Difference between revisions of "20220630 Culture 2"

From China Studies Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 13: Line 13:
 
*[[20220630_Culture_8]] papers 71-80: 71 日语笔译 胡梦琪 Hu Mengqi 202170081633, 72 日语笔译 张白鹭 Zhang Bailu 202170081634, 73 朝鲜语笔译 刘安莉 Liu Anli 202170081635, 74 朝鲜语笔译 王思佳 Wang Sijia 202170081636, 75 朝朝鲜语笔译 徐盖 Xu Gai 202170081638, 76 朝鲜语笔译 徐文慧 Xu Wenhui 202170081639, 77 外国语言文学 Akira Jantarat 202121080009, 78 比较文学与跨文化研究 Mahzad 202021080004, 79 英语语言文学 Mimi 2020GBJ002301
 
*[[20220630_Culture_8]] papers 71-80: 71 日语笔译 胡梦琪 Hu Mengqi 202170081633, 72 日语笔译 张白鹭 Zhang Bailu 202170081634, 73 朝鲜语笔译 刘安莉 Liu Anli 202170081635, 74 朝鲜语笔译 王思佳 Wang Sijia 202170081636, 75 朝朝鲜语笔译 徐盖 Xu Gai 202170081638, 76 朝鲜语笔译 徐文慧 Xu Wenhui 202170081639, 77 外国语言文学 Akira Jantarat 202121080009, 78 比较文学与跨文化研究 Mahzad 202021080004, 79 英语语言文学 Mimi 2020GBJ002301
  
 +
==英语笔译 高智慧 Gao Zhihui 202170081568==
 +
<center>'''The History of Chinese Noodles'''</center>
  
−
==英语笔译 黎溢佳 Li Yijia 202170081573==
+
<center>高智慧 Gao Zhihui </center>
−
<center>'''On Gender Discrimination in Chinese'''</center>
 
−
===Abstract===
 
−
Language is an integral component of culture. Without language, it is impossible to have a culture, because only via language is culture transmitted from one generation to the next. For the necessities of life, language exists in a certain environment; therefore, the specific environment will be reflected in the language of a specific brand. Language is the means by which people communicate their thoughts. Therefore, it is inevitable that it will have an effect on politics, the economy and society, science and technology, and even culture. For a long time in China, Europe, and the United States, sexism in language has been a very serious problem. This study will describe the phenomenon of sexism in Chinese from three perspectives: word formation, proverbs, and metaphors, and then examine its causes.
 
  
−
===Key words===
 
−
'''Language; Cultural Factors; Gender Discrimination; Chinese'''
 
 
===Introduction===
 
===Introduction===
−
Gender Discrimination, often known as sexual discrimination, is the unfair consideration of a person's sex when determining who receives a job, promotion, or other employment advantages. The Cambridge Dictionary defines "gender discrimination" as "a situation in which someone is treated less well because of their sex, usually when a woman is treated less well than a man." Although men can be subjected to gender discrimination, the term primarily refers to discrimination against women. The language reflects a bias towards women and the unequal social standing of men and women. This problem is displayed primarily through the scorn, disregard, denigration, or insulting of women. This paper will describe sexism and explain the causes in Chinese from the perspectives of word formation, proverbs, and metaphors.
+
The earliest known noodles found in China can be dated back to 4 thousand years ago. They were found in archeological findings near the Yellow River in China. However, first concrete written records of noodles come from the time when Eastern Han Dynasty reigned between 25 and 200 AD. There are many stories about the origin of noodles. To a certain extent, noodles also reflect the cultural traditions and customs of China, which essentially means "human nature" and "worldly common sense". There are thousands of varieties of noodles in China, according to the classification of the shape of noodles, seasoning gravy, cooking craft, and so on. Many noodles have local characteristics. Noodles are accepted by people from all over the world. The industrial revolution and the development of the food industry have successfully transitioned the way we produce noodles, from a traditional handicraft industry to mass production using machinery. In addition, the invention of instant noodles and their mass production also greatly changed the noodle industry. In essence, noodles are a kind of cereal food, which is the main body of the traditional Chinese diet. It is the main source of energy for Chinese people and the most economical energy food. Adhering to the principle of making cereal food the main food, is to maintain our Chinese good diet tradition, which can avoid the disadvantages of a high energy, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet, and promote health. The importance of the status of noodles in the dietary structure of residents China and the health impact should not be ignored.
 +
 
 +
===The Origin of Noodles===
 +
Mix water and flour and knead into a dough, you now have a plethora of prospects in the palm of your hands. Noodles are the epitome of versatility and flexibility, and it's this adaptable nature that has contributed to its rise as a world renowned food. Noodles are eaten as pho in Vietnam, chow-chow in Nepal, seviyan in India and many other permutations and combinations throughout the globe. While the popularity of noodles is a widely accepted consensus, its origin is still a prominently debated subject. There are numerous contenders who have claimed to be the creators of the Noodle. Italians profess that they are the pioneers of this plant based food, whereas the Chinese argue that they invented this culinary sensation. In this paper I will endeavor to trace the geneses of this cereal food and subsequently attempt to end the age old dispute surrounding it.
  
−
===Literature Review===
+
We begin our historical research in the East Asian country, China. Noodles are believed to have originated here, as "Bing" or cake in English, during the early rule of the Han Dynasty. They were then diversified by experimentation and the evolution of additional shapes and cooking methods. Noodles further gained cultural prominence via folklore related to "health, religion, economy" and with the emergence of Chinese superstitions. (Zhang Na and Ma Guansheng, 2016) However, due to recent archeological discoveries it's likely that noodles were around much prior to the rise of the Han Rule. Excavation sites have revealed that wheat grains and early production apparatuses existed from the early to late Neolithic period – an astounding ten thousand years before now. More tangible evidence, which testifies to the existence of Noodles well into the past, was unearthed in 1999. "Noodles discovered among relics at the Lajia archeological site in Minhe(民和) County, Qinghai Province". After scientists analysed the noodles and bowl of noodles found at the site through radioactive dating, it was disclosed that noodles were crafted and cooked four thousand years ago during the early Xia Dynasty. These archaeological findings thus provide us with physical evidence which date back to periods long before the present day. They reveal that the noodle has been closely interwoven into the Chinese society and their culinary practices for eons.
−
The study of gender-specific language in China began belatedly. Although it has been said for a long time that many of the Chinese characters next to the term "女(female)" discriminate against women, it is only a few words and phrases of personal opinion. This is the case even though it has been stated for a long time. It was not until the 1970s, influenced by western gender language studies, that Chinese linguists began to translate and introduce the western research on language gender differences and language sexism, and they wrote many papers on English language sexism, which had a certain influence and inspiration on Chinese linguistics, and then they began to study the phenomenon of language sexism.
+
 
−
Sun Yuan and Xu Ke (2010) contrasted sexism in English and Chinese from three perspectives: morphology, semantics, and syntax, and studied the phenomenon's ceremonial genesis and real-world pressure.  
+
China has the most promising data to support its claim of being the inventors of this simple wheat and water based dough. The discovery of the noodle remains and bowl occurred two thousand years prior to Horace's mentions of Lagane, which means pasta. With its physical, archeological evidence predating even the written records of Italian, Arabic and Mediterranean pasta, it truly does make China victorious in the contention. However, even though China may be the site of the first instances of noodles and they may have introduced some countries like Japan and India to them, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they were the ones who introduced the rest of the world to it. Italians were enjoying pasta long before Marco Polo brought back the secrets of the Chinese noodle trade. As there is very little documented data and only a few preserved artifacts related to Italian pasta, it’s not right to make any broad claims about its beginning. It is also plausible that pasta developed spontaneously in China and Italy at different time periods. New evidence is bound to be unearthed at some point in the future, which will give more concrete and reliable sources with information about who introduced the Italians to the noodle.
−
Chen Wei (2013) studied the context and content of English feminist linguistics research, assessed the features of female language at the level of language and discourse style, and presented the standard of non-gender language use and various linguistic perspectives.  
+
 
−
Wang Xiuying (2016) used English and Chinese as examples to examine and analysed the historical and cultural roots of common sexism in the two languages from the perspectives of word creation and syntax.  
+
===Ancient Records of Chinese Noodles===
−
Sun Lanfang (2018) analysed the gender discrimination reflected in Chinese characters from the side, investigated the social causes and cultural roots of such discrimination, and explored the significance of the relationship between gender disparity and writing to social advancement.
+
There were various kinds of shapes for noodles, such as sheets and strips. Sheets of noodles are cooked by pulling the dough into sheets and cooking in a pot with boiling water. In the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the shapes of the noodles gradually increased. Two special kinds of noodles, called shui yin (水引) and bo tuo (馎饦), were included in the book Qi Min Yao Shu or Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People (《齐民要术》)in the middle ancient era. Shui yin is cooked by pulling the dough into strips as thick as chopsticks, cutting these into segments 30cm long, soaking in a dish of water, then pressing them into flat noodles shaped as a leek leaf and cooking in a pot with boiling water. Bo tuo is especially smooth and delicious. In the Sui, Tang, and Five dynasty periods, there were more varieties of noodles. With the increase of noodle varieties, the methods and techniques of cooking have been continuously improved. There was a kind of cold noodle with a unique flavor, called Leng tao (冷淘), which was appreciated by the great poet Du Fu, describing it “as cold as snow when gliding through the teeth (经齿冷于雪)”. There was another kind of noodle with full tenacity, referred to as “one of the seven wonderful health foods”, which has a saying “wet noodles can be used to tie the shoe”. In the Song and Yuan dynasty period, fine dried noodles appeared, such as pig and sheep raw noodles and vegetable raw noodles sold in Linan (临安) city during the Southern Song period. Until the Ming and Qing Dynasty, there were more varieties of noodles. In the Qing dynasty, five spicy noodles and eight treasures noodles were included in Xian Qing Ou Ji 《闲情偶寄》 by dramatist Li Yu (李渔). These two kinds of noodles were made of five and eight kinds of animal and plant raw material powder, respectively, and mixed into flour, which were considered as top grade noodles.
−
===Word Formation===
+
 
−
Word formation is a fundamental aspect of language. There is gender discrimination at the beginning of English and Chinese words.  
+
[[File:Qi shan minced noodles.jpg]]
−
Chinese characters express the actual meaning of a word through their shape, and some Chinese characters at the beginning of their composition embody the cultural phenomenon of male superiority and female inferiority. Written by Xu Shen during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Shuowen Jiezi (Interpretation of Chinese characters) is the earliest dictionary in the history of linguistics in China, integrating the analysis of glyph, explanation of meaning, and discrimination of pronunciation. Female characters constitute one of the largest categories in this book, with 238 characters and 13 Variant Chinese characters. These female characters clearly reflect the ancient women's life picture and their social status. These female characters clearly reflect the lifestyle and social standing of ancient women. In a patriarchal society, women are men's accessories and have no personality of their own; they are parasites at the bottom of society. "女，婦人也。象形。王育說。凡女之屬皆从女." which signifies female, woman and the shape of a woman. This is the view of Wang Yu. All the words related to women are using the "女(female)" as the side. The Female’s oracle bone script is [[File:Chinesecharacterjpg]] , which resembles a woman on her knees with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Thus, the original meaning of the word "女(female)" is a woman with low status who focuses on domestic trifles. In addition, the ancient pronunciation of the word "女(female)" is "奴(slave)." Thus, both the word formation and pronunciation of “女(female)” reflect the ancient people's contempt for women.
+
 
−
There are five type of Chinese characters with a “女”.
+
===Stories of Noodles===
−
A.Viewing women as instruments for reproduction or toys for men: “姓” “妊” “娠” “妃” 嫖” “妾”.
+
Food is not only a source of human nutrition, it also plays many roles in the aspects of religion and economy, etc. People use special food to celebrate important events and festivals, for instance, we eat sweet dumplings in the Lantern Festival, we eat traditional Chinese rice-puddings in the Dragon Boat Festival, we eat moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and we eat dumplings in Spring Festival.
−
B.Reflecting the status of married women as occupants and slaves: “娶” “嫁” “婚”.
+
 
−
C.Indicating female sexuality as evil, greedy and immoral: “嫌” “妖” “妒” “耍” “妨” “奸” “婊” “妄”.
+
In the aspect of noodles, Chinese people have lots of customs, which essentially mean “human nature” and “worldly common sense” materialized in the noodles. At birthdays, people eat longevity noodles; at the time of marriage and moving into a new house people eat noodles with gravy (打卤面), which means flavored life; on the day of lunar February 2 “dragon head (龙抬头)”, people eat dragon whiskers noodles (龙须面) to look forward to good weather. We eat different noodles in different seasons and different festivals.
−
D.meaning obedience, ignorance and lowliness:“妇” “奴” “如” “安” “娓” “姻”.
+
 
−
E.In a society dominated by men, the value of women appears to be determined solely by their: “好” “姝” “妙” “娜” “妍” “娟” “婧” “娴”. (This will be further explained in the “Metaphor” session.)
+
Famous noodles in China have a unique value of traditional culture. Seafood noodles (三鲜伊面) are also called dutiful son’s noodle (孝子面). According to historical records, Yi Yin’s (伊尹) mother was perennially sick and bedridden. So he made noodles with eggs and flour, and then steamed and fried these noodles. Even if he was not at home it was convenient for his mother to eat these nonperishable noodles. The noodles were added to a soup made with chicken, pig bones, and seafood. Under the tender care of Yi Yin, his mother soon recovered. This was the reason why seafood noodles are also called dutiful son’s noodles. The processing method of seafood noodles in ancient time was very similar to industrialized manufacturing methods of instant noodles in modern times.
 +
 
 +
Sichuan (四川) dandan noodles (担担面)are known to every family. In the old days, hawkers sold noodles on the street with a shoulder pole, giving the name dandan noodles. There was a pot and stove on the shoulder pole, which made it convenient to cook noodles with full seasoning at any time. The business philosophy of wholehearted customer service is the essence for dandan noodles to stay prosperous.
 +
 
 +
Qishan (岐山) minced noodles (臊子面) with special flavor, also called ashamed son noodles, also has a story in Shaanxi (陕西). Qishan minced noodles were originally called sister-in-law noodles (嫂子面). Previously, there was a poor scholar, whose parents died when he was young. He was raised by his elder brother and sister-in-law. In order to let him read books for fame, his sister-in-law made noodles for him. His sister-in-law was not only good at cooking noodles, but also good at making gravy with meat and vegetables. Oil sprinkled over chili was also mixed in noodles to increase appetite. Under the care of his sister-in-law, he passed the provincial civil service examination as expected under the old Chinese examination system. Therefore, it was also called sister in law noodles. Later, many people followed the example of cooking noodles to seek fame for their children, but repeatedly failed. Feeling shame for their son, the noodles were also called ashamed son noodles, which was pronounced as sào zi in Chinese.
 +
 +
Guangxi (广西) vinegar-pepper old friend noodles (老友面) has a story about friendship. Once upon a time, there was a Zhou teahouse where a customer drank tea almost every day. For a few days, the teahouse owner Zhou found the regular customer did not come to tea. Out of concern for an old friend, he went to visit him. He discovered that the old friend was sick. The shopkeeper quickly made a bowl of vinegar-pepper noodle soup with sautéed garlic and fermented black beans and sent the noodles to his friend. The old friend ate the noodles in a sweat and then recovered. So vinegar-pepper noodles have another name old friend noodles.
 +
 
 +
Another famous type of Chinese noodles is the Crossing-the-Bridge noodles(过桥米线), which is a rice noodle soup from the Yunnan Province. Crossing-the-Bridge noodles also has an interesting story associated with it. The story described a boy who was ordered by his father to study for the Imperial Exams in the cottage of an island, and the boy was not allowed to leave the island until his studies were completed. Since the island was far away from his house, and the story took place in the coldest months of the year, all the meals that the family cook had cooked for the boy would become cold and unpalatable when the meals reach the boy. After being troubled by this problem for a long time, the cook finally came up with an idea and invented a new type of noodle dish, Crossing-the-Bridge noodles, by adding an extra layer of hot chicken broth and chicken fat to the noodle soup. According to the story, the noodle was invented to have the capability of keeping warm for a long time under cold winds and temperatures, so that when the cook brings the noodle soup across the bridge to the boy who was studying for the imperial examinations, the noodle soup would still be hot and warm enough to eat. “ ‘It is too hot!’ he said, and began laughing. ‘I know,’ said the cook, nodding happily. ‘It is the fat that keeps out the wind, the cold, and the bad spirits. Now that you have the nourishment you need, learning will come naturally and gracefully.’ The boy ate the delicious soup with a hunger that he did not know he had as he watched the chef skipping like a child across the bridge back to his kitchen.” Therefore, Crossing-the-Bridge noodles reflected the cleverness and mastery of the cook in cooking, as well as the love and care he had for the boy, and the passion he had for pleasing people with his food.
  
