via three different routes: a western route(Route A), a central route (Route B) or an eastern route (Route C) .The commentary for each follows.
Route A
Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City. Now I ` d like to show you around the hall of mental cultivation and the imperial garden . The hall of mental cultivation is situated is in the western part of the innermost enclosure and is symmetrical to Fengxian (enshrinement of forebears) Hall in the east. This hall was built during the Ming Dynasty. IT is a H-shaped structure consisting of an antechamber and a main building .The hall is surrounded by corridors. In front of the hall is the Office of privy Council.
Before Emperor Kangxi of Qing the Dynasty came to power the Hall of Heavenly purity served as the living quarter of the emperors. Emperor Yongzheng chose to live in this hall and attended to every day state affairs from here .For the sake of protecting cultural relics, this hall is not open to the public .You can have a look at the inside from the door. The central hall was the audience chamber where the emperor read memorials, granted audience to officials and summoned his minsters for consultation. The western chamber of the hall was where the emperor read reports and discussed military and political affairs. The hall consists of many inner rooms and is decorated with images of Buddha and miniature pagodas. On the screen wall there hangs a picture of two emperors in the Han costume. In a southern room there three rare calligraphic scrolls, hence the name of the room “Sanxitang” (Room of Three Rare Treasures) . The room on the eastern side is of historical interst because it was here that Empress Dowager Cixi usurped power and made decisions on behalf of the young emperor . A bamboo curtain was used to separate them .
Empress Dowage Cixi was born in 1835 in Lu` an prefecture of shanxi province. She` s of Manchurian nationality and her father was a provincial governor from south China. When she was 17 years old ,she was selected to become a concubine of Emperor Xianfeng and moved into the Forbidden City. She gave birth to a son when she was 21years old and was made a concubine the following year. When the emperor passed away in the summer of 1861, her son ascended the throne and title of Cixi, meaning “Holy Mother” was conferred upon her and she became the Empress Dowager. In that same year Empress Dowager Cixi carried out a count coup d` etat and ruled behind the scenes with another empress dowager, Ci` an, for 48 years. She passed away in 1908 at the age of 73. It was in reference to this situation that the term “attending to state affairs behind a bamboo curtain” developed .In 1912 , Empress dowager Longyu declared the abdication of the last Qing emperor puyi. They were allowed to remain in the Forbidden City for the next 13 years .The royal family was forced to move out permanently in 1924.
Behind the central hall were the living accommodation of 8 successive Qing emperors .Three of them actually passed away here. The side rooms flanking the hall were reserved for empresses and concubines. Now let` s continue with our tour. It will take us to the Hall of heavenly purity , the hall of union and peace ,the palace of earthly tranquility, and the imperial garden.
Route B
(Inside the Hall of heavenly purity)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are now entering the inner court. From the Gate of Heavenly purity northward lies the inner court where the emperors and empresses once lived .The Hall of heavenly purity is the central hall of the inner court ,and was completed during the Reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. There are 10 pillars supporting the entire structure and the hall is 20 meters in height .In the center of the hall there a throne. Above it hangs a plaque with an inscription that reads “Be open and above-board,” written by Shenzhi,the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Beginning with Qianlong` s reign, the name of the successor to the throne was not publicly announced .instead, it was written on two pieces of paper, one to be kept on the emperor` s person throughout his reign, and the other placed in a small strongbox that was stored behind his plaque. The box was opened only after the emperor passed away. Altogether there where 4 emperors who ascended the throne in this way, namely Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daohuang and Xian feng.
The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperors lived during the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to tradition ,extravagant annual banquets were held here on New Year` s Eve in honour of royal family members. Foreign ambassadors were received here during the late-Qing period. Two important “one thousand old men` s feasts” of the Qing Dynasty were also held here. All the invitees had to be at least 65 years of age.
This hall was also used for mourning services.
