第一篇：北京导游词英文版
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.
第二篇：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.
第三篇：北京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 bef ore 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.
第四篇：北京天安门广场英文导游词
Tian’anmen( the Gate of Heavenly Peace), is located in the center of Beijing. It was first built in 1417 and named Chengtianmen( the Gate of Heavenly Succession). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was seriously damaged by war. When it was rebuilt under the Qing in 1651, it was renamed Tian’anmen, and served as the main entrance to the Imperial City, the administrative and residential quarters for court officials and retainers. The southern sections of the Imperial City wall still stand on both sides of the Gate. The tower at the top of the gate is nine-room wide and five –room deep. According to the Book of Changes, the two numbers nine and five, when combined, symbolize the supreme status of a sovereign.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tian’anmen was the place where state ceremonies took place. The most important one of them was the issuing of imperial edicts, which followed these steps:
1) The Minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian( Hall of Supreme Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The minister would then carry the decree on a yunpan( tray of cloud), and withdraw from the hall via Taihemen( Gate of supreme Harmony)
2) The Minister would put the tray in a miniature longting( dragon pavilion). Beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen( Meridian Gate), to Tian’anmen Gate tower.
3) A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict. The civil and military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the tower would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting for the decree to the proclaimed.
4) The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped wooden box and lower it from the tower by means of a silk cord. The document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites.
5) The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole country.
Such a process was historically recorded as ― Imperial Edict Issued by Golden Phoenix‖.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties Tian’anmen was the most important passage. It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.
On the Westside of Tian’anmen stands ZhongshanPark( Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Park), and on the east side, the Working People’s Cultural Palave. The Park was formerly called Shejitan( Altar of Land and Grain), built in 1420 for offering sacrificial items to the God of Land. It was opened to the public as a park in 1914 and its name was changed in 1928 to the present one in memory of the great pioneer of the Chinese Democratic Revolution.
The Working People’s Cultural Palace used to be Taimiao( the Supreme Ancestral Temple), where tablets of the deceased dynastic rulers were kept.
The stream in front of Tian’anmen is called Waijinshuihe( Outer Golden River),with seven marble bridges spanning over it . Of these seven bridges,historical records say the middle one was for the exclusive use of the emperor and was accordingly called Yuluqiao( Imperial Bridge). The bridges flanking it on either side were meant for the members of the royal family and were therefore called Wanggongqiao( Royal’s Bridges). Farther away on each side of the two were bridges for officials ranking above the third order and were named Pinjiqiao( ministerial Bridges). The remaining two bridges were for the use by the retinue below the third order and wre called Gongshengqiao( common Bridges). They anr the one in front of the Supreme Ancestral Temple to the east and the one in front of the Altar of land and Grain to the west.
The two stone lions by the Gate of Tian’anmen, one on each side were meant as sentries. They gaze toward the middle axis, guarding the emperor’s walkway. In front of the gate stands a pair of marble columns called Huabiao. They are elaborately cut in bas-relief following the pattern of a legendary dragon. Behind the gate stands another pair of similar columns. The story of Huabiao may be traced to a couple of sources. One of the versions accredits its invention to one of the Chinese sage kings named Yao, who was said to have set up a wooden pillar in order to allow the ordinary people to expose evil-doers, hence it was originally called a slander pillar. Later it ws reduced to a signpost, and now it serves as an ornament.
The beast sitting on the top of the column is called‖ hou‖, a legendary animal, which is said to have been a watcher of an emperor’s behaviour. He was doing such duties as warning the emperor against staying too long outside the palace or indulging in pleasure and urging him to go to the people for their complaints or return in due time. Therefore, the two pairs of beasts were given the names‖ Wangjunhui‖( Expecting the emperor’s coming back) and ― wangjunchu‖( Expecting the emperor’s going out) respectinvely.
In the old days, Tian’anmen, as a part of the Imperial City, was meant for important
occasions.
The
two
rows
of chaofang( antechamber), on the sides behind the main gate, wre reserved for civil and military members of the government waiting for imperial audience and in front of the gate, were offices of imperial administration.
On October 1, 1949, chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed on Tian’anmen Rostrum the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Since then Tian’anmen has been the symbol of New Chinea. Chairman Mao’s portrait is hung above the central entrance, flanked by two slogans:‖ Long Live the Great Unity of the Peoples of the World‖. Today , the splendour of Tian’anmen attracts million of visitors from all over the world. The Rostrum on its top was opened in 1988 to the public for the first time in its history. It offers a panoramic view of the Square and the city proper.
Tian’anmen Square
Situated due south of Tian’anmen, the Square has an area of 44 hectares( 109 acres) that can accommodate as many as one million people for public gatherings. It has witnessed may historical events in China’s modern history and is a place for celebrations on such festive days as international Labour Day on May 1st and national Day on October 1st.
Around the Square are several famous buildings:
1 The Great Hall of the People
This is one of the largest congressional buildings in the world. Built in 1959, the hall consists of three parts: a 10,000-seat auditorium in the center, a banquet hall in the north wing facing Chang’an Street, with a seating capacity of 5,000, and offices for the Standing Committee of the National Peoples’ Congress of China in the south. In addition, thirty-four reception chambers are named after various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly unde the Central Government, plus Hong Kong and Macao. Each is different from the other in decoration and furnishings to stress their local features.
2 The Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution
These two museums were also built in 1959. the museum of Chinese History houses a permanent exhibition in four parts, covering the entire process of Chinese history spanning from 1.7 million years ago to 1919:
1) The Primitive Society( 1.7 million years ago to the 21st century BC);
2) The Slave Society(21st century BC to 476 BC.);
3) The Feudal Society(475 BC. To 1840 AD.);
4) The Semi-Colonial and Semi- Fedual Society(1840 to 1919.)