−
Let’s focus on “B.Reflecting the status of married women as occupants and slaves”.
+
===The Classification of Noodles===
−
In fact, not only these forms of marriage but also the terms "嫁" and "娶" contain severe sexual discrimination. Take “嫁” as an example, the left part indicates “女” and the right part “家” denotes the pronunciation. 《白虎通·婚娶》:“嫁者，家也。妇人外成以出适人为家。” This sentence means that once a woman married, her husband’s home is her home while her parents’ house is no longer her home. Generally, married women wish to leave their hometown and join her husband's family, thereby becoming a member of her husband's family. Mencius once said, 丈夫生而愿为之有势室，女子生而原为之有家。男以女为室，女以男为家 (When a boy is born, his parents hope to find him a wife. When a girl is born, her parents hope to find her a husband's family.) This reflects the ancient women's dependence on her family and the ancient society's perception of women. Women have no personality of their own and depend solely on their husbands for survival. Whether in the family of the husband or the family of her own, the woman has no rights; therefore, she must perform "three obedience and four virtues." In antiquity, when the pre-Qin word "嫁" was pronounced with a rhyming sound of “卖”, which means "sell." "Han Fei Zi": "天饥岁寒，嫁妻卖子者，必是家也(when the weather is cold and suffering hunger, marry your wife to another and sell your child can earn you a house).” "嫁(marry)" and "卖(sell)" are juxtapositional structures, so "marry" can be naturally interpreted as "sell". Let’s take a look at “娶”. the word formation of this word combines association and pictography. “取” means "take and capture prisoners." In ancient times, when a prisoner is captured, his left ear is cut off as a sign of victory; therefore, the ancient Chinese characters for "取" have the word "耳" on the left and "又" on the right. Consequently, "娶" can also mean "rob wife."
+
There are thousands of varieties of noodles in China, according to the classification of the composition of noodles, the shapes of noodles, and the different gravy seasoning. The main compositions of noodles are wheat and rice. Most kinds of noodles are made of flour (the powder made from wheat). There is also another special composition of noodles: rice noodles (米线). Rice noodles are frequently seen in Southern style cooking, such as Yunnan province: over-the-bridge rice noodles. In addition, noodles can be classified according to the thickness: they can be as thick as chopsticks or as thin as hair, such as the dragon beard noodles. Some can be classified according to the how they are made, such as hand-pulled noodles (拉面), shaved noodles (刀削面), and so on. They can also be classified according to the seasoning, such as Beijing fried bean sauce noodles (北京炸酱面) and Shandong noodles with gravy (山东打卤面). Others are classified according to cooking crafts, such as noodles mixed with scallion, oil, and soy sauce (葱油拌面), noodles with quick-fried eel shreds and shelled shrimps (虾爆鳝面), and so on.
−
For men, women are as much their property as anything else, and it is this desire that is exploited by modern web games to attract male players' attention with slogans about “grabbing grain and women, and occupying cities”.
 
  
−
===Proverbs===
+
China has a vast territory and abundant resources and mainly can be divided into the following areas: East China, Southern China, Central China, North China, Northwest China, Southwest China, Northeast China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan areas. There are also some local characteristic noodles. In East China, there are Shanghai noodles in superior soup (上海阳春面), Nanjing small boiled noodles (南京小煮面), Hangzhou Pian Er Chuan noodles (noodles with preserved vegetable, sliced Pork, and bamboo shoots in soup) (杭州片儿川面), Wenzhou vegetable raw noodles (温州素面), Zhenjiang pot noodles (镇江锅盖面), Shandong Fushan hand-pulled noodles (山东福山拉面), Suzhou Su style soup noodles (苏州苏式汤面), Fuzhou line noodles (福州线面), and Anhui flat noodles (安徽板面). In Southern China, there are Guangzhou wonton noodles (广州馄饨面). In Central China, there are Wuhan hot noodles with sesame paste (武汉热干面). In North China, there are Beijing fried bean sauce noodles, Shanxi shaved noodles (山西刀削面) and noodles with braised string bean (豆角焖面), Hebei dragon whiskers noodles (河北龙须面) (saute fine noodles with shredded chicken), fine dried noodles, sesame paste noodles (麻酱面), and Neimenggu braised noodles with string bean (内蒙古焖面). In Northwest China, there are Xinjiang pulled noodles (新疆拉条子), Shanxi oil-splashing noodles (陕西油泼面), Biángbiáng noodles (Biángbiáng 面),  a type of noodle popular in the cuisine of China's Shaanxi Province, and serofluid noodles (浆水面), Henan stewed noodles (河南烩面), steamed noodles (蒸面), and Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (兰州拉面). In Southwest China, there are Guizhou noodles with pig’s blood and internal organs (贵州肠旺面), Sichuan dandan noodles (四川担担面), bean curd pudding noodles (豆花面), zhazha noodles with chili oil hot pepper and pork-bone soup (渣渣面), burning noodles from Yibin (宜宾燃面), longevity noodles and bedding noodles (铺盖面). In Northeast China, there are Jilin cold noodles (吉林冷面). In Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao, there are Hong Kong strained noodles (捞面), rickshaw noodles (车仔面) and shrimp roe noodles (虾子面), southern Taiwanese-style noodles (担仔面), and clam noodles (花蛤仔面). Noodles are usually eaten as a staple food in or to the north of the Yellow River Valley, but eaten as breakfast in the southern region.
  
−
Proverbs, as a special form of language expression, vividly reflect the social culture and people's thoughts in different periods of different countries. Some linguists compare it to the mirror of a nation with a living fossil of language. (Wang Xiuying, 2016,34)
+
There are also some kinds of representative noodles. Beijing fried bean sauce noodles are a traditional Chinese food, popular in Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, and other places. Beijing fried bean sauce noodles are cooked in the following way: first prepare the fresh-cut vegetables, blanch and set aside; next, put minced meat stir-fried with scallion, ginger, garlic, and soybean paste in hot oil; then boil the noodles and scoop them up, pour sauce on them; lastly, mix with the vegetables.
−
There are five types of proverbs containing gender discrimination.
 
−
1. reflecting the defects of the female sex：
 
−
三个女人一台戏。 (Three women can constitute a play.)
 
−
红颜女子多是非。 (Beautiful women can attract troubles.)
 
−
树大招风，人俊惹祸。(Tall trees are easily blown by the wind and beautiful women are easily troubled.)
 
−
2. reflecting the low status of women：
 
−
精女不如痴男。(Smart women are inferior to dumb men.)
 
−
母以子为贵。(Mothers’ honor is their sons. )
 
−
兄弟如手足，妻子如衣服。(Treat brothers as hands and feet while wives as wear.)
 
−
养儿防老，养女赔钱。(Bring up sons to support parents in their old age while bringing up daughters to waste money.)
 
−
3. reflecting the ignorance of women：
 
−
头发长见识短。 (Long hair, short sight.)
 
−
女子无才便是德。 (No knowledge is the value of a woman.)
 
−
妇人之言不可听。(A woman’s advice is never to seek. )
 
−
4. reflecting the existence of sexism in marriage：
 
−
嫁出去的女儿，泼出去的水。(Married daughters, spilled water.)
 
−
女大不中留。(You cannot keep an old daughter.)
 
−
嫁鸡随鸡，嫁狗随狗。(Accept anything in a marriage.)
 
−
5. reflecting that women are evil and curse:
 
−
女人上屋屋要塌，女人上船船要翻。 (Women on the roof, houses will collapse.)
 
−
最毒妇人心。 (There is no devil so bad as a woman’s heart.)
 
  
−
===Metaphors===
+
Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, also known as one of the top ten Chinese noodles, are Islamic-style snacks in the Gansu Province. The noodles have special characteristics: “soup clear like mirror, the strong scent of cooked meat, thin noodles”. The noodles also have a set of standards: “clear (clear soup), white (white radish), red (red pepper oil), green (green coriander and garlic bolt), and yellow (yellow noodles)”. Locally, people named them “beef noodles”.
−
There are a lot of words in current Chinese as well as ancient Chinese that compliment women, particularly the appreciation of women's attractiveness. Bai Jiehong wrote in "Male/Female Language, Culture and Pragmatics" that in general, the presence of an excessive number of words in a language that may all be used to represent the same issue indicates that the subject has received a great deal of attention from the society. Since ancient times, being kind and beautiful has been expected of women. This standard has not changed. It makes no difference whether a woman is intelligent or not in terms of her value. There are 72 words in the 'Modern Chinese dictionary that praise women's appearance. The literal meanings of these words are an affirmation of women and praise. Nevertheless, it demonstrates that the patriarchal society evaluates and constrains women from a male perspective.
 
  
−
In China, the standard of beauty varies in different periods. The Han Dynasty considered slim women as beautiful. The four words indicate slimness.
+
===The Industrialization of Noodle Production===
−
柳腰 (A waist as thin as wicker): a.describes the soft strips of willow; b.refers to a woman's thin, soft waist.
+
Since the advent of noodles, although the culture and heritage of the craft are different in various areas, noodles were always processed in a manual way. With the development of the industrial revolution, it realized the transition from a traditional handicraft industry to machine mass production. In the 1850s, machine-made noodles appeared in the market for the first time, and are still in use. At present, China is the world's largest consumer of noodles; the annual consumption and production value are amazing. Data showed that from 2007 to 2012, China's sales value of noodles increased from 8.6 billion yuan to 20.26 billion yuan. In recent decades, it can be said that the advent and development of instant noodles brought the greatest impact.
−
苗条 (sprout and branch): describes a woman's slender and feminine figure.
 
−
亭亭玉立(as straight as an ancient Chinese pavilion): describe beautiful women with slender figures or straight shapes such as flowers and trees.
 
−
轻盈(light): describes a woman with a slim figure and brisk movements.
 
  
−
However, the Tang Dynasty considered chubby women as beautiful.
+
As early as before the invention of instant noodles, in the ancient East and West, there have been similar processing methods: noodles were boiled first, then fried with hot oil, and finally served with soup. In ancient China, there were similar noodles called Yi noodles (伊面). According to legend in the Qing Dynasty, Yi bingshou (伊秉绶) gave a banquet to celebrate his mother's birthday at home. There were so many guests that the rushed chef mistakenly put the cooked egg noodles into the boiling pan. Without an alternative solution, the chef scooped up these noodles, then fried them in hot oil, and finally served with soup. Guests unexpectedly praised the noodles, so the cooking craft has been handed down. In the early days, Yi noodles was written on the packaging of instant noodles.
  
−
The four words“丰润, 丰满, 丰盈, 丰腴” in Chinese are adjectives describing chubby women.
+
In 1958, Taiwanese–Japanese Momofuku Ando (安藤百福) invented the instant noodles as fast food, and created a revolution in the world's eating habits(Zhao,2015,24). At that time one had to wait in line for a long time to eat a bowl of noodles, so he invented the convenient instant noodles. After the invention, Momofuku Ando also founded Nissin food company (日清公司) to sell chicken soup hand-pulled noodles (鸡汤拉面). The initial price was 35 yen. Imitation products immediately appeared which resulted in price competition. Ando soon realized that it was necessary to regulate the market, in order to maintain the reputation of the new products. In 1960, he won the lawsuit about the copyright of instant noodles, and registered the chicken soup hand-pulled noodles trademark in the 2nd year. In 1964, Ando founded Japan Hand-Pulled Noodle Industry Association and transferred the patent to the industry. Ando said that the purpose of this move was to expand the industry, so as to provide cheap instant noodles to the residents.
−
The character "环肥燕瘦" embodies these two types of aesthetics. "环" refers to Yang Yuhuan, the corpulent concubine of Tang Dynasty Emperor Xuanzong; "燕" refers to Zhao Feiyan, the slender empress of Han Dynasty Emperor Cheng. One is chubby and the other is slim, but they both are on the list of “Ancient Four Beauties." However, whether they are thin or plump, they are all measured by men's standards, and women can only be compelled to accommodate men's vision and desires.
 
  
−
According to philosophers, the words used to refer to women in the English language can be divided into five categories: plaything, animal, fruit, neutral words, and sexual words, many of which have derogatory connotations. This classification may not be entirely objective, but it is not without merit; in the English language, there are numerous words that compare women to animals, playthings, or sexual objects. There are many English and Chinese words that use animal metaphors to refer to males and females, but there are significant differences in the selection of animal metaphors. The selected animals in the metaphor of men, typically with strength, aggression, ambition, and other positive connotations, such as the tiger, eagle, leopard, roc, etc., are frequently used to refer to men. However, when referring to female animals, the metaphors of being hunted, obedient, ignorant, fierce, and sexual connotations are more prevalent, and the number of female animal metaphors is significantly greater than male animal metaphors.
+
The Nissin food company started looking more actively for opportunities abroad after the invention of instant noodles. In 1963, it first cooperated with South Korea Miyaki food company (三养食品). In 1968, it once again cooperated with the international food company in Taiwan to launch the chicken soup taste instant ramen. At the beginning, the market of instant ramen with Japanese formula was not good. After adjusting the sauce and the noodles, it became the best-selling product in Taiwan. Most customers buy it as snack food.
−
Tiger can be used as a metaphor for both men and women, but their respective metaphorical meanings are quite distinct. When a tiger is used as a metaphor for a male, the cognitive response is typical that it demonstrates the strength and bravery of the male, and the cognitive meaning of the tiger's king of beasts will also be transferred to the metaphorical male. For instance, "the tiger descends the mountain" describes the ferocity and speed, and when used in the male, it refers to its sweeping and unstoppable momentum. However, when the tiger metaphor is applied to women, it typically refers to outrageous, provocative, unreasonable women. I fear that when the term "tigress" is mentioned, few people will associate it with a positive connotation.
 