(Inside the palace of Union and peace)
this hall sits between the Hall of heavenly purity and the palace of Earthly Tranquility, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth ,as well as national peace .It was first built in 1420 and reconstructed in 1798. The hall is square in shape ,and is smaller than the Hall of complete Harmony .You will see a plaque here inscribed with two Chinese characters, wu wei, which were handwritten by Emperor Qianglong. A throne sits in the middle of the hall with a screen behind it .Above the throne there hangs a caisson ,or covered ceiling. The emperor held birthday celebrations and other major events here.
In 1748 during Emperor Qianlong` s reign, 25 jade seals representing imperial authority were kept in this hall .No seals were allowed out of the room without the prior consent of the emperor. On each flack there is a water clock and a chiming clock.
(Inside the palace of earthly tranquility)
This used to be the central hall where successive Ming empresses lived. During the Qing dynasty, it was converted into a place where sacrifices and wedding ceremonies were held .The room on the western side was used for sacrifices and the room on the east was the seeding chamber.
Route C
Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City. Now I` d like to show you around scenes of interest along the eastern route. The first is the Treasure Hall. This mansion is called the Hall of Imperial Zenith. This is where Sing Emperor Quailing lived after abdication. Nearly 1,000 artifacts and treasures are on display here, among which the Golden Hair Tower is one of the most famous. This tower is 1.53meters in height and its base is 0.53 meters in circumference .It was built under the order of Emperor Quailing to be used to collect fallen hair in commemoration of his mother. There is also a “Day harnessing Water Jade Hill ” on display here. Yu was a legendary monarch of the remote Ixia dynasty. Under his leadership, the people learned how to harness the Yellow River. This jade assemblage, 224 centimeters in height and 5 tons in weight, is the largest jade artwork in China. This mat was woven with peeled ivory. These artifacts are among China` s rarest treasures.
(In front of the Nine-Dragon Screen)
this is the Nine-Dragon Relief Screen .Erected in 1773,it is 3.5 meters in height and 29.4 meters in width. Underneath is a foundation made of marble .The surface of the screen is laid with a total of 270 colored, glazed tiles in the design of 9 dragons ,some rocky mountains ,clouds and the sea. It was meant to ward off evil spirits The ancient Chinese regarded 9 dragons, some rocky mountains, clouds and the sea. It was meant to ward off evil spirits .The ancient Chinese regarded 9 as the largest numeral and the dragon as a auspicious beast .The 9 dragons are different in color and posture and all are made of glazed tiles. Interestingly a piece of the third dragon from the left is made of wood. It is believe that when the Nine-dragon Screen was almost finished ,a piece of glazed tile was damaged .Emperor Qianlong was scheduled to inspect the work the following day .Using quick wits, the craftsman in question molded the missing piece with clay and sailed through the imperial inspection. Later ,he asked a carpenter to carve a wooden one to replace the one made of clay.
(Approaching the Imperial Garden)
Behind the palace of Earthly Tranquility and trading the north-south axis is the imperial Garden. There are old trees, rare flowers and exotic rock formation in this garden .It cover a space of 11,700 square meters, or roughly 1.7 percent of the Forbidden City. Most of the structures in the garden are symmetrically arranged . However, each is different in terms of parrern and decoration. Woods clumps of bamboo screen off the garden and strengthens its deep and serene atmosphere.
There main structure of the Imperial Garden is the Qin` an Hall. positioned in the central-northern part of the garden ,this hall is flanked by other halls and pavilions on the east and west. The hall sits on a marble pedestal. The Taoist deity of Zhenwu is enshrined here and emperor would pay homage here a quarterly basis. Taoist rites were held during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. In front of the hall there is a cypress that is 400 years old .In all there are a dozen such rare trees in the garden, and most of them are cypresses or pines. To the northwest of the hall , there is the Yanhui(Sustaining Sunshine) pavilion and to the northeast there lies the Duixiu (Accumulated Refinement )Hill. This Hill was built over the foundation of the long- pershed Guanhua (Admiring Flowers) Hall of the Ming Dynasty. It is 14 meters in height and made of al kinds of rocks quarried in jiang su province. At its base stand two nstone lions, each carrying a dragon shooting water 10 meters up into the air from its mouth. There are meandering paths leading to the hilltop. At the top of Duixiu Hill sits the Yujing (Imperial Viewing)pavilion. Traditionally, On the day of the Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month ), the emperor ,his consort, and his concubines would climb up to Yujing pavilion to enjoy the scenery.