The Museum of the Chinese Revolution covers the period from 1919 to 1949.
3 The Monument to the People’s Heroes
the monument was built in memory of thousands of martyrs who died for the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people. Its construction began on August 1, 1952 and was not completed until 1958. in the form of an obelisk, the Monument as made of more than 17,000 pieces of tranite and white marble. The purple piece inlaid in the front of the Monument was brought from Qingdao, Shandong Province. It is 38 meters(124ft 8 in) high, the loftiest of its kind ever seen in the country. Not only is it an historic memorial for immortal heroes, but also it is an artistic work of excellent architectural value.
On the front side of the Monument is an engraved insc-ription in Chinese characters written by Chairman Mao Zedong, which reads‖ Eternal Glory to the People’s Heroes!‖. On the back of the Monument is an article written by Chairman Mao, but in Chinese calligraphy by the late Premier Zhou Enlai.
At the top of the Monument are eight gigantic carved wreathes of such flowers as peony, lotus and chrysanthemum, symbolizing nobility, purity, and fortitude. At the base of the monument are eight marble reliefs depicting the Chinese historic events since 1840. They are:
1) The Burning of Opium in 1840:
2) The uprising of 1851 in Jintian, Guangxi;
3) The Revolution of 1911;
4) The May Fourth Movement of 1919;
5) The May 30th Movement of 1925;
6) The Uprising of 1927 in Nanchang, Jiangxi;
7) The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from 1937 to 1945;
8) The Victorious Crossing over the Yangtze River by the Peoples’s Liberation Army in 1949. This relief is flanked by two smaller ones—― Supplying the Front‖ and ― Greeting the P.L.A.‖.
4 Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum
Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Pepublic of China, passed away on Sepember 9, 1976. In commemoration of this great man, a mausoleum began to be constructed in November 1976, and was completes in August the following year. The Mausoleum was officially opened on September 9, 1977.
The mausoleum is surrounded by four groups of sculpture. East of the northern entrance is the sculpture depicting the period of the New Democratic Revolution( 1919-1949), and west of it is the one signifying the great achievements of the Chinese people during the period of slcialist revolution and construction since 1949. The sculptures in front of the southern gate are figures of workers, peasants soldiers, intellectuals, technicians and children.
Inside the Mausoleum are three main sections: A white marble statue of Chairman Mao is mounted on a platform in the front lobby. On the wall behind the statue is a 24-metre-long( 79-foot-long) tapestry, a fine needlepoint work with beautiful landscapes of the country.
In the main hall there is a crystal coffin, in which Chairman Mao’s body lies stately with the Communist Party’s flag covering over him.
On the wall of the southern lobby, a poem by Chairman Mao and in his own calligraphy is inscribed in gold inlay. It expresses his full great expectations for the country.
Tian’ anmen Square has now completed its renovation after eight months’ hard work to welcome the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic in 1999.
第五篇：北京故宫英文导游辞
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 14year
北京故宫英语导游词 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. gate(western flowery gate )to the west ,the donghua (eastern flowery gate) to the east.篇三：北京故宫英文导游词
北京故宫
女士们、先生们，
欢迎大家来到北京，北京是中国的首都，也是我国的四大古都之一。2008年奥运会的成功举办更使这座古老的城市为许多外国朋友所熟知。大家稍作休息，请允许我自我介绍一下。我是大家北京之行的地接导游员我的名字叫温辉辉，那在我身边的这位是我们的司机张师傅。我们将会竭尽全力为大家提供最优质的服务。像我一样热情好客的北京人将以他们最热情的方式欢迎世界各地发朋友来到北京。在北京期间我们将游览故宫、长城、颐和园等景点。希望古老而又时尚的北京会给大家留下一段美好的回忆。
在北京我们游览的第一个景点就是故宫。提起故宫大家首先会想到它是中国皇帝居住过的地方。 但故宫的价值可不仅仅在于此。它更是我们中国历史、中国文化以及中国建筑的一个缩影。
故宫位于北京城的中心，是明清两朝的皇宫。它是世界上显存最大、最完整的宫殿建筑群。至今约有六百年的历史，先后有24位皇帝在这里统治全国近500年。故宫又名紫禁城，那是因为在封建社会皇帝拥有最高的权利因此这个地方是禁止一般人进出。紫色是象征这北极星的颜色，这被认为是宇宙的中心 所以又名紫禁城。
紫禁城的建筑布局是对称的分为前朝和内廷。前朝以太和、中和、保和三大殿为主体是举行大殿、朝贺、筵宴行使权力的地方。其中太和殿是故宫中规模最大等级最高的建筑。皇帝登基及册立皇后等重大仪式都在此举行。内廷以乾清宫、交太殿和坤宁宫为主体，是皇帝的寝宫和处理日常政务的地方。坤宁宫以北是御花园，是皇帝及其家人
游玩的地方。
现在我要问大家一个问题，故宫的房间是九千九百九十九间半吗? 传说天宫的房间是一万间，人间的皇帝作为天帝的儿子，皇宫自然不能超过天宫，于是故宫便造了九千九百九十九间半。其实古代建筑是以“四柱一间”为标准的。经过古建筑专家实地调查统计，故宫所有的房间数量是8707，并非传说所言。
俗话说百闻不如一见，带着您满心的好奇让我们走进故宫，让我们感悟中国文化感受中国帝王的兴衰历史。