  
−
The semantics of “鸡(chick)” in Chinese is endowed with heavy sexual meaning referring to women working with their bodies for money and a lot of metaphors about chicken have a derogatory sense, such as “鸡婆（a woman who ran a brothel）” who are noisy and haggle over every ounce of woman trouble; “母鸡(the hen)”  is used continuously to gossip disgusting woman. Besides, “牡鸡司晨（ten on behalf of the rooster to announce the daybreak）” was used as a metaphor that women take over power from men. We can find that in people’s mind, the men should own the highest power as a king or ran the country, which has nothing to do with women. While women once at the helm of the state power will be described as hen, not fulfilling their job as a housewife. The metaphorical meaning of chicken in English is not much better. “Biddy” (chick or hen) refer to maids and gossipers, while the “hen” refer to middle-aged women who gossip or are meddlesome. “A wet hen” is used to describe unpleasant women, and “chicken” was supposed to mean a kind of meat, however, its metaphorical meaning is a young, inexperienced and gullible immature female. “Gull” means “a large gray and white bird; to fool or trick” when applied to women, it usually refers to a prostitute attached to a fleet a prostitute near a naval base or someone who is gullible.
+
According to official data of the World Association of instant noodles, since 2009 China's total consumption of instant noodles has been ranked first in the world. In 2013 the total consumption of instant noodles in the world reached a total of about 105.59 billion bags, while China ranked first for the total consumption of 46.22 billion bags, the per capita consumption reached 34 packets.
  
−
In both Chinese and English, there are numerous plant metaphors for men and women. However, selecting the type of plant makes a substantial difference. When people use plants as metaphors for men, they select more robust plants, such as trees, to represent their positive image. The metaphor of women as plants consists primarily of flowers and plants like these. As we all know, flowers can attract people with their vibrant, eye-catching hues, the fragrance of fragrant flowers, or their pleasing appearance. In conclusion, the metaphor of women as plants, emphasizing their external ornamental value and highlighting the beauty of women's appearance, leads the community to pay more attention to women's appearance, which also reflects the social treatment of women from a particular perspective, one-sided views, and contradictory attitudes. Society evaluates women based on their appearance and pays attention to their beauty, but it also views beautiful women as a "disaster" or "vase." It is evident that society's evaluation criteria for women are contradictory and unfair.
+
===The Nutritional Composition and Health of Noodles===
 +
The basic raw material for making noodles is flour. Therefore, its main nutrients are basically the same as flour, including protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and low fat. Taking the ordinary fine dried noodles found in the market for example, 100 g fine dried noodles contain 10.3 g protein, 75.6 g carbohydrates, just 0.6 g fat, 129 mg potassium, 18.45 mg sodium, 11.8μg selenium, and so on.
  
−
==英语笔译 李思敏 Li Simin 202170081574==
+
Noodles are classified as cereal foods. Cereal food is the main body of the traditional Chinese diet, the main source of energy for the human body, and also the most economical energy food. With the development of the economy and the improvement of life, Chinese people tend to eat more animal food and oil. An authoritative survey found that in some of the more affluent families, the consumption of animal food has exceeded the consumption of cereal food. Animal food contains more energy and fat, but less dietary fiber, which is not conducive to the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases. A report on the status of nutrition and chronic diseases of Chinese residents showed that the daily fat intake of Chinese residents was too much, providing more than 30% of the total dietary energy, while a deficiency of calcium, iron, vitamins A and D, and some other nutrients still existed(2015). Adhering to the principle of “making cereal food the main food”, the purpose is to maintain our Chinese good diet tradition, which can avoid the disadvantages of a high energy, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet. Therefore, the importance of the status of noodles in the dietary structure of the residents in our country and their health impact should not be ignored.
  
−
==英语笔译 李思源 Li Siyuan 202170081575==
+
In the process of making noodles, eggs are added. Therefore, noodles contain the nutritional content of eggs, with the amount of nutritional content depending on the amount of added eggs. Protein amino acid composition of eggs is the closest to the needs of the human body with very high nutritional value. Eggs contain between 10% and ∼15% fat with 98% of the fat found in egg yolk; egg white contains very little fat. The fat in egg yolk is easily digested and absorbed and also contains a high content and full range of vitamins, including all the B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and trace amounts of vitamin C. Therefore, adding eggs can improve the nutritional value of noodles.
  
−
<center>'''Chinese Lantern Culture'''</center>
+
Salts are added in the process of making noodles. Excessive salt intake will increase the risk of high blood pressure. A report on the status of nutrition and chronic diseases of Chinese residents showed that the daily intake of salt was 10.5 g /d in 2012; however, the daily recommended intake of salt is 6 g/d according to Dietary guidelines for Chinese Residents and 5 g according to the World Health Organization. It is worth noting that the prevalent rate of high blood pressure for adults aged ≥18 years was 25.2% in 2012. This is an increase when compared with 2002 (rate was 18.8%). Therefore, food companies should try to reduce the addition of salt as much as possible.
  
−
<center>Li Siyuan</center>
+
In addition to the health impact of the original nutritional composition of noodles, we should also pay attention to the health impact of the cooking craft and other related factors.
  
−
===Introduction===
+
Gravy: in order to improve the taste, people often eat noodles with gravy. Some kinds of gravy contain fat and salt. For example, fried bean sauce noodles contain more fat and salt. In order to avoid an increase in the risk of chronic diseases, we should add less gravy when eating noodles.
−
Lanterns originated in the Western Han Dynasty more than 1800 years ago. They are traditional Chinese folk handicrafts and play an important role in the long history of the Chinese nation. They symbolize the splendor of Chinese civilization and the prosperity of the country. Lanterns in ancient China's main role is lighting. Chinese lanterns are the world's first invention of portable lighting tools.Later, there appeared many lanterns of various shapes and functions. In addition to the well-known red lanterns hung on such festive days and wedding celebrations, they are divided into figures, mountains and rivers, flowers and birds, dragons and phoenixes, fish and insect lanterns. From the shape of points, there are simple lamp and circular lamp.
 
  
−
===The origin of Chinese Lantern civilization and typical kinds===
+
Ingredients: when cooking noodles, we can add eggs, vegetables, and other ingredients, so as to make noodles achieve the principle of “food diversification”, and promote health for people.
−
Lantern is the product of our agricultural age, originated from the Western Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, officials and people attached great importance to the Lantern Festival. In the folk, people decorate lanterns and travel to enjoy them. In the Song Dynasty, shadow lanterns, water lanterns and other lanterns emerged. In the early Ming Dynasty, people set up a lantern market for the Lantern Festival, which later developed into a department store trading market. In the Qing Dynasty, both residences and temples had unique lighting scenes, and palace lighting also had a profound influence on the later folk lantern production.There are many kinds of claims on the origin of the lantern, one widely circulated statement is: the custom of the Lantern Festival began in the eastern Han dynasty,when the emperor liu Zhuang promoted Buddhism, he heard that there was the fifteenth day of the Buddhist monks worshiped Buddha Relics, light. Then he ordered this one night in the palace and the temple worship Buddha light, made the cremation of the subaltern hanging lamp. Later, this kind of Buddhist ritual festival gradually formed a grand folk festival. The section has experienced from the palace to the folk, from the central Plains to the national development process. During the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, in order to celebrate the prosperity of the country and the security of the people, people tied lanterns, with flickering lights, symbolizing "colorful dragon, auspicious, rich country strong", lantern custom has been widely popular since then.Lanterns show people's wishes for a better life and are the symbol of auspiciousness and harmony.
 
−
As an important traditional handicraft, lanterns play a high decorative role. The traditional patterns on the lanterns contain beautiful meanings, while traditional paintings express different themes through depictions of everyday situations or traditional stories.
 
−
If painting is more of the image of the Lantern, calligraphy is the carrier of the spirit of the lantern. People's wishes for the New Year are written directly on the lanterns. The carrier that comes thousands of years, people's thought and life, the glamour of the character seeks again the space that gets relieved, full-bodied culture accumulates at the moment get delectation release. People that occupy the home are reading these good wishes daily, happiness and the ground that pursues somewhat is alive. Like lantern painting, there are two kinds of calligraphy: direct writing and indirect pasting. But different from painting, because of the ball-shaped or special-shaped lanterns made after writing is very difficult, generally applicable to the existing calligraphy is more, and square and cylindrical lanterns writing is much easier, on the above can be arbitrarily write down their own beautiful vision for the New Year. There's no need to care if you're a brilliant calligrapher, all you need to do is relax and "clone" the most natural fonts onto your lantern. The lantern content is more traditional "blessing", "auspicious", "peace and prosperity", "good harvest" and so on, and because it is the year of the Sheep, so "three Sheep kaitai" (three sheep bring happiness) and other good wishes are also reflected on the paper. Of course, the lanterns of the gate can also write their own heart couplets, the lanterns of the bedroom do not forget to write their own mottoes, or affectionately write their beloved nickname and so on, or to a name of their own and their beloved "hidden" poems also do not have a feeling. In fact, there is another aspect to the calligraphy on the lanterns. Generally speaking, official script and script lanterns are more suitable for hanging in the hall, running script and cursive script are suitable for use on the bedroom lanterns, and one cheering calligraphy is the most appropriate for use in the children's room.
 
−
Paper-cutting is one of the most popular folk arts in China, especially in northeast China, where every household sticks paper-cutting during the Spring Festival. Today, paper-cuts are more used for decoration, so Cantonese people may as well borrow them. Paper cutting can be used to decorate walls, doors and Windows, pillars, mirrors, etc., and can also be used to decorate lanterns. There are two ways to cut lanterns: scissors and knife. Scissors cut is with the help of scissors, cut a few pieces (generally not more than 8 pieces) paper cut paste up, and finally use sharp scissors to process the pattern. Knife cutting involves folding paper into stacks, placing it on a soft mixture of ash and animal fat, and then slowly carving it with a knife. Paper-cutting artists usually hold the knife vertically and process the paper into the desired pattern according to a certain model. Compared with scissors, one advantage of knife cutting is that it can be processed into multiple paper-cut patterns at one time. Lantern Festival paper-cut lanterns are common in three categories: one is based on patterns.
 
  
−
===Some common cultural implications of Chinese lantern===
+
Instant noodles: the seasoning packet in instant noodles contains more salt, so we should add half a packet of seasoning when eating instant noodles, in order to reduce salt intake.
  
−
Lanterns symbolize family reunion, prosperity and prosperity, as well as happiness, brightness, vitality, completeness and wealth. They can create an atmosphere of happiness and joy. Every New Year to prepare a red lantern hanging in the door or house. Red lanterns are lit on New Year's Eve and hung in doors or houses to illuminate the night and the peace and happiness of the whole family.In the year of the Sheep, lanterns also presented goats, sheep and other types, different colors of the sheep, these are indicative of the beginning of the New Year luck, financial resources into the vast majority of good intentions, in the festive period looking at the New Year new atmosphere, heart joy from this. In addition, different ages and different rooms in the selection of lantern paintings also differ. Sitting room and porch are hanged aptly compare traditional design "in the norm" lantern, old person room chooses aptly the lantern that its interest and life background are relevant, children room is about to show the lantern of the most lively picture with the simplest means of course. In fact, the lantern picture of children's room can let children start their own hands completely, draw a lovely small animal, favorite "cartoon messenger", or have quite beautiful to be painted into "abstract painting school", can make the room grace many.
+
===Terms and Expressions===
  
−
===The symbolic significance of lanterns in film and television works===
+
soup cake 汤饼
−
The so-called lantern culture means that as a kind of cultural and artistic works, lanterns have rich cultural concepts. Besides being related to Chinese people's life, they also often appear in literature, film and television, opera, painting and other works, conveying some symbolic significance. Different lanterns have different functions and express different meanings. For example, horse-walking lanterns are used for people's enjoyment, Kong Ming lanterns and palace lanterns are used for praying, and bamboo lanterns are used to announce that this is a funeral occasion. In addition, there are all kinds of lanterns symbolizing good love. Today, most of what we know about the function and symbolic meaning of lanterns comes from movies and movies, where symbols are created to attract the interest of the audience. In many film and television works, we can often see the appearance of "lantern" as a folk element symbol with unique symbolic significance and special historical status, carrying a certain cultural significance. Starting from the symbolic meaning of symbols, this paper analyzes the expression form and symbolic meaning of lanterns in film and television works, and reflects on the "cultural consciousness" of lanterns as folk elements in film and television works in cross-cultural communication.
 
−
Film and television, as the carrier of integrated art and popular culture, has abundant elements and profound social influence. Lanterns in the film and television not only play a rich audio-visual, deepening the theme and other functions, but also have far-reaching significance of cultural communication, in the film and television creation and communication plays an important role. The earliest symbolic significance of lanterns is related to "god". In ancient times, in order to drive away darkness and fear, people regarded lanterns as objects to exorcise evil spirits and pray for light. For example, lotus lanterns are used to express their gratitude to Buddha and pray for his protection. In film and television works, these symbolic meanings of lanterns have been intentionally or unintentionally expressed. And lanterns is in the film and television play a lot of, in addition to its own unique symbol significance, also associated with the artistic technique of expression of director who used to use, with symbolic elements to promote the development of film and television play narrative plot, so as to enrich the connotation of film and television creation, leaving the audience more thinking and imagination.
 
−
In ancient times, men and women often use lanterns to express their wishes and wishes for a better love. Water lamps, Kong Ming lanterns, and small lanterns painted with figures, landscapes, flowers and birds, dragons and phoenixes, fish and insects, these lanterns convey the love of men and women. In Thailand every year in November held "Lantern Festival", is a full reflection of the Thai young men and women love festival. In the Thai drama Journey of Life, the heroine, makes a lamp boat by folding banana leaves, filling it with flowers, lighting incense and floating it in water to pray for eternal companionship with her beloved. In ancient China, there was a tradition for women to release water lanterns and Kong Ming lanterns to pray for love. In the ''Legend of Zhen Huan'', the concubines in the palace set a water lamp in a river to pray for an early sunrise and find a suitable husband. The water lamp serves as a bridge for the concubines imprisoned in the palace to communicate with the outside world "Cage" expresses their desire for free love when they are trapped in a deep palace.
 