At the southeastern corner of the Garden is Jiangxue(Crimson Snowy) Verandah. Nearby to the southwest lies Yangxing Study (study of the cultivation of nature) .The yangxing study was used as a royal library during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, puyi once studied English there. In front of the Jiangxue Verandah some Chinese flowering crabapples grow. The structure got its name from the crabapples who blossoms trun from crimson to snowy white. In front of the Verandah, there grows a rare flower that was brought from henna province under the order of Empress dowager Cixi. In the northest is Chizao Tang (Hall of Using Flowery Language), once used as a library where rare books were stored.
There are also specific pavilions symbolizing the four seasons .The halls of Wanchun and Qianqiu ,representing spring and autumn respectively ,are square in shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shaped ridges. The halls of Chengrui and Fubi,dedecated to winter and summer, are characterized by two verandahs and bridges at their bases .paths were paved with colorful pebbles and arranged in 900 different designs.
The Imperial Garden can be accessed through the Qiong yuan (Jade Garden )West gate or the qiong yuan east gate. A third gate, the shunzhen(Obedience and Fidelity)Gate, opens to the north. Its doors are laid in glazed tiles and it was only used by the empress or concubines.
As our tour of the Forbidden City draws to a close, I hope that I have helped you understand why the palace is a treasure of China and one of the cultural relics of the world. It is under the strict protection of the Chinese government. Since 1949 when the people` s Rupublic of China was founded, nearly one trillion RMB was spent on its restoration and refurbishment. The Forbidden City has undergone four major facelifts to date. Each year, the government earmarks a large sum to gather, sort and study cultural relics. The palace now contains a total of 930,000cultural relics. Well, so much for today .Let` s go to reboard the coach. Thank you !
The end
Feb.25th, 2003
Collecting and Typing by foreverlydia
第三篇：北京长城英文导游词
The Great Wall, like the pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal(1) in India and the Hanging Garden of Babylon(2), is one of the great wonders of the world. Starting out in the east on the banks of the Yalu River in Liaoning province, the Wall stretches westwards for 12,700 kilometers to Jiayuguan in the Gobi desert, thus known as the Ten Thousand Li Wall
Historical records trace the construction of the origin of the Wall to defensive fortification back to the year 656 B.C. during the reign of King Cheng of the States of Chu. Its construction continued throughout the Warring States period in the fifth Century B.C. when ducal states Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Qin were frequently plundered by the nomadic peoples living north of the Yinshan and Yanshan mountain ranges. Walls, then, were built separately by these ducal states to ward off such harassments. Later in 221 B.C., when Qin conquered the other states and unified China, Emperor Qinshihuang ordered the connection of these individual walls and further extensions to form the basis of the present great wall. As a matter of fact, a separate outer wall was constructed north of the Yinshan range in the Han Dynasty(206 BC--1644 BC.), which went to ruin through years of neglect. In the many intervening centuries, succeeding dynasties rebuilt parts of the Wall. The most extensive reinforcements and renovations were carried out in the Ming Dynasty (1368--1644) when altogether 18 lengthy stretches were reinforced with bricks and rocks. it is mostly the Ming Dynasty Wall that visitors see today. The Great Wall is divided into two sections, the east and west, with Shanxi province as the dividing line. The west part is a rammed earth construction, about 5.3 meters high on average. In the eastern part, the core of the Wall is rammed earth as well, but the outer shell is reinforced with bricks and rocks. The most imposing and best preserved sections of the Great Wall are at Badaling and Mutianyu, not far from Beijing and both are open to visitors. The Wall of those sections is 7.8 meters high and 6.5 meters wide at its base, narrowing to 5.8 meters on the ramparts, wide enough for five horses to gallop abreast. There are ramparts, embrasures, peep-holes and apertures for archers on the top, besides gutters with gargoyles to drain rain-water off the parapet walk. Two-storied watch-towers are built at approximately 400-meters internals. The top stories of the watch-tower were designed for observing enemy movements, while the first was used for storing grain, fodder, military equipment and gunpowder as well as for quartering garrison soldiers. The highest watch-tower at Badaling standing on a hill-top, is reached only after a steep climb, like "climbing a ladder to heaven". The view from the top is rewarding, hoverer. The Wall follows the contour of mountains that rise one behind the other until they finally fade and merge with distant haze. A signal system formerly existed that served to communicate military information to the dynastic capital. This consisted of beacon towers on the Wall itself and on mountain tops within sight of the Wall. At the approach of enemy troops, smoke signals gave the alarm from the beacon towers in the daytime and bonfire did this at night.
Emergency signals could be relayed to the capital from distant places within a few hour long before the invention of anything like modern communications. There stand 14 major passes (Guan, in Chinese) at places of strategic importance along the Great Wall, the most important being Shanghaiguan and Jiayuguan. Yet the most impressive one is Juyongguan, about 50 kilometers northwest of Beijing. Known as "Tian Xia Di YI Guan" (The First pass Under Heaven), Shanghaiguan pass is situated between two sheer cliffs forming a neck connecting north China with the northeast. It had been, therefore, a key junction contested by all strategists and many famous battles were fought here. It was the gate of Shanghaiguan that the Ming general Wu Sangui opened to the Manchu army to suppress the peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng and so surrendered the whole Ming empire to the Manchus, leading to the foundation of the Qing Dynasty. (1644-1911) Jiayuguan pass was not so much as the "Strategic pass Under the Heaven" as an important communication center in Chinese history. Cleft between the snow-capped Qilian Mountains and the rolling Mazong Mountains, it was on the ancient Silk Road. Zhang Qian, the first envoy of Emperor Wu Di of the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C-24 A.D), crossed it on his journey to the western regions. Later, silk flowed to the west through this pass too. The gate-tower of Jiayuguan is an attractive building of excellent workmanship. It has an inner city and an outer city, the former square in shape and surrounded by a wall 11.7 meters high and 730 meters in circumference. It has two gates, an eastern one and a western one. On each gate sits a tower facing each other. the four corners of the wall are occupied by four watch towers, one for each. Juyongguan, a gateway to ancient Beijing from Inner Mongolia, was built in a 15-kilometer long ravine flanked by mountains. The cavalrymen of Genghis Khan swept through it in the 13th century. At the center of the pass is a white marble platform named the Cloud terrace, which was called the Crossing-Street Dagoba, since its narrow arch spanned the main street of the pass and on the top of the terrace there used to be three stone dagobas, built in the Yuan Daynasty(1206-1368). At the bottom of the terrace is a half-octagonal arch gateway, interesting for its wealth of detail: it is decorated with splendid images of Buddha and four celestial guardians carved on the walls. The vividness of their expressions is matched by the exquisite workmanship. such grandiose relics works, with several stones pieced together, are rarely seen in ancient Chinese carving. The gate jambs bear a multi-lingual Buddhist sutra, carved some 600 years ago in Sanskrit(3), Tibetan, Mongolian, Uigur(4), Han Chinese and the language of Western Xia. Undoubtedly, they are valuable to the study of Buddhism and ancient languages. As a cultural heritage, the Wall belongs not only to China but to the world. The Venice charter says: "Historical and cultural architecture not only includes the individual architectural works, but also the urban or rural environment that witnessed certain civilizations, significant social developments or historical events." The Great Wall is the largest of such historical and cultural architecture, and that is why it continues to be so attractive to people all over the world. In 1987, the Wall was listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.