−
In China, the Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The Lantern Festival is called the Lantern Festival and the Lantern Festival is a traditional folk festival. The 15th Lantern Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, is a romantic and poetic festival. Directors also have a special liking to the Lantern Festival in the fifteenth Month circle, the Lantern Festival scene often appears in some films and television works, many films and television works even reduced the grand occasion of the Lantern Festival at that time. The directors like to arrange the first meeting of the hero and heroine on the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival is a festival that can instantly promote love, and the lantern is the matchmaker for the hero and heroine to promise love and love. Director Li Shao Hong's "Words of Daming Palace", the young Princess Taiping out of the palace for the first time, into the Lantern Festival crowd, in the street lit by lanterns, she met her first man - Xue Shao, and love it. "Zhaojun Out of the Frontier" in the director fictional Wang Zhaojun and Huhanxie Shanyu meet the scene, the Lantern Festival, Wang Zhaojun because of witnessing Huhanxie Shanyu shooting small lanterns heroic spirit, they fell in love at first sight, the achievement of a paragraph of Zhaojun out of the jam story. The aesthetic scenes constructed by the director with the help of "lantern" props undoubtedly render romantic images for the love of the male and female protagonists, and the pictures are full of poetic painting, which improves the aesthetic feeling of film and television works and endows them with stronger artistic colors. In some films and television works, there are also scenes of guessing lantern riddles, exchanging lanterns and matching lanterns. Lanterns have become a symbol of love between men and women. When getting married, people like to hang red lanterns on the eaves, symbolizing joy and excitement and conveying good wishes. This custom continues to this day.
 
−
===References===
 
−
[1]李维康.“汴京灯笼张”:灯笼文化传承百年[J].决策探索(上),2020(05):46-48.
 
−
[2]肖雅静.影视作品中灯笼文化传播研究[J].东南传播,2015.
 
−
[3]费孝通.论文化与文化自觉[M].北京：群言出版社，2005.
 
−
===Terms and expressions===
 
−
Calligraphy lanterns书法灯笼
 
−
Paper-cut lanterns 剪纸灯笼
 
−
Lantern Festival 元宵节
 
−
Spring Festival 春节
 
−
carrier 载体
 
−
auspiciousness 吉祥
 
−
reunion 团圆
 
−
bumper harvest 五谷丰登
 
−
Zhao Jun Out of the Frontier 昭君出塞
 
−
the fifteenth day of the first month of lunar year 正月十五
 
−
The Legend of Zhen Huan 甄嬛传
 
  
−
===Questions===
+
Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties 魏晋南北朝
−
Generally speaking, when did lanterns originate?  Two typical kinds of lanterns? Implications of lanterns?
 
−
===Answers===
 
−
Lanterns originated in the Western Han Dynasty more than 1800 years ago. They are traditional Chinese folk handicrafts and play an important role in the long history of the Chinese nation; Calligraphy Lantern and Paper- cut Lantern; Reunion, auspiciousness, happiness, best wishes.
 
  
−
==英语笔译 李婷 Li Ting 202170081576==
+
Qi Min Yao Shu or Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People 《齐民要术》
−
<center>'''Language Culture in Chinese Cuisine Names'''</center>
 
  
−
<center>Li Ting</center>
+
fine dried noodles 挂面
  
−
===Introduction===
+
pig and sheep raw noodles 猪羊庵生面
−
Dish vocabulary is the direct or indirect reflection of national diet culture in language vocabulary. Cuisine names are the most representative expression of dish vocabulary. The name of a dish is the first step for people to know it. Only by knowing the basic information of the dish through the name can customers become interested in the dish and imagine what it could be. Therefore, since ancient times, Chinese people have made great efforts in the names of dishes, creating many naming ways. On one hand, the names of Chinese cuisine have witnessed the long history of China and inherited the ancient culture of the Chinese nation, which also reveals the flesh-and-blood relationship between Chinese cuisine names and Chinese language and culture. This paper will discuss the names of Chinese dishes from language, culture and psychology, elaborate on the naming methods of Chinese dishes, and also analyze the Chinese culture behind the names of Chinese dishes.
 
  
−
===Looking at Chinese Cuisine Names through Linguistics===
+
vegetable raw noodles 素面
−
'''1. Meanings of Cuisine Names'''
 
  
−
In terms of the meanings of cuisine names, they can be briefly divided into the following three types:
+
five spicy noodles 五香面
  
−
The first is the referential meaning, which is the relationship between linguistic symbols and the entities and events of the subjective or objective world described or narrated by them. It is the objective world reflected by words, sentences and texts (Nida 1998). The cuisine names are no exceptions, and they have a certain connection with the dishes themselves. This meaning is most evident when guests go to a restaurant to order. When a guest orders a dish of “Kung Pao Chicken, Quick-fried Chicken Dices with Peanuts”(宫保鸡丁), the waiter will never bring out “the Braised Turtle in Brown Sauce”(红烧甲鱼). A dish name, like a sign, represents a dish. Although the names of the same dish may be different in different languages, they all reflect the same thing. (c.f: Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
eight treasures noodles 八珍面
  
−
The second is the naming meaning, which means that we can get some basic information about the dish through the name of the dish, and understand the reason and source of the name of the dish. Unlike western dishes that focus on realistic naming, Chinese dishes have various naming ways. It has both realistic naming that reflects the ingredients and cooking methods of dishes, and freehand naming that reflects the color, flavor and shape of dishes, or naming after the founder, the place of origin, and allusions, etc. For example, a dish called “Cold Noodles with Chicken Shreds” (鸡丝凉面) conveys to us information about the raw materials, ingredients and cooking methods of the dish through its name, thus we also know the reason for its naming. Similarly, the famous Sichuan dish “Mapo Tofu” (it is named after its inventor: a pock-marked woman in Sichuan province ground pork with bean curd in chili sauce) (麻婆豆腐) is known by its name as the founder of Mapo. (c.f: Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
longevity noodles 长寿面
  
−
The third is the additional meaning, which mainly refers to the aesthetic meaning of the dish name. Chinese dish names are not only the embodiment of the connotation of dishes, but also the concentrated reflection of the aesthetic taste of the creators of delicious dishes. Chinese cuisine names are elegant, meaningful and full of poetic meaning. In a few numbers they can reflect the beauty of poetry. Such as “Shrimp with green Vegetable”(翡翠虾仁), “Four-Joy Meatballs, Braised Pork Balls in Gravy Sauce”(四喜丸子), “Fotiaoqiang—the Buddha jumped the wall for luring by its smell” (assorted meat and vegetables cooked in embers (佛跳墙), these dishes really give people a kind of beautiful enjoyment. (c.f: Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
noodles with gravy 打卤面
  
−
                                                                [[File:Mapo Tofu1.jpg]] [[File:Fotiaoqiang (1).jpg]]
+
dragon whiskers noodles 龙须面
  
−
'''2. The Naming Methods of Dish Names'''
+
dutiful son’s noodle 孝子面
  
−
The naming of Chinese dishes is not arbitrary, but has formed a relatively regular word system. According to the basis of naming, it can be roughly divided into the following categories:
+
dandan noodles 担担面
  
−
'''2.1 Named after Ingredients and Cooking Methods'''
+
minced noodles/ ashamed son noodles 臊子面
  
−
This is a way of naming dishes according to the ingredients and cooking methods, belonging to the realistic naming way. This is similar to the naming of western dishes, simple and direct (c.f: Liu Yun 2018, 118). The main ingredients are nothing more than meat, fish and shrimp, poultry, eggs, grains, vegetables or fruits; ways of cutting include cut, chop, split, scrape, etc.; Chicken, duck, fish and vegetables and fruits can be processed into different shapes, including block, strip, segment, slice, dice, shred, powder, paste; cooking methods are also rich, such as frying, deep-frying, cooking, stir-frying, braising, roasting, stewing, simmering, steaming, boiling, sauce, mix, smoking, pickling, and so on.
+
sister-in-law noodles 嫂子面
  
−
Dishes named after these four aspects can be divided into the following categories: (a). named after the main ingredients of the dish, without involving cutting techniques and cooking methods, but sometimes include the taste of the dish, such as “Corn Meatballs” (玉米肉丸), “Sweet and Sour Fish”(糖醋鱼), and so on; (b). named after the main ingredients and side ingredients of the dish, such as “Fried Shrimps with Tomato Sauce” (茄汁虾仁), “Diced Chicken with Cashew Nuts” (腰果鸡丁); (c). named after ingredients, side ingredients and cutting techniques, such as “Diced Chicken with Green Pepper” (辣子鸡丁), “Pork Shreds with Fish Seasoning” (鱼香肉丝), and so on; (d). named after the main ingredients and cooking methods, such as “Steamed Perch” (清蒸鲈鱼), “Braising Carp with Soy Sauce” (红烧鲤鱼), etc.; (e). named after the main ingredients, side ingredients, cutting techniques and cooking methods of the dish, such as “Quick-frying Shredded Mutton with Scallion” (葱爆羊肉丝), “Braised Chicken Fillet with Tender Ginger” (仔姜烧鸡条) and so on. Using these methods allow people to quickly get the basics of the dish and know what they are likely to what it is next. For example, “Pork Cooked with Green Chili” (辣椒炒肉) is known by its name as its raw materials are green chili and pork, and its cooking method is stir-fried. “Scrambled Egg with Tomato” (番茄炒蛋), “Hairy Crabs” (大闸蟹) and other dishes also belong to realistic names. (c.f: Zhou Guiying 2008, 112-113 )
+
vinegar-pepper old friend noodles 老友面
  
−
'''2.2 Freehand Naming'''
+
Crossing-the-Bridge noodles 过桥米线
  
−
Unlike realistic dishes, dishes named after freehand do not particularly emphasize the cooking methods and raw materials, but regard dishes as a kind of emotion or ideal, which is the essence of the wisdom of the Chinese people. It is often used to convey the gorgeous Chinese culture and people’s yearning for a better life. The dishes named freehand pay attention to the “beauty of sound, shape and meaning”, which is decided by consideration and research. They are beautiful and lifelike; they express feelings and convey wishes; they reflect both language and culture. It can also be subdivided into the following categories: the first is to highlight the color of the dishes, such as “Golden Coin-shaped Scallops” (金钱干贝), “Shrimp with green Vegetable” and so on; the second is to emphasize the taste of dishes, such as “Sour and Hot Diced Chicken” (酸辣鸡丁), “Sweet and Sour Ribs”(糖醋排骨), “Cola Chicken Wings” (可乐鸡翅) and so on, which people can know the taste of the dish whether it is salty, sweet or spicy directly from the name of the dish; the third is to emphasize the plastic arts of dishes, such as “Braised Meat Balls in Brown Sauce” (红烧狮子头), “Tai Chi Shaped Taro” (太极芋头); the fourth is to express good wishes, such as “Stewed Assorted Delicacies” (全家福), “Wishful Bamboo Shoots” (如意笋). All these cuisine names are China’s precious cultural heritage, playing a important role in Chinese history. (Liu Yun 2018, 118)
+
rice noodles 米线
  
−
                    [[File:Braised Meat Balls in Brown Sauce.jpg]]  [[File:Tai Chi Shaped Taro.jpg]]
+
hand-pulled noodles 拉面
  
−
'''2.3 Named after a Person or a Place'''
+
shaved noodles 刀削面
  
−
There are many Chinese dishes named after their inventors. “Wen Si Tofu” (文思豆腐) is a good example. It began in the Qing Dynasty and has a history of more than 300 years. Legend has it that during the Reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, there was a monk named Wen Si at Tianning Temple near Meiling, Yangzhou, who was good at making tofu dishes. He was particularly good at making tofu soup with tender tofu, day lily, agaric and other raw materials. It was so delicious that lay Buddhists who went to burn incense and worship Buddha all like to taste this soup. As the dish was created by the monk Wen Si, people called it “Wen Si Tofu”. “Dongpo Meat” (东坡肉) and “Mapo Tofu” are also named after their founders. (Lu Jing, Tang Yueting 2016, 152-154)
+
Beijing fried bean sauce noodles 北京炸酱面
  
−
In addition, Chinese cuisine also includes dishes named after place names, which mainly reflect local specialties, cooking skills and flavors. Food is also a part of the beauty. In addition to appreciating the local natural and cultural scenery, for those people who travel to a place, tasting food is also a must. Then dishes named after place names naturally become images representing local characteristics. The most famous dish named after a place is “Peking Duck” (北京烤鸭), which has almost become a culinary name card of Beijing and even China. In addition, dishes named after place names such as “West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce” (西湖醋鱼) and “Zhijiang Fried Duck with Varied Ingredients” (芷江鸭) both have become city name cards. (c.f: Liu Yun 2018, 118)
+
noodles mixed with scallion, oil, and soy sauce 葱油拌面
  
−
                                      [[File:Wen Si Tofu.jpg]]  [[File:Peking Duck.jpg]]
+
noodles with quick-fried eel shreds and shelled shrimps 虾爆鳝面
  
−
'''2.4 Named after Historical Allusions'''
+
Shanghai noodles in superior soup 上海阳春面
  
−
Some Chinese dishes have historical allusions to their names. For example, “Meat in Tomato Sauce” (乾隆樱桃肉) is a famous dish that emperor Qianlong tasted when he visited the South of the Yangtze River. “Murrel with Fresh Vegetables”(将军过桥) is a dish borrowed from Zhang Fei's attack on Cao Bing on Changban Slope (长坂坡) during The Three Kingdoms Period. It has been handed down to this day. In addition, “Four-Joy Meatballs, Braised Pork Balls in Gravy Sauce” refers to four balls that are fried, steamed and boiled. Trace back to its root, the word “Four-Joy” comes from an allusion: Zhang Jiuling came to Beijing to take the imperial examination. In many students who came to Beijing to take the examination, only the shabby Zhang Jiuling won the top list. Because the emperor appreciated Zhang Jiuling's calligraphy and wisdom, he was immediately arranged as the bridegroom to marry with the princess. At that time, however, his hometown was hit by a flood and there was no news of his parents. On the day of marriage, Zhang Jiuling finally inquired about the whereabouts of his parents, so he fetched his parents to Beijing. Therefore, Zhang Jiuling ordered the chef to prepare an auspicious dish to celebrate these happy events. When the dishes arrived, they were four large balls that had been fried, steamed and drenched in soup. Chef explained that it was “Four-Joy Meatballs” : succeed in the imperial examination was the first happiness; getting married was the second; being the emperor’s son-in-law was the third one; family reunion is the last joy. From then on, the “Four-Joy Meatballs” has become a necessary dish at great celebrations. (Zhang Yanyan 2015, 55-57)
+
Nanjing small boiled noodles 南京小煮面
  
−
                                  [[File:Meat in Tomato Sauce.jpg]]    [[File:Murrel with Fresh Vegetables.jpg]]
+
Hangzhou Pian Er Chuan noodles (noodles with preserved vegetable, sliced Pork, and bamboo shoots in soup) 杭州片儿川面
  