Notes:1. the Taj Mahal in India 印度的泰姬陵2. the Hanging Garden of Babylon 巴比伦的空中花园3. Sanskrit 梵语4. Uigur 维吾尔语
There stand 14 major passes (Guan, in Chinese) at places of strategic importance along the Great Wall, the most important being Shanghaiguan and Jiayuguan. Yet the most impressive one is Juyongguan, about 50 kilometers northwest of Beijing.
Known as "Tian Xia Di YI Guan" (The First pass Under Heaven), Shanghaiguan pass is situated between two sheer cliffs forming a neck connecting north China with the northeast. It had been, therefore, a key junction contested by all strategists and many famous battles were fought here. It was the gate of Shanghaiguan that the Ming general Wu Sangui opened to the Manchu army to suppress the peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng and so surrendered the whole Ming empire to theManchus, leading to the foundation of the Qing Dynasty. (1644-1911)
Jiayuguan pass was not so much as the "Strategic pass Under the Heaven" as an important communication center in Chinese history. Cleft between the snow-capped Qilian Mountains and the rolling Mazong Mountains, it was on the ancient Silk Road. Zhang Qian, the first envoy of Emperor Wu Di of the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C-24 A.D), crossed it on his journey to the western regions. Later, silk flowed to the west through this pass too. The gate-tower of Jiayuguan is an attractive building of excellent workmanship. It has an inner city and an outer city, the former square in shape and surrounded by a wall 11.7 meters high and 730 meters in circumference. It has two gates, an eastern one and a western one. On each gate sits a tower facing each other. the four corners of the wall are occupied by four watch towers, one for each.
Juyongguan, a gateway to ancient Beijing from Inner Mongolia, was built in a 15-kilometer long ravine flanked by mountains. The cavalrymen of Genghis Khan swept through it in the 13th century. At the center of the pass is a white marble platform named the Cloud terrace, which was called the Crossing-Street Dagoba, since its narrow arch spanned the main street of the pass and on the top of the terrace there used to be three stone dagobas, built in the Yuan Daynasty(1206-1368). At the bottom of the terrace is a half-octagonal arch gateway, interesting for its wealth of detail: it is decorated with splendid images of Buddha and four celestial guardians carved on the walls. The vividness of their expressions is matched by the exquisite workmanship. such grandiose relics works, with several stones pieced together, are rarely seen in ancient Chinese carving. The gate jambs bear a multi-lingual Buddhist sutra, carved some 600 years ago in Sanskrit(3), Tibetan, Mongolian, Uigur(4), Han Chinese and the language of Western Xia. Undoubtedly, they are valuable to the study of Buddhism and ancient languages.
As a cultural heritage, the Wall belongs not only to China but to the world. The Venice charter says: "Historical and cultural architecture not only includes the individual architectural works, but also the urban or rural environment that witnessed certain civilizations, significant social developments or historical events." The Great Wall is the largest of such historical and cultural architecture, and that is why it continues to be so attractive to people all over the world. In 1987, the Wall was listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.
第四篇：北京英文导游词精选
导游词是导游人员引导游客观光游览时的讲解词，是导游员同游客交流思想，向游客传播文化知识的工具，也是应用写作研究的文体之一。以下是小编整理的北京英文导游词精选，欢迎阅读!
北京英文导游词精选1
Beijing is the birthplace of Chinese Civilization and one of the six ancient capital cities in China. During the last 3000 years it served as a capital for several dynasties. It is the second largest city in China with a population of more than 11 million. Beijing is neither cold in winter nor very hot in summer. The best seasons in Beijing are Spring and Autumn. Beijing is indeed an ideal place to visit all round the year.
Temple of Heaven in the southern part of Beijing is China`s largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings. Occupying an area of 273 hectares, it is three times the area of the Forbidden City. It was built in 1420 for emperors to worship Heaven. The principle buildings include the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, Imperial Vault of Heaven and Circular Mound Altar.
Forbidden City, so called because it was off limits to commoners for 500 years, is the largest and best-preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. It was home to two dynasties of emperors -the Ming and the Qingalways the most attractive places. At present, can eat snacks in Beijing have a cake, soy milk, rice cakes, Fried cake, soybean curd, tea soup, roast sweet potato, wonton, baked wheat cake, etc.
第五篇：故宫博物院 英文导游词
Hello, everyone,
We are now going to pay a visit to a place of special interest. This scenic spot is located at the center of Beijing and is characterized by thousands of palatial architectures and purple walls as well as yellow glazed tile roofs- it is simply a sea of palaces. This is the world – famous wonder – the Palace Museum.
The Palace Museum has served as the royal residence during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was here that a total of 24 monarchs ascended the throne and wielded power for some 500 years. The Palace Museum, as the most beautiful spot of interest throughout Beijing, is unique for its location: to the northwest is Beihai(North Sea) Park, famous for its white pagoda and rippling lake; to the west is the Zhongnahai (central and south sea); to the east lies the the Wangfujing Shopping Street; and to the north id Jinshan Park. Standing in the Wanchun (Everlasting Spring) Pavilion at the top of Jingshan(Charcoal Hill) Park, you overlook the skyline of the palace Museum. At the southern end of the palace is Tian` anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) and the famous square named after it . This is the symbol of the People` s Republic of China.
A world-famous historical site, the Palace Museum is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO and is an embodiment of oriental civilization.
The Palace Museum is rectangular in shape, 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meters wide from east to west, covering a space of 720,000 square meters of which 150,000 is building area . It has 9000-strong rooms in it . According to legend there are 9999.5 room-units in all .The whole compound is enclosed by a 10-meter-hign wall and is accessed through four entrances, namely, the meridian Gate in the south ,the Gate of Military Prowess in the north, Donghua(Eastern Flowery ) Gate in the north, Donghua ( Eastern Flowery) Gate in the east and Xihua(Western Flowery ) Gate in the west. On each corner there is a turret consisted of 9 roof beams, 18 pillars and 72 ridge . Encircling the compound there is a 3,800-meter-long and 52 meter-wide moat, making the Palace Museum a self-defensive city-within-a city.
The Palace Museum was made a center of rule during the Ming Dynasty by Zhun Di, The fourth son of the founding emperor Zhuyuanzhang. The whole complex straddles on an 8-kilometers-long central axis that stretches from Yongding (Forever Stable) Gate in the south to Gulou (Drum Tower) in the north. Prominence was given to the royal power by putting the “three main front halls” and “three back halls ”on the axis while arrange other subsidiary structure around them .The construction of the Palace Museum involved manpower and resources across China. For example, the bricks laid in the halls ,known as “gold brick, ” underwent complex, two –dozen processes. As the final touch ,the fired bricks were dipped in Chinese wood oil. Involving complicated processes and high cost, these brick are called “golden bricks.” The Palace Museum serves as a living embodiment of good tradition and styles unique to China` s ancient architecture. It reflects to the full the ingenuity and creativity of the Chinese working people. A carefully preserved and complete group of royal residences, the Palace Museum is a prominent historical and tourist site. What we are now approaching is the main entrance to the Palace Museum-the Meridian Gate, which is characterized by red walls, yellow glazed –tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this walls, yellow glazed-tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this magnificent building ,there stand five lofty halls with a main hall in the center. The main hall is roofed by multiple eaves and covers a space of 9 room-units. It is flanked by two wings on each side .The wings are square in shape ,complete with multiple and four edged eaves and pinnacles. All of these structures are connected by a colonnade. Because these halls resemble a soaring bird, it was also know as wufenglou (Five-phoenix Tower) . Inside the main hall there is a throne. Drums and bells were stored in the wings. Whenever the emperor presided over grand ceremonies or observed rites in the Hall of Upreme Harmony, drums, bells and gongs would be struck to mark the occasion.