−
'''2.5 Named after Numeral Abbreviations'''
+
Wenzhou vegetable raw noodles 温州素面
  
−
Numeral abbreviations are commonly used in Chinese dish names, which are concise, generalizing and easy to understand and remember. For example, “Two Winter” (二冬) refers to dried mushroom (冬菇) and winter bamboo shoot (冬笋), because they both have the Chinese character for “dong, winter”. “Three Delicacies” (三鲜) refers to a combination of any three things like fresh pork, fish, ham, fresh chicken, eggs, shrimp, mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots. In addition, “Three Shreds” (三丝) refers to a combination of any three things like shredded pork, shredded ham, shredded chicken, shredded eel, shredded potato, shredded leek, shredded green pepper, shredded bamboo shoots and shredded mushroom. The same is true of the “Four-Joy Meatballs”, which is a condensed version of the four happiness of life. (c.f: Zhou Guiying 2008, 112-113 )
+
Zhenjiang pot noodles 镇江锅盖面
  
−
'''2.6 Named after Animals and Plants Names'''
+
Shandong Fushan hand-pulled noodles 山东福山拉面
  
−
People often use some good animal names for cuisine names, such as the Cantonese famous dish “Dragon and Tiger Locked in battle, Thick Soup of Snake, Cat and Chicken” (龙虎斗), it is composed of snake meat and leopard cat. The dragon is a mythical animal imagined from the shape of a snake, and the leopard cat is similar to the tiger, both belong to the cat family. When the heavenly dragon, which symbolizes kingship, fights the tiger, which claims to be the king of all beasts, the scene is naturally thrilling and definitely arouses people’s imagination. “Braised Lion's Head” (红烧狮子头) actually means “Braised Meat Balls in Brown Sauce”. (Zhou Guiying 2008, 112-113 )
+
Suzhou Su style soup noodles 苏州苏式汤面
  
−
[[File:Dragon and Tiger Locked in battle, Thick Soup of Snake, Cat and Chicken.jpg]]
+
Fuzhou line noodles 福州线面
  
−
Some plants, such as the lotus, have special cultural meanings. In ancient poems, “hibiscus” stands for lotus, which sounds more sweet and poetic. When naming dishes, “hibiscus” stands for egg white, which is associated with lotus and gives people a feeling of white and elegant, such as “Shrimp with Hibiscus , Shrimp with egg white” (芙蓉虾仁) and “Hibiscus Sea Cucumber, Sea Cucumber with egg white” (芙蓉海参), and so on. “Magnolia" is a common ornamental plant, and the white and pure magnolia reminds people of the same white and pure bamboo shoots, such as “Fried Magnolia Slices” (炒玉兰片) is actually “Fried Bamboo Shoots Slices” (炒笋片). (c.f: Zhou Guiying 2008, 112-113 )
+
Anhui flat noodles 安徽板面
  
−
'''2.7 Named after Precious Metals and Jade'''
+
Guangzhou wonton noodles 广州馄饨面
  
−
Precious metals such as gold and silver and articles such as jewelry and jade are expensive, bright-colored and have decorative effect and ornamental value. Using them as a nomenclature for Chinese food will give a sense of beauty and enhance the taste of the dish. Such as “golden shreds” refers to carrot shreds; “jade” refers to green vegetables, green beans or green peppers; “white jade” refers to shrimp or tofu; “pearl” refers to quail eggs or corn kernels. Such kind of names seem noble and elegant, value multiplied. Similar dishes include “Salted Pork in Jelly” (水晶肴肉), “Braised Pig Tendon with Jade, Braised Pig Tendon with Vegetables” (翡翠蹄筋) and “Jade and White Jade, Shrimp with Green Vegetable” (翡翠白玉) etc. These dishes can not only reflect the color of the dishes, but also evoke certain associations and add a bit of charm. (c.f: Zhou Guiying 2008, 112-113 )
+
Wuhan hot noodles with sesame paste 武汉热干面
  
−
                          [[File:Salted Pork in Jelly.jpg]]      [[File:Shrimp with green Vegetable.jpg]]
+
Shanxi shaved noodles 山西刀削面
  
−
'''2.8 Named after Auspicious Words'''
+
noodles with braised string bean 豆角焖面
  
−
In traditional Chinese culture, dishes named after auspicious things are generally used to express blessing. These dishes are often served at banquets celebrating major festivals, wedding banquets and birthday parties. For example, “Stewed Assorted Delicacies” is a famous dish in Shandong province. Its ingredients are relatively diverse, including abalone, sea cucumber, chicken, duck meat, fish maw, mushroom and cabbage heart. It is often used to celebrate the birthday of the elderly, wedding banquet, family reunion, and even a baby’s completion of its first month of life banquet, which is named to express auspicious meaning. (c.f: Zhang Yanyan 2015, 55-57)
+
Hebei dragon whiskers noodles (saute fine noodles with shredded chicken) 河北龙须面
  
−
'''3 Rhetorical Devices in Cuisine Names'''
+
sesame paste noodles 麻酱面
  
−
When people name dishes, they often use rhetorical devices to add moving colors to dishes. The rhetorical devices commonly used in the name of Chinese cuisine include figure of speech, hyperbole, allusion and personification.
+
Neimenggu braised noodles with string bean 内蒙古焖面
  
−
'''3.1 Figure of Speech'''
+
Xinjiang pulled noodles 新疆拉条子
  
−
The figure of speech in Chinese dishes are numerous and multifaceted. Some from the “shape” to use the simile: “Mirror Box Tofu” (镜箱豆腐) (named because it looks like a dressing box), “Tai Chi Shaped Taro” (in the shape of Tai Chi), “Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish” (松鼠鳜鱼). Some of the “color” metaphor: “Shrimp Ring with Green Vegetable” (翡翠虾环) (made with green cucumber slices and shrimp), “Golden Eggs” (金钱蛋). Some of the “meaning” metaphor: “Taking the Son to the Imperial Court—Duck and Pigeon ” (带子上朝) (duck and pigeon each one), “Farewell My Concubine” (霸王别姬) (turtle and hen were respectively compared to Xiang Yu, the Overlord in the West Chu Period, and his concubine Yu Ji, then the two are back-to-back, which refers to farewell), etc. If a certain metaphor is used many times in dish names, the relationship between its tenor and vehicle will be fixed. For example, “hibiscus” is usually used as a metaphor for “egg white”, so hibiscus has become a pronoun of egg white in dish names. The hibiscus in these cuisine names “Chicken Slices with Hibiscus” (芙蓉鸡片), “Scallops with Hibiscus” (芙蓉干贝) , “Shrimp Hibiscus” , “Clams with Hibiscus” (芙蓉青蛤)" all refer to egg white. In addition, “white jade” is generally used to refer to tofu, “dragon beard” refers to bean sprouts and “phoenix claw” refers to chicken feet. (Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
Shanxi oil-splashing noodles 陕西油泼面
  
−
                    [[File:Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish.jpg]]    [[File:Farewell My Concubine.jpg]]
+
serofluid noodles 浆水面
  
−
These metaphorical dishes give play to people’s great imagination, making cuisine more attractive by comparing to animals and plants in nature, utensils and figures in life.
+
Henan stewed noodles 河南烩面
  
−
'''3.2 Hyperbole'''
+
Guizhou noodles with pig’s blood and internal organs 贵州肠旺面
  
−
Hyperbole is the exaggerating or understatement of things, but its basis is true, that is to say, the purpose of hyperbole is not to deceive but to emphasize the degree of something. Hyperbole is often used in Chinese dish names. For example, “The Thousand-layer Oil Cake, Multiple Layer Oil Cake” (千层油糕), a classic dessert in Huaiyang cuisine, uses the word “Thousand-layer” to describe the thickness of the cake, although slightly exaggerated, but vividly depicts the image of the cake.
+
Sichuan dandan noodles 四川担担面
  
−
'''3.3 Allusion'''
+
bean curd pudding noodles 豆花面
  
−
The names of some Chinese dishes are closely related to historical allusions. For instance, “the Beggar Chicken, Roast Whole Chicken Wrapped in Mud” (叫花鸡) is a special roasted chicken wrapped in mud and lotus leaves. This dish has a long history. According to legend, during Qianlong emperor's private visit in disguise, when he was wandering in the wilderness around the South of the Yangtze River, he felt hungry and sleepy. A beggar kindly gave him a roasted chicken to eat. Feeling tired and hungry, emperor Qianlong thought it was a delicacy and asked the beggar its name. The beggar did not know what the name was, so he casually said it was “rich chicken”. After emperor Qianlong returned to the court, he praised “rich chicken”. And “Jiao Hua” in Chinese means “the beggar”, so this dish also called “Jiao Hua Chicken”. This dish spread from then on because of the emperor's praise, and became a famous dish that can ascend the hall of elegance. The “Four-Joy Meatballs” mentioned above is also an allusion. (c.f: Zhang Yanyan 2015, 55-57)
+
zhazha noodles with chili oil hot pepper and pork-bone soup 渣渣面
  
−
'''3.4 Personification'''
+
bedding noodles 铺盖面
  
−
Personification in Chinese dish names refers to comparing the raw materials of dishes to people, so that they have human appearance, personality or emotion. The names of the dishes, which use this device, is very imaginative. For example, in “Soft-shelled Turtle with Pigeon Eggs” (老蚌怀珠), it compares soft-shelled turtle to a pregnant woman, which is more dynamic, and vividly shows the image of this dish. At the same time, “Double Dragon Playing with a Pearl (Two fish and a coconut)” (二龙戏珠) gives fish humanized movements.
+
Jilin cold noodles 吉林冷面
  
−
===The Cultural Connotation of Chinese Cuisine Names===
+
Hong Kong strained noodles 捞面
−
Chinese cuisine names contain rich cultural connotations, from cultural cities to historical allusions, from raw materials to good wishes, reflecting the long river of Chinese culture that has been flowing for thousands of years.
 
  
−
'''1. The Good Meanings and Visions in Cuisine Names'''
+
rickshaw noodles 车仔面
  
−
Chinese people generally have a tendency to good luck. They like to listen to auspicious words, no matter what they do, they hope to have a good omen, which shows their desire for happiness, health, safety and other good factors. This feature is also reflected in the names of Chinese dishes to a large extent. For example, on the New Year's Eve dinner, almost every family will have a dish made of fish, representing “abundance”, because in Chinese the words for “fish” (鱼, yu) and “abundance” (余, yu) are the same pronunciation. This expresses people's expectation that they will have harvest and surplus in all aspects in the coming years. At the wedding banquet, people will also prepare some dishes with special meanings. For example, “Crusade against daddy” (早生贵子) is actually a soup cooked with red dates, peanuts and longan to express good wishes for the newlyweds and so on.
+
shrimp roe noodles 虾子面
  
−
'''2. Chinese Culture of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in Cuisine Names'''
+
southern Taiwanese-style noodles 担仔面
  
−
Chinese cuisine not only reflects the general mentality of the masses of people, but also contains the cultural connotation of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. The culture of the three religions are the traditional culture of China, namely Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. In the 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization, the mutual tolerance of the three religions has formed the idea of “unity of the three religions”. The naming of the dishes also perfectly reflects China's three religions culture. For example, “Kongfu Yiping Pot, the First Pot in Kongfu Style” (孔府一品锅) was named by the emperor. The Qing Dynasty inherited the Ming dynasty grade system, in which the official ranks from one to nine. The first is the highest, and the ninth is the lowest. The Qing Dynasty listed the Sacred Family of the Confucian Mansion (孔府衍圣公) as the first  grade. Therefore, the emperor named the dish “the First Pot”, which was made of chicken, pig feet, duck, sea cucumber, fish maw and other precious raw materials cooked into the soup. It also handed down through the ages. (c.f: Zhong Anni 2006, 79-80)
+
clam noodles 花蛤仔面
  
−
In addition, buddhist vegetarianism is becoming more and more popular due to people's increased awareness of health care. There are many dishes with a strong Buddhist color, such as “Siraitia Grosvenorii” (罗汉果), “Prajna Dishes” (般若菜) are the representatives of the vegetarian restaurant. Their cooking method are unique. Finally, Taoism, which originated in China, has a great influence on the cuisine names. Taoism attaches great importance to health maintenance, emphasizing the health concept of “Yang shall be maintained during Spring and Summer, while its counterpart Yin should be preserved during Autumn and Winter” (春夏养阳，秋冬养阴). It adjusts recipes according to different seasons to achieve harmony between food and season. Dishes such as “Yin and Yang Fish” (阴阳鱼) and “Heaven and Earth Eggs” (乾坤蛋) are named after Taoist culture.
+
===References===
 +
*Zhang Na,Ma Guansheng 张娜，马冠生.(2016).Journal of Ethnic Foods.
  
−
'''3. Regional Features in Cuisine Names'''
+
*Zhao Guanghui 赵光辉(2015).“被饥饿催生”的方便面的故事 [The story of instant noodles created by hunger].中国农资J China Agric,(28),24.
  
−
There are many schools of Chinese cuisine. Among them, the most influential and representative cuisines are Lu, Chuan, Yue, Min, Su, Zhe, Xiang and Hui cuisines, which are the so-called “eight major cuisines” of China.
+
*National Health and Family Planning Commission Disease Prevention and Control Bureau 国家卫生健康委员会.(2015).《中国居民营养与慢性病状况报告(2015年)》Report on the Status of Nutrition and Chronic Diseases of Chinese Residents.
  
−
The formation of a cuisine is inseparable from its long history and unique cooking characteristics, and is also influenced by factors such as the region’s natural geography, climate conditions, resource specialties, and dietary habits. It is the local characteristic that raw material takes above all. Different physical geographical and climatic conditions form the unique ingredients of dishes in different regions. For example, the Mongolian grassland herding sheep for the industry, there is a “Mutton eaten with hands” (手抓羊肉) characteristic dishes. The regions south of the Yangtze River emphasize farming industry. And snake and frog could often be found in paddy field river, so there is the famous dish “Dragon and Tiger Locked in battle, Thick Soup of Snake, Cat and Chicken”. Sichuan is located in the plateau where its climate is cold. And because of the basin terrain, its humidity is very heavy. Therefore, people who live in Sichuan can drive out the cold by eating more pepper. And “Mapo Tofu”, “Kung Pao Chicken”and other spicy dishes are popular here. Therefore, food raw materials restricted by natural conditions are the objective factors for the formation and inheritance of traditional Chinese cuisine. (Zhong Anni 2006, 79-80)
+
===Questions===
 +
1.Which country is considered to be the inventor of noodles?
  
−
The second is the production and life needs and tastes of all nationalities and local people. For example, we usually say “south is sweeter", “north is saltier”, “east is spicier”, “west is sourer”, which indicates the preference of people in different places in the taste of dishes. “Sweet and Sour Ribs” and “Sweet and Sour Pork” (咕咾肉) are traditional Cantonese dishes. Their names reflect the hot and humid climate in subtropical Guangzhou, and people need sweet and sour tastes to increase their appetite. (Zhong Anni 2006, 79-80)
+
2.The first concrete written records of noodles can be dated back to which dynasty?
  