As the legend goes, the Meridian Gate used to be a place where condemned ranking officials would be executed. This not true. However, flogging was carried out here by the Ming emperors ,If a courtier falls afoul of the emperor, he would be stripped of his court dress and flogging with a stick .At one point the punishment became so harsh that a total of 11 people died from fatal wound on a single occasion .On the other hand, this building was also used to observe important occasions like the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival (15th day of the first lunar month). On these occasions, Chinese lanterns would be hanged and sumptuous banquets would be given in honour of the whole court of ministers and other ranking officials.
Upon entering the Meridian Gate we began our tour of the Palace Museum. The river foowing in front of us is known as Jin Shui He (Golden Water River) and the five marbles bridges spanning it are known as the Inner Golden Water Bridges. The on in the middle was used exclusive by the emperor and its banisters were carved with dragon and phoenix designs. The bridges flanking the imperial one were reserved for princes and other royal members. The rest were used by palatines. Aside from decoration, the golden Water River was also dug as precaution against fire. Most of the structures within the palace Museum are made of wood. What is more ,according to ancient Chinese cosmology, the South is the abode of fire, so this brook was dug on the southern tip of the Palace. In this way, the Palace Museum reflects traditional Chinese culture.
This building is called the Gate of Supreme Harmony .In the foreground stand two bronze lions. Can anybody tell which is male and which is female? The one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. The other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female? The one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. The other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female, representing prosperity the endless succession. A layout of the Palace Museum is posted by the entrance . From it ,you can see that the Palace Museum has two main parts: the forecourt and the inner court. The three main halls constitute the mainstay of the forecourt, and it was here that the emperor announced decisions and observed rites. Behind the forecourt there is the inner court, consisting of major halls and the Imperial Garden .It was where the emperor attended state affairs, lived and enjoyed his luxurious life. The exhibition system of the Palace Museum involves historical court relics and articles of ancient art and culture. The Palace Museum houses nearly one million articles of rare treasure, or one sixth of the total number in all of China `s museums. There are the three main halls of the Palace museum, built on a triple marble terrace . Since most of China `s architecture is made of wood, the buildings cannot be too tall. To gain the height of the architecture, ingenious ancient artisans built the hall on a gigantic stone terrace .It is also to this end that not a single plant was grown in the square. On stairways of triple marble terrace there are 18 bronze tripods .The verandah is flanked by bronze tortoises and cranes, which served as symbols of longevity .On the east is a sundial, an ancient timepiece. On the west there is a grain measure suggesting that the emperor was just and equitable.
In the front and on each flank ,there is a pair of gilt bronze vats (caldrons ) molded during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty .Each of these weights 2 tons and is filled with water as a precaution in the event of a fire .The structure in the very middle is the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,also known as the throne hall. It is 64 meters in width and is 38 meters from entrance to rear. With terrace exclusive ,the hall is 26.92 meters in height and is 35.03 meters in all .Covering and areaof 2,377 square meters, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is China` s largest exiting wooden structure. The hall is supported by 6 thick ,round pillars carved in a design of coiling dragons. As the holiest place in the hall, the ceiling and colored patterns were made of the finest material available at that time. The throne was placed on a terrace and is flanked by statues of elephants, Luduan (a unicorn which could travel 18,000 kilometers a day and understand all languages), cranes and incense barrels .Over the throne there is the caisson ,or covered ceiling ,which consists of a coiling dragon playing with a ball in its mouth .This ball is known as Xuanyuan Mirror ,and was supposedly made by a Chinese emperor of remote times to serve as a reminder that thee rulers to follow were his hereditary heirs. The throne is made of nanmu and painted in gold .Magnificently built and luxuriously decorated ,this hall did not serve as a place in which the emperor attended to daily affairs. He used his hall for major events such as his birthday, conferral of title of empress or dispatch of generals to war.
Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,there sits the Hall of Complete Harmony. This structure is square in shape .Each side is 24.15 meters. This was the place where the emperor relaxed and greeted his courtiers before proceeding to the hall of supreme Harmony to observe rites. This was also the place where the emperor prepared prayers or examined seeds and sowers before he attended ancestral sacrifices or participated in snowing ceremonies. A grand ceremony was also held here once every 10 years for the emperor to genealogize the royal blood. There are two sedan chairs on display in the hall. Behind the Hall of Complete Harmony ,you will see the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which was used as a place where imperial examinations were held. The imperial examination was the hignest level of competing for meritorious appointment under the feudal system dating back to the Sui Dynasty. China` s last imperial examination was held in 1904 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. To the rear of hall there is a marble ramp carved with cloud and dragon designs, the largest of its kind in the whole country . It is 16.57 meters in length, 3.07 meters in width, 1.7 meters thick and weighs 250 tons. It was quarried in Fangshan County in suburban Beijing. To bring this giant piece of stone to Beijing people poured water onto the road and applied rolling blocks during the process.
We are now standing before the square of the Hall of Heaven Purity. It served as a divide separating the forecourt from the inner court .This building is known as the Gate of Heavenly Purity. Emperor Qianlong held court here. Proceeding further north ,you can find three main rear halls ,i.e. the hall of heavenly purity. the Hall of union and peace and palace of earthly tranquility. The hall of heavenly purity if flanked on either side by two gates named after the sun and moon .Inside the enclosure there are 12 palaces and halls symbolizing constellations. All of the other buildings are centered around the Palace of Heavenly Purity , which was meant to suggest that the monarch` s power was endowed by Heaven. The empress and concubines lived in the inner court.
The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperor lived and attended to daily affairs. Later the emperor moved to live in the Palace of Mental cultivation. Looking up you can see a plaque bearing the Chinese inscription “be open and above-board,” a manifesto to court struggle .Behind the plaque a strongbox was stored containing a will bearing the name of the would –be royal successor. This approach of secretly selecting the next emperor was adopted by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Two copies of the will were prepared .One was stashed by the emperor in person ,the other was placed inside the strong box behind the plaque. After the death of the emperor, the two copies would be compared and successor would be announced. It was in this way that Emperor Qianglong and others have ascended the throne.
Behind the Hall of heavenly purity you will see the hall of union and peace , which is indentical to the hall of complete harmony. It was there that the emperor received congratulations and tributes from imperial officials on major calender occasions , A total of 25 imperial seals are stored there. In the hall, you will see a plaque with the handwritten inscription of “we wei,” exhorting Taoist doctrines.
Further northward is the Palace of Earthly Tranquillity, which once served as the living room of the empresses` . The hall was later converted into a sacrificial place .Through the windowpanes on the eastern wall you can see the royal bed decorated with dragon and phoenix designs. This hall has also served as the bridal chamber of monarchs.
The Gate of Earthly Tranquilliity leads to the Imperial garden (known to westerners as Qianlong` s Garden ),which was used by the emperor ,the empress, and the concubines. A magnificent structure stands in the middle. It is called the Qin `s an (Imperial Peace) Hall. It is the only building in the Palace Museum that was built in Taoist style. It served as a shrine to the Taoist deity. The garden covers a space of 12,000 square meters ,and is 130 meters from east to the west and some 90 meters from north to the south. There are a dozen halls, verandahs, pavilions and waterside houses in the garden . On each of the fur corner there is a pavilion dedicated to the four seasons which is different in construction style and shape. The garden also features an imperial landscape. With rare trees and exotic rockery, the Imperial Garden served as a model for China` s imperial parks .In all ,a total of 10-strong building styles were applied.
The tall building we are now passing is the gate of military prowess, the back door of the Palace Museum. Our visit is now drawing to a conclusion but the architectures of the Palace are not . On the other side of the road is the 43-meter-hign Charcoal Hill , providing natural protection for the Forbidden City. This was also an embodiment of China` s construction style-putting a pool in the front and a hill in the rear. Now let` s climb up to Wanchun (Everlasting Springs ) Pavillion where we` ll have a great view of the Palace Museum.