−
Although the dietary customs are actually quite complex, the communication and dissemination of food culture in various regions make them increasingly integrate with each other. The food addiction of a certain region or a certain nation, however, is undoubtedly the subjective factor for the formation and inheritance of traditional Chinese cuisine, namely, the group’s identification of dietary taste. Thus, the food customs of different places can be learned from the names of major cuisines. Finally, it is the different requirements of different nationalities and local people’s cooking methods, including ingredients, cutting techniques, heat control, seasoning and cooking techniques. We can realize the importance of the method of preparation from the color, aroma, taste and shape of each cuisine. For example, Cantonese food stresses freshness and tenderness, and its ingredients are flexible. Shandong cuisine pays attention to crisp, usually blanking with sweet and sour sauce. From the naming methods of the above dishes, we can know that the dishes can reflect the cooking characteristics of these dishes. (Zhong Anni 2006, 79-80)
+
3.What are the representative noodles in the Gansu Province?
  
−
===The Psychological Functions of Chinese Dish Names===
+
4.What is the basic raw material for making noodles?
−
Nowadays, the restaurant industry is so competitive that in order to attract customers, merchants need to think about the naming of dishes as well as elaborate delicacies. The names of dishes should be beautiful and refined, rich in meaning, or plain and simple. Different naming ways of dishes attract different customers, which reflects the psychological function of dishes.
 
−
The most important psychological function of dish names is that they can arouse people’s association. Even if people do not see the shape or enjoy this dish, just taste its name will have unlimited imagination and expectations.
 
  
−
It is not a single process for dishes to arouse people’s association. In the association at the same time can mobilize people’s sense of smell, taste, hearing, vision, and make these senses in an active state, so as to build up a strong synaesthesia enjoyment. By the name of the dishes color, aroma, taste, type of association is such. “Pearl Bean Curd” (珍珠豆腐) and “Golden Prawn” (金钱明虾) are dishes of pearly color and golden brilliance, which give people a good appetite. “Crispy Duck” (脆皮八宝鸭) and “Spiced Beef” (五香牛肉) are all savoury before they are served. Why not taste them yourself ? (c.f: Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
===Answers===
 +
1.China.
  
−
The association of dish names can also affect people’s mood. For example, through the dishes such as “Eight Immortals Gathering at Yaochi—Fried Eight Delicacies” (八仙瑶池聚会), “Full of Prosperity” (满园春色), people can think of the beautiful images of harvest, festival and reunion, and naturally their moods become better. Relaxed and cheerful mood, often add a beautiful subjective color to food. People may even regard savoring food, consciously or unconsciously, as part of a pleasurable mood. (c.f: Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
2.Eastern Han Dynasty.
  
−
In addition, the association of dish names can arouse people's curiosity, thus increasing the attraction of dishes. For example, “Ribs in the Shape of Buddha hand” (佛手排骨), among which the Buddha hand often appear in ancient Chinese legends and ancient myths. There is a mystery for no one has really seen them. Therefore, they can often arouse people's curiosity. People in order to satisfy their curiosity, they would order this dish and see its truth. (c.f: Zhang Xu 2011, 181-182)
+
3.Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles.
  
−
===Conclusion===
+
4.Flour.
−
The traditional Chinese food culture is extensive and profound, with diverse cuisines and cooking styles, as well as distinctive national characteristics. When people enjoy delicious food, they can learn about the history, cultural customs, legends and traditional culture of Chinese nation. All in all, the names of various Chinese dishes are not only simple words and names, but also carry rich cultural connotation, which is the epitome and reflection of Chinese culture. To study the cultural implications contained in the names of Chinese dishes is to interpret the colorful Chinese culture.
 
  
−
===References===
+
==英语笔译 何丽娜 He Lina 202170081569==
−
* Nida, E. . (1998). Language, culture, and translation. Journal of Foreign Languages.
 
  
−
* Lu Jing & Tang Yueting卢静 & 汤月婷.(2016).苏菜命名特点及其对翻译的影响[Naming characteristics of Jiangsu cuisine and its influence on translation]. ''牡丹江大学学报''Journal of Mudanjiang University (01),152-154. doi:10.15907/j.cnki.23-1450.2016.01.048.
+
<center>'''Ancient Chinese Civilization--the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City'''</center>
  
−
* Liu Yun刘芸.(2018).中国菜名中的语言文化[Language Culture in Chinese Cuisine Names]. ''才智''Ability and Wisdom (09),188.
+
<center>He Lina</center>
  
−
* Yan Chengyu闫城宇.(2016).富含汉语言修辞特色与文化内涵的中国菜名[Names of Chinese Dishes with Chinese Rhetoric Feature and Culture Connotation]. ''河北经贸大学学报(综合版)''Journal of Hebei University of Economics and Business (Comprehensive Edition) (02),34-37. doi:10.14178/j.cnki.issn1673-1573.2016.02.008.
+
===Introduction===
 +
The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City(良渚古城遗址)(ca. 3300-2300 BC),is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, and belongs to the late Neolithic archaeological culture. According to archaeological findings, the Liangzhu site is characterized by its exquisite jade, stone and black pottery craftsmanship which embody its social etiquette system, early urban planning and large-scale engineering construction as well as its social organization system, and the world's earliest large-scale plowed rice farming and early specialization of handicraft industry. (Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:2) In addition, as a representative site of large prehistoric settlements in East Asia in the history of human civilization, the Liangzhu Site in China was approved for inclusion in the World Heritage List on July 6, 2019. This article will make a brief introduction and the summary in some aspects from geography, archaeological discovery, heritage elements of the Liangzhu ancient city ruins, the value of the heritage and the protection and inheritance of Liangzhu cultural sites, to further explore the extensive and profound influence of Liangzhu culture on Chinese civilization.
  
−
* Zhong Anni钟安妮.(2006).论中国菜名中的文化内涵[On the Cultural Connotation of Chinese Dish Names]. ''探求''Academic Search for Truth and Reality (01),79-80.
+
===Geographical Position===
 +
[[File:0bf13104dc8815737bfc080cc8e01e5.png]]
 +
Liangzhu Culture is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River around Taihu Lake （太湖）which are in the southeast of China, and its distribution area is very broad. Its central settlements are clustered in Liangzhu Site, Liangzhu town（良渚镇） and Pingyao Town（瓶窑镇）, Yuhang District（余杭区）, Hangzhou city（杭州市）, Zhejiang Province（浙江省）. Its geographical coordinates are 119°56 '40 "~120°03' 228" EAST longitude, 30°22 '36 "~30°26' 17" north latitude, with a subtropical monsoon climate.(Liangzhu Archaaeological Site)                        
  
−
* Zhou Guiying周桂英.(2008).中国菜的命名理据及翻译策略[Naming and Translation Strategies of Chinese Dishes]. ''郑州航空工业管理学院学报(社会科学版)''Journal of Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management (Social Science Edition) (01),112-113. doi:10.19327/j.cnki.zuaxb.1009-1750.2008.01.039.
+
In terms of topography, Hangzhou is located in the junction zone between low hills which are stretching branches of Tianmu Mountain(天目山) and Hangzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou Plain(杭嘉湖平原), the biggest accumulation plain in Zhejiang Province. And the whole plain is covered with river channels ,which is very suitable for rice cultivation and has convenient water conservancy and transportation.
  
−
* Zhang Xu张旭.(2011).意味深长的中国菜名[Meaningful Chinese Dish Names]. ''太原城市职业技术学院学报''Journal of Taiyuan Urban Vocational College (08),181-182. doi:10.16227/j.cnki.tycs.2011.08.004.
+
[[File:R-C_.jpg]]
  
−
* Zhang Yanyan张艳艳.(2015).中国饮食文化负载词翻译研究[A Study on the Translation of Chinese Food Culture-loaded Words]. ''湖北科技学院学报''Journal of Hubei University of Science and Technology (08),55-57. doi:10.16751/j.cnki.hbkj.2015.08.021.
+
The site distribution area is just situated in the northwest of Hangzhou, enjoying the advantages of its natural geographical location. It is located in the alluvial plain in the transition zone between hills and plains, surrounded by mountains in the west, north and south, with some isolated hills scattered inside.
  
−
===Terms and expressions===
+
===Archaeological Findings===
−
Kung Pao Chicken, Quick-fried Chicken Dices with Peanuts：宫保鸡丁
+
In 1935, He Tianxing(何天行), a native of Hangzhou, made an investigation in the area where Liangzhu Site is seated and discovered a black pottery plate inscribed with ceramic inscriptions. Later, more than 100 cultural relics were discovered successively, and he wrote one of the earliest archaeological reports in China: Stone Tools and Black Pottery in Liangzhu Town, Hangzhou County. His discovery was the prelude to the archaeological culture of Liangzhu Culture. On this basis, after a year of arduous investigation, Shi Xingeng（施昕更） from The West Lake Museum in Zhejiang Province carried out several archaeological excavations near Liangzhu Town in 1936, and collected a number of prehistoric remains characterized by black pottery. In 1938, he published the book: Liangzhu: Preliminary Report on the Site of Black Pottery in the Second District of Hangzhou County. Their discovery caused a stir in Chinese academic circles, which greatly promoted the study of Yangtze Civilization and the development of fledgling Chinese archaeology. In 1959, Xia Nai(夏鼐), a researcher of the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, officially named these findings Liangzhu Culture. (Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:11-14)
 +
 
 +
After that, until the 1980s, a large number of sites were successively discovered in the Taihu Basin（太湖流域） around the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However, these sites were very scattered, and archaeologists' understanding of these sites was still in the initial stage on which the archaeologists only focused on single sites and failed to form an overall understanding.
  
−
The Braised Turtle in Brown Sauce：红烧甲鱼
+
From 1986 to 2006, with the excavations of Fanshan Royal Tomb (反山王陵)(1986) and Yaoshan Tomb（瑶山墓葬） (1987), many exquisite jade articles representing high status were unearthed, which made a major breakthrough in archaeology of Liangzhu site and gradually formed the concept of "Liangzhu Site Group". In 2007, the ruins of the ancient city were discovered. Later, the outer city of Liangzhu ancient City was preliminarily confirmed in 2010. After 5 years, Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology discovered and confirmed a large water conservancy system outside the ancient city. (Wang Ningyuan 2016:106)
  
−
Cold Noodles with Chicken Shreds：鸡丝凉面
+
With the efforts of the archaeological staff over the years, the ancient city of Liangzhu has been clearly shown to the world bit by bit, and the value of Liangzhu culture in the academic world has also been rising, exerting a world-class influence.
  
−
Mapo Tofu：麻婆豆腐
+
===Heritage Elements of Liangzhu Ancient City Site===
 +
The results of archaeological excavation and research show that the Liangzhu ancient city site is large in scale, complex in type and rich in connotation, and the overall value of its heritage is jointly carried by the city site, peripheral water conservancy system, hierarchical cemetery (including altar) and unearthed artifacts represented by Liangzhu jade ware.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Shrimp with green Vegetable：翡翠虾仁
+
1. The Ancient City Site (古城遗址)
  
−
Four-Joy Meatballs, Braised Pork Balls in Gravy Sauce：四喜丸子
+
[[File:He.jpg]]
  
−
Fotiaoqiang (assorted meat and vegetables cooked in embers：佛跳墙
+
The ancient city site is the core area of the Liangzhu site. The spatial layout of the city site is a centriped-type triple structure, which is composed of three groups of man-made remains including palace area, inner city and outer city, from inside to outside.
  
−
Cut: 切  chop：剁  split：劈 scrape：剔
+
The palace area, located in the center of the inner city, consists of three major elevated ruins: Mojiaoshan(莫角山), Chizhongsi(池中寺) and Huangfenshan（皇坟山）. According to investigation, it should be the area where the ruling class of Liangzhu Kingdom lived. Mojiaoshan palace area is the largest area of the three platforms. Seated in the center of the ancient city, it is a man-made rectangular earth platform, about 670 meters long from east to west, 450 meters wide from north to south, with an area of nearly 300,000 spare meters, occupying 1/10 of the area of the ancient city. The investigation shows that the height of the artificial platform in the east of Mojiao Mountain is about 10~12 meters, and that in the west is about 2~6 meters. Mojiao Mountain platform can be divided into three smaller ones: Big Mojiaoshan(大莫角山), Little Mojiao shan(小莫角山) and Wuguishan(乌龟山), which are the main base of the palace. As can be seen from the picture, Big Mojiaoshan is located in the northeast of the Mojiaoshan Palace area, while Little Mojiaoshan is located in the northwest and Wuguishan is in the southwest. There is also a wide area between the three platforms serving as the sand and soil square, presumably the site for some important ceremonial activities.To the south of the Wuguishan platform is the Chizhongsi platform where nearly 100,000 kg of carbonized rice and a reservoir have been excavated, which can be inferred to be the main storage area. To the east of the area is Huangfenshan platform which is also a palace base site according to investigation.(Liang Wei,2020:3)
  
−
Block：块  strip：条  segment：段  slice：片 dice：丁 shred：丝  powder：末 paste：泥
+
The inner city is surrounded by four walls, east, west, north and south. It is an irregular rectangle with rounded corners, about 1,910 meters long from north to south and 1,770 meters wide from east to west, with a total area of about 300 hectares. The total length of the wall is about 6km, with a width ranging from 20 to 150 meters and a proximate height of 4 meters. Alongside the ancient city wall on the east, west and north sides run rivers outside of the city. What's more, close to the inside of the wall many man-made channels are found in the inner city, forming a very complex river network system. After archaeological exploration of these walls, a total of 9 gates were found, among which only one land gate was located in the southern wall, and the rest were water gates. There are two water gates on each side of the city wall, which are connected with all water systems. These water gates connect the city river inside and outside the ancient city, forming a convenient water conservancy and transportation pattern.(Liang Wei,2020:3)
  
−
Frying：煎 deep-frying：炸 cooking：烹 stir-frying,：炒 braising：烧 roasting：烤
+
The inner city was found with many platforms in addition to the central palace area. After archaeological excavation, some platforms are the royal burial site while others are speculated to be the areas for the residents in the ancient city to live and work for a large number of remains of manufacturing materials related to jade production such as jade,jade drilling and black quartz piece, wood ware as well as paint bone artifacts were unearthed. Through such scraps, it can be inferred that except for the farmers, there were also a large number of artisans who worked in the handicrafts workshops manufacturing jade and stone productions.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
stewing：炖 simmering：煨 steaming：蒸boiling：煮 sauce：酱 mix：拌 smoking：熏  pickling：腌
+
2. Water Conservancy System on the Outskirts（古城外围水利系统）
  
−
Corn Meatballs：玉米肉丸
+
During the period from 1995 to 2015, a huge water conservancy system composed of multiple dams was gradually found outside the ancient city of Liangzhu. Located in Pingyao town, the water system is distributed in the north and west of Liangzhu Ancient City, and is currently found to be composed of 11 dams. This large-scale water conservancy system is connected with the internal and external waterways of the ancient city. It is speculated that it should be an organic part of the unified planning and design at the beginning of the construction of Liangzhu Ancient City with the help of natural geographical advantages.(Liangzhu Museum)
  
−
Sweet and Sour Fish：糖醋鱼
+
These dams can be divided into three categories according to their different forms and locations: Embankments in front of the Mountains(山前长堤), High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley(谷口高坝) and Low Dams on the Plain(平原低坝).(Liangzhu Museum)
  
−
Fried Shrimps with Tomato Sauce：茄汁虾仁
+
High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley: a total of 6 dam sites have been found in the  mouth of the valley about 11 kilometers northwest to Liangzhu Ancient City site, which can be divided into two groups: east and west. Each group blocks one valley mouth as a flood barrier. The eastern group includes sites of Zhoujiafan(周家畈), Laohuling(老虎岭) and Ganggongling(岗公岭); The western group includes Qiuwu(秋坞), Shiwu(石坞) and Mifenglong(蜜蜂垄) sites. The distance between the east and west is not far, about 2.3 kilometers, and the earthwork volume of the whole  high dam area is about 60 cubic meters. According to the survey, High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley were built in about 3100-3000 BC, through which it can be inferred that the rulers of the ancient city of Liangzhu had taken the water conservancy construction into consideration at the beginning of the construction of the ancient city, reflecting the ruler's strong ability to organize the society and to play the layout of a city and demonstrating a highly developed degree of civilization.(Wang Ningyuan,2019:31)
  
−
Diced Chicken with Cashew Nuts：腰果鸡丁
+
Low Dams on the Plain: this dam area is located in the southwest side of the ancient city site, composed of four sites including Wutonglong(梧桐弄), Guanshan(官山), Liyushan(鲤鱼山), Shizishan(狮子山), with different lengths ranging from 140 to 400 meters and a total earthwork volume of 30 cubic meters. Built between separate hills, these four dikes are connected with these hills, forming a closed barrier which cut off the otherwise wide body of water to form a huge reservoir.(Wang Ningyuan,2019:31)
  
−
Diced Chicken with Green Pepper：辣子鸡丁
+
Embankments in front of the Mountains: the Embankments in front of the Mountains, also known as Tangshan Site(塘山遗址), is located in front of the mountain about 2km north to Liangzhu Ancient City, with a total length of about 5km from east to west. It is the largest single site of the water conservancy system outside liangzhu Ancient City site, and its earthwork volume is about 198 cubic meters. Tangshan dam is different from the other two dam areas for it has a north-south double dam structure. The compound dam has a high ridge of soil at the east and west ends as well as in the middle, forming two closed reservoirs. The Embankments in front of the Mountains has a great protective effect on the ancient city. Once torrents of water rush down the mountain to the north of the ancient city, it can serve as a buffer against the flood.(Wang Ningyuan,2019:31)
  
−
Pork Shreds with Fish Seasoning：鱼香肉丝
+
Archeologically, these dams may have served as a combination of flood control, transportation and water use. These dams were connected with the river in the ancient city and had a great impact on the work and lives of the residents in their times. It can be said that Liangzhu water conservancy system is the earliest large-scale water conservancy project in China with a highly degree of integrity. This system fully shows the development degree of Chinese prehistoric civilization and is an important embodiment of Chinese ancient civilization.
  
−
Steamed Perch：清蒸鲈鱼
+
3. Graded Cemeteries（分等级墓地）
  
−
Braising Carp with Soy Sauce：红烧鲤鱼
+
There are also large and small cemeteries in and around liangzhu ancient city, among which five well-preserved and representative cemeteries are Fanshan Cemetery(反山墓地), Yaoshan Cemetery(瑶山墓地), Jiangjiashan Cemetery(姜家山墓地), Wenjiashan cemetery(文家山墓地) and Bianjiashan cemetery(卞家山墓地). Except that Yaoshan cemetery was discovered outside the ancient city ruins, the other four were excavated in the ancient city.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Quick-frying shredded Mutton with Scallion：葱爆羊肉丝
+
Fanshan Cemetery:it is located on a high ground in the northwest of the ancient city, east to the Mojiaoshan Palace area. A total of 11 noble tombs were cleared through archaeological excavations, roughly in two rows, one in the north and another in the south, with the two highest ranking tombs in the middle. Along with the excavation of cemeteries, a large number of funerary goods were unearthed, including jade, stone tools and pottery, among which jade wares were the most abundant. At the same time, the number of jade articles unearthed in the Fanshan Cemetery is also the largest among several cemeteries, and the production techniques are the most exquisite. It can be identified that the Fanshan Cemetery is the highest grade cemetery in Liangzhu culture so far, which is slightly later than the Yaoshan Cemetery.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Braised Chicken Fillet with Tender Ginger：仔姜烧鸡条
+
Yaoshan Cemetery: located about 5000 meters northeast to the ancient city site, it is divided into two parts: an altar and a cemetery. Archaeological excavations cleared 13 large tombs of nobles, which were divided into two rows on the south side of the altar. Yaoshan cemetery and Fanshan cemetery belong to high grade cemetery.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Pork Cooked with Green Chili：辣椒炒肉
+
Jiangjiashan Cemetery: this cemetery is also located to the west side of Mojiaoshan in the central area of Liangzhu city, and is in the south of the Fanshan Cemetery. After the archaeological excavation, the cemetery was cleared out of 17 tombs, including the large tombs of nobles and the tombs of civilians and children with fewer burial goods, so it is archaeologically speculated that it should be the family cemetery of nobles.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Scrambled Egg with Tomato：番茄炒蛋
+
Wenjiashan Cemetery: it is located in a small mound slope on the west side of the outer city. The cemetery was cleared out of 18 tombs, and tombs of different grades coexist. so it is archaeologically speculated that it should be a lower grade noble family cemetery.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Hairy Crabs：大闸蟹
 
  
−
Golden Coin-shaped Scallops：金钱干贝
+
Bianjiashan Cemetery: located on the artificial terrace of the settlement area in the south of the outer city, 66 tombs have been excavated. There is no obvious sequence of these tombs, and they are all low-ranking civilian tombs. It is speculated that they should belong to public tombs.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Sour and Hot Diced Chicken：酸辣鸡丁
 
  
−
Sweet and Sour Ribs：糖醋排骨
+
The excavations of these tombs are of breakthrough significance in the archaeological activities of Liangzhu culture. Archaeological researchers divided these tombs into four grades: high grade, the higher level, the intermediate and low level on the basis of the locations of the five cemeteries, the distribution and the arrangement of the tombs, and unearthed artifacts with the shape, number, etc., revealing there have been a more clear and complex social hierarchy in the Liangzhu period, for early tangible evidence of the existence of regional countries.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Cola Chicken Wings：可乐鸡翅
+
4. The Unearthed Objects Represented by Liangzhu Jade Ware
  
−
Braised Meat Balls in Brown Sauce：红烧狮子头
+
Along with the excavations of cemeteries and the discovery of ancient city sites, a large number of movable relics of Liangzhu ancient city site have been unearthed. These relics are not only large in number, but also rich in variety. They are mainly jade wares, pottery, lacquer wares, stone tools, bamboo wares, bone and horn wares and so on which were found in graded graveyards, river channels and handicraft workshops, reflecting the social life of Liangzhu residents from the ruling class down to the common people and providing solid material evidence for archeologists to restore the civilization of prehistoric times. Among these relics, the number of jade articles unearthed far outweighs other remains. At the same time, these jade craftsmanship is exquisite, which not only reflects the superb skills of craftsmen in the ancient city of Liangzhu, but also testifies to the degree of civilization at that time. Jade has been an integral part of traditional Chinese culture since ancient times and is regarded as a symbol of royal power and divine power. Judging from a large number of jade articles unearthed in Liangzhu Ancient City site, the idea of divine right of kings and theocracy had already appeared in Liangzhu ancient City period, and the ritual system of the early state also began to take shape.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Tai Chi Shaped Taro：太极芋头
+
These jades were mainly unearthed in hierarchical cemeteries with an amount not less than 7000 and a great variety of models, mainly including jade cong(玉琮), jade yue(玉钺), jade bi(玉璧), y-shaped jade wares（三叉型玉器）,jade bracelet（玉镯）, jade weaving wares（玉织具）, etc. In addition, some jades were found carved into birds, turtles, fish, cicadas and other animal.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Stewed Assorted Delicacies：全家福
+
Jade cong is the most important and representative jade ware in Liangzhu culture. This kind of jade is cylindrical, round and hollow inside and square outside with four symmetrical triangular shaped convex surface, implying Liangzhu ancestors' primitive world view that heaven is round and earth is square. The four convex surfaces are engraved with special symbols, the upper part of which is the image of a crested god, the middle is the face of a beast with round eyes and fangs, and the lower part is the claw of a bird, expressing the worship and yearning for the god behind it (generally believed to be the god of sun). Cong is also the most influential jade with the widest distribution.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)
  
−
Wishful Bamboo Shoots：如意笋
 
  
−
Wen Si Tofu：文思豆腐
+
Jade bi is the largest jade ware of Liangzhu culture in unit area, and it is also one of the typical representatives of Liangzhu culture jade ware and even Chinese jade ware. The aperture of this kind of perforated oblate jade ware is usually no more than half of its diameter. Most of them are plain jade, but some of them are engraved with the bird and the sun. It is mentioned in "Rites of Zhou" 《周礼》that jade bi is a special sacrificial vessel made of jade for offering sacrifices to heaven, and the large jade bi found in the site of Yaoshan cemetery as an altar seems to prove this point.(Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:25-26)
  
−
Dongpo Meat：东坡肉
+
Jade yue, shaped like an axe, is also an important part of Liangzhu jade ware.The earliest yue(钺) may have been a stone axe. The jade yue of Liangzhu culture generally has two types: long trapezoidal jade yue (长方梯行钺)and narrow trapezoidal jade yue（扁方梯形钺）. Generally, there is only one jade yue in a tomb, which is far less in number than jade cong and jade bi. It is mainly unearthed in high-level male tombs, considered to be a symbol of royal power or military commander's power. (Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:26)
  
−
Peking Duck：北京烤鸭
+
===The Heritage Value of Liangzhu Ancient City Site===
 +
Due to the limited scale of archaeological excavation, many connotations and details of Liangzhu ancient city site have not been completely and clearly revealed and presented, all of which are still waiting for further archaeological research. But there are indications that early regional states have emerged in the Circum-Taihu region around the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China between 3300 and 2300 BC. This is much earlier than the Xia(夏), Shang(商) and Zhou(周) dynasties, which are widely known, and is a strong testament to the long and profound history of Chinese civilization.(Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:166)
  
−
West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce：西湖醋鱼
+
The layout of the ancient city of Liangzhu from the inside to the outside of the three layers of space and the grading of the cemetery size indicate that in the Liangzhu period, there had been a multi-level social stratification and the combination of theocratic and royal political rule. A large number of funerary jade articles and special tatoo of gods, humans and beasts were the spiritual and cultural representation of that time, thus establishing the early social etiquette system. The carbonized rice and handicraft remains found in archaeological sites also indicate that the Liangzhu society not only developed rice-farming and plough agriculture, but also developed handicraft industry to a certain extent, reflecting the social division of labor at that time. The construction of large-scale water conservancy project has unique planning features and construction technology of "water city", which is an outstanding example of combining artificial technologies and nature for survival and development of Liangzhu ancestors, and represents their  ability to use land and river network in plain area in the early stage of East Asia.(Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:166)
  
−
Zhijiang Fried Duck with Varied Ingredients：芷江鸭
+
On July 6, 2019, the Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City was inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 43rd World Heritage Conference held in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, showing the great river civilization in the Yangtze River basin of China to the world.
  
−
Meat in Tomato Sauce：乾隆樱桃肉
+
===Protection and Inheritance===
 +
1. Protection Comes First
  
−
Murrel with Fresh Vegetables：将军过桥
+
Before the 1980s, the development of the town where the site is located was slow, and the contradiction between the protection of the site and urbanization development were not prominent. Local people also attached great importance to the protection of the site. In 1961, the Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City was announced as a key cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province. Later, with the development of the times, the local economy developed rapidly and the progress of urbanization accelerated, which undoubtedly caused some difficulties for the archaeological exploration and protection of the site. However, the local government has been supporting the archaeological undertaking, and established a special protection agency: Yuhang Liangzhu Cultural Site Management Institute(余杭县良渚文化遗址管理所) in 1987. Later, the national road near the site was diverted and a printing plant was relocated for archaeological excavation work. In addition, the government of Hangzhou and Yuhang District also formulated many policies and regulations for site protection, and established and improved an effective management mechanism. The government strengthens the training of professional knowledge, protection management techniques, strengthen heritage protection management monitoring and other means to implement conservation management, so that heritage can be effectively protected. (c.f:Zhou Su,2020)
  
−
Changban Slope：长坂坡
+
In addition, the ancient city site is not isolated, but organically integrated with its surrounding natural geographical environment. Therefore, the protection of the site is not limited to its body, but should also pay attention to the protection of the natural environment around the site, protecting the mountainous vegetation and wetlands around the site, and closing the ore factories around the site, and etc.(Zhou Su,2020:)
  
−
Two Winter：二冬
 
  
−
Three Delicacies：三鲜
+
2. Cultural Display and Dissemination
 +
The ruins of Liangzhu ancient City is of great academic value and should also let more people appreciate this prehistoric civilization. On-site displays and pavilion displays are great to help people learn about this excellent culture. The Liangzhu Museum was first constructed and opened in 1994, and then rebuilt with the further development of Liangzhu archaeological work. It was redeveloped in 2018. The Liangzhu Site National Park can display the Liangzhu culture in an all-round way to visitors. By giving full play to the main function of the national archaeological site park, the site can be better "alive", so that the most basic cultural gene of the Chinese nation can adapt to the contemporary culture and coordinate with the modern society.(Zhou Su,2020:)
  
−
Three Shreds：三丝
 
  
−
Dragon and Tiger Locked in battle, Thick Soup of Snake, Cat and Chicken：龙虎斗
+
3.Promoting Integrated Development
  
−
Shrimp with Hibiscus , Shrimp with egg white：芙蓉虾仁
+
On the premise of ensuring the safety of cultural relics and the priority of archaeology, overall consideration should be given to the land use, such as population distribution, industrial layout, public facilities and infrastructure allocation around the sites, so as to realize the integrated development of historical sites and urban and rural areas. With the development of economy, the level of education can also be improved, so as to further enhance the public's awareness of the preservation of the site.(c.f:Zhou Su,2020)
  
−
Hibiscus Sea Cucumber, Sea Cucumber with egg white：芙蓉海参
+
===References===
 +
Liang Wei梁伟.(2020).良渚古城的规划及其深远影响研究[The Urban Planning and Prehistorical Liangzhu City]. 现代城市研究 Modern Urban Research(01):2-8.
  
−
Fried Magnolia Slices：炒玉兰片
+
Wang Ningyuan王宁远(2016).良渚古城及外围水利系统的遗址调查与发掘[Survey and Excavation of the Water Conservancy System in Liangzhu City and Surroundings].遗产与保护研究 Research on Heritages and Preservation(05):102-110.
  
−
Fried Bamboo Shoots Slices：炒笋片
+
Wang Ningyuan王宁远(2019).比三个西湖还大的史前巨作——良渚古城外围水利系统发现纪实[A prehistoric masterpiece larger than three West Lakes: a documentary of the discovery of the water conservancy system outside the ancient city of Liangzhu]. 杭州(周刊) Hangzhou Weekly(26),26-31.
  
−
Salted Pork in Jelly：水晶肴肉
+
Zhou Yin,Wu Jin周膺、吴晶(2004).''中国5000年文明第一证：良渚文化与良渚古国''[The First Evidence of The 5000-Year Civilization of China: Liangzhu Culture and Early State of Liangzhu].Hangzhou: Zhejiang University Press浙江大学出版社.
  
−
Braised Pig Tendon with Jade, Braised Pig Tendon with Vegetables：翡翠蹄筋
+
Zhou Su周苏(2020).良渚古城遗址保护管理实践概述[Overview of Conservation and Management Practice of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City].自然与文化遗产研究Study on Natural and Cultural Heritage(03):36-46.
  
−
Jade and White Jade, Shrimp with green Vegetable：翡翠白玉
+
服务-良渚博物院 [lzmuseum.cn]https://www.lzmuseum.cn/FuWuZhiNan/index.html
  
−
Mirror Box Tofu：镜箱豆腐
+
良渚遗址官网[Liangzhu Archaeologial site].https://www.lzsite.cn/classinfo.aspx?classid=1
  
−
Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish：松鼠鳜鱼
+
===Terms and expressions===
 +
The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址
  
−
Shrimp Ring with Green Vegetable：翡翠虾环
+
late Neolithic archaeological culture 新石器时代晚期的考古文化
  
−
Golden Eggs：金钱蛋
+
social etiquette system 社会礼仪制度
  
−
Taking the Son to the Imperial Court—Duck and Pigeon ：带子上朝
+
World Heritage List 世界自然遗产名录
  
−
Farewell My Concubine：霸王别姬
+
the Circum-Taihu Lake Area太湖流域
  
−
Chicken Slices with Hibiscus：芙蓉鸡片
+
geographical coordinates 地理坐标
  
−
Scallops with Hibiscus：芙蓉干贝
+
accumulation plain  堆积平原
  
−
Clams with Hibiscus：芙蓉青蛤
+
alluvial plain 冲积平原，沉积平原
  
−
The Thousand-layer Oil Cake, Multiple Layer Oil Cake：千层油糕
+
Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology浙江省文物考古研究所
  
−
The Beggar Chicken, Roast Whole Chicken Wrapped in Mud：叫花鸡
+
the Ancient City Site 古城遗址
  
−
Soft-shelled Turtle with Pigeon Eggs：老蚌怀珠
+
a centriped-type triple structure 一个中心型三层结构
  
−
Double Dragon Playing with a Pearl (Two fish and a coconut)：二龙戏珠
+
carbonized rice 碳化水稻
  
−
Crusade against daddy：早生贵子
+
Water Conservancy System on the Outskirts古城外围水利系统
  
−
Kongfu Yiping Pot, the First Pot in Kongfu Style：孔府一品锅
+
Embankments in front of the Mountains山前长堤
  
−
The Sacred Family of the Confucian Mansion：孔府衍圣公
+
High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley谷口高坝 
  
−
Siraitia Grosvenorii：罗汉果
+
Low Dams on the Plain平原低坝
  
−
Prajna Dishes：般若菜
+
earthwork volume 土方量
  
−
Yang shall be maintained during Spring and Summer, while its counterpart Yin should be preserved during Autumn and Winter：春夏养阳，秋冬养阴
+
Graded Cemeteries分等级墓地
  
−
Yin and Yang Fish：阴阳鱼
+
"Rites of Zhou" 《周礼》
  
−
Heaven and Earth Eggs：乾坤蛋
+
jade cong玉琮
  
−
Mutton eaten with hands：手抓羊肉
+
jade yue玉钺
  
−
Sweet and Sour Pork：咕咾肉
+
jade bi玉璧
  
−
Pearl Bean Curd：珍珠豆腐
+
y-shaped jade wares三叉型玉器
  
−
Golden Prawn：金钱明虾
+
jade bracelet玉镯
  
−
Crispy Duck：脆皮八宝鸭
+
jade weaving wares玉织具
  
−
Spiced Beef：五香牛肉
+
long trapezoidal jade yue 长方梯行钺
  
−
Eight Immortals Gathering at Yaochi—Fried Eight Delicacies：八仙瑶池聚会
+
narrow trapezoidal jade yue扁方梯形钺
  
−
Full of Prosperity：满园春色
+
multi-level social stratification 多层次社会分层
  
 
===Questions===
 
===Questions===
−
1.How many naming methods are mentioned?
+
1.When was the Archaeological Ruins of Ancient Liangzhu City approved for inclusion in the World Heritage List?
 +
 
 +
2. Where is the Liangzhu Culture located?
 +
 
 +
3. Which cemetery does also serve as a altar?
  
−
2.Who is the Four-Joy Meatballs associated with?
+
4.Were there only farmers in the ancient Liangzhu city? Why?
  
−
3.In the Chinese cuisine names, what is hibiscus often used to refer to?
+
5.What is the symbol of jade yue? And where is it often discovered?
  
 
===Answers===
 
===Answers===
−
1.Eight.
+
1. It was approved on July 6, 2019.
 +
 
 +
2.Liangzhu Culture is located in the Circum-Taihu Lake Area in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River which are in the southeast of China.
  
−
2.Zhang Jiuling
+
3. Yaoshan Cemetery.
  
−
3.Egg white.
+
4. No, there existed artisans in the ancient Liangzhu city. Because many handicraft remains found in archaeological sites.
  
−
==英语笔译 李欣 Li Xin 202170081577==
+
5.It is mainly unearthed in high-level male tombs, considered to be a symbol of royal power or military commander's power.
−
<center>'''The contradiction between language and mind'''</center>
 
  
−
<center>李欣</center>
+
==英语笔译 胡良明 Hu Liangming 202170081570==
 +
<center>'''A Study of the English Translation of Chu Ci by Xu
 +
Yuanchong Under Three Beauties Principle'''</center>
 +
 
 +
<center>Hu Liangming</center>
  
 
===Abstract===
 
===Abstract===
−
In the field of linguistics, there has always been a debate on the relationship between language and mind, and the views are mixed but each has its merits. This paper intends to summarize the various assertions of the predecessors, and put forward my own opinions through comparative analysis. This paper is aim to help everyone to think more deeply about language and mind, and then better and more comprehensively understand the relationship between the two.
+
Qu Yuan’s ''Chu Ci'' is the first collection of romantic poetry in China, which has a very important position in the history of Chinese literature. In the middle and late 19th century, with the constant contacts and communication between China and foreign countries, domestic and foreign translators began to study and translate the ''Chu Ci'' and produced many indepth works. This thesis takes the English translation of ''Chu Ci'' by Xu Yuanchong as the research object, takes the Three Beauties Principle as theoretical basis, uses contrastive method, literature research and text analysis method, and analyses the English translation of ''Chu Ci'' by Xu Yuanchong from three aspects: beauty in sound, beauty in form and beauty in sense. It is found that Xu Yuanchong used rhetorical devices such as onomatopoeia, repetition, simile, personification and so on to reflect Three Beauties Principle in the process of translating ''Chu Ci'' into Chinese. The study can promote[?] the translation of Chinese classical literature by translators at home and abroad, thus promoting[?] the cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, and embody the advantages of Chinese literary theory in ancient Chinese ancient translation, which has an important[?] guiding role for future literary translation.
  
 
===Key words===
 
===Key words===
−
Sapir-Wolf hypothesis; language and mind; linguistics
+
Chu Ci, Xu Yuanchong, Three Beauties Principle
  
 
===Introduction===
 
===Introduction===
−
The relationship between language and mind has always been an long-lived controversial topic in the field of philosophy. The relationship between language and mind has been a topic that scholars from all fields have been discussing for a long time, but there is not a perfect answer that can satisfy all scholars. The discussion between language and mind often falls into a vicious circle of "which came first, the chicken or the egg, did the chicken give birth to egg or the egg hatch the chicken". Therefore, research on this issue is particularly necessary.
+
The Original meaning of Chu Ci is the words of Chu, which gradually evolved into two meanings: one is the genre of poetry, and the other is the name of the collection of poems. In the beginning, Chu Ci is a new poetry genre founded by Qu Yuan. The works use the literary style of Chu (now around Hu Nan province and Hu Bei province), describing the mountains and rivers and historical customs of Chu, with strong local characteristics. In the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang edited Qu Yuan’s works and Song Yu’s works into a collection called Chu Ci. It is a very important collection of romantic poems and songs in the history of Chinese literature, with its unrestrained feelings, strange imagination, rich local characteristics of Chu and myth.
 +
Since Qu Yuan’s works came into being, people began the research of them and the history of research has lasted more than 2000 years. However, the study on English translation of Chi Ci was short. Until the 19th century, people began to pay more and more attention to the translation of Chu Ci. There are many people who have translated Chu Ci at home and abroad. For example, Yang Xianyi and his wife, Sun Dayu, Zhuo Zhenying, Xu Yuanchong and so on. And there are many foreign translators, such as Edward Harper Parker, Herbert Giles, James Legge, Arthur Waley and many other people. Among so many English translated versions of Chu Ci, the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong is the most classic. He translated Chu Ci with his Three Beauties Principle and combined the translation with Chinese culture. At present, few scholars have studied the relationship between Xu Yuanchong’s English translation of Chu Ci and the Three Beauties Principle theory. Therefore, it is of a great significance to explore the mutual confirmation between Three Beauties Principle and the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong.
 +
 
 +
===Literature Review===
 +
Chu Ci is a new poetry genre founded by Qu Yuan in the Warring States Period. The works use the literary style of Chu (now around Hu Nan province and Hu Bei province), describing the mountains and rivers and historical customs of Chu, which has unique characteristics. In the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang edited Qu Yuan’ s works and Song Yu’s works into a collection, which was called Chu Ci. It has become a collection of poems with far reaching-reaching influence on Chinese literature after The Book of Songs.
 +
The original meaning of Chu Ci was the words of Chu, and it gradually evolved into two meanings: one is the genre of poetry, and the other is the name of poetry collection(in a certain extent, it also represents the literature of Chu). As far as poetry genre is concerned, it is a new poetic style founded by Qu Yuan as a representative poet in the late Warring States Period on the basis of Chu folk songs. As far as the name of the collection in the style of Chu Ci edited by Liu Xiang in the Han Dynasty on the basis of predecessors, it included 16 works written by Qu Yuan and Song Yu of Chu people in the Warring States Period and by Jia Yi, Zhuang Ji, Dong Fangshuo and Liu Xiang in the Han Dynasty.
 +
The main author of Chu Ci is Qu Yuan, he created immortal works such as Li Sao, Nine Chapters, Nine Songs and so on. The form of poetry is processed and formed on the basis of Chu folk songs, and a large number of local customs and dialects of Chu are quoted in the poems. The historical legends, mythological stories, customs and habits involved in the works, as well as the artistic means and the rich lyrical style are all marked with Chu culture. These are the basic characteristics of Chu Ci, and they are an important part of Chu culture that complements the Central Plains culture.
 +
Chu Ci occupies an important position in the history of Chinese poetry. Its appearance broke two or three centuries’ silence after the Book of Songs, and shined brilliantly in poetry circles. Chu Ci not only opened up the following Fu style, but also influenced the prose creation of the following dynasties. It is the source of active romantic poetry creation. Tao Yuanming and Li Bai of later generations are all affected by it.
 +
Since Qu Yuan’s works came into being, people began the research of them and the history of research has lasted more than 2000 years. However, the study of English translation of Chi Ci was short. Until the 19th century, people began to pay more and more attention to the translation of Chu Ci. There are many people who have translated Chu Ci at home and abroad. At home, such as Yang Xianyi and his wife, Sun Dayu and Xu Yuanchong all have translated Chu Ci. There are many foreign translators, such as Arthur Waley, David Hawkes and some other people.
 +
At home, Yang Xianyi and his wife published the English translation of Li Sao and some other poems of Chu Ci by Foreign Languages Press in 1955, Xu Yuanchong published the English Translation of the complete works of Chu Ci by Hunan People’s Publishing House and China Translation and Publishing Corporation in 1994 and 2005 respectively, Zhuo Zhenying published Chinese Classic· Chu Region in Chinese and English by Hunan People’s Publishing House in 2006, and Sun Dayu published Selected poems of Qu Yuan by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press in 2007.
 +
In the western countries, Edward Harper Parker’s The Sadness of Separation, or Li Sao was regarded as the earliest English version related to the anthology and it was published in The China Review: or Notes and Queries on the Far East in 1879. In 1884 Gems of Chinese Literature was published by Herbert Giles in Shanghai, he selectively translated Bu Ju, Yu Fu, Shan Gui and so on in his bo. In 1895, for the purpose of preaching, Li Sao, Guo Shang and Li Hun was translated by James Legge as Confucian classics and published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. In 1919, Arthur Waley selectively translated Guo Shang and Da Zhao in his anthologies A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems and More Translations from Chinese. He also translated Jiu Ge into English in 1955. In 1959, David Hawkes’s The Songs of the South was published by the Oxford University Press, which is the most authoritative English translation of Chu Ci in the West.
 +
 
 +
===Methods and Theories===
 +
Three Beauties Principle is originated from Lun Xun’s opinion. He put forward the theory of Three Beauties in Chinese literary creation in his article From Words to Articles. The original text is: Beauty in sense is to feel from the heart, this is the first step; beauty in sound is to feel from the ears, this is the second step; and beauty in form is to feel from the eyes, this is the third step.
 +
Xu Yuanchong of Peking University transplanted this theory into translation theory and formed his own Three Beauties Principle for poetry translation. According to Xu, “I applied Lu Xun’s ‘three beauties’ to translation and it is ‘three beauties’ principle on poetry translation. That is to say, the rendition should move the readers as the original, this is beauty in meaning; it should have rhyme pleasant to ear as the original, this is beauty in sound; the translators should try to keep the original form (such as the length of poetic lines and antithesis), this is beauty in form.”
 +
In 1979, Xu Yuanchong raised the poetry translation theory of beauty in meaning, beauty in sound and beauty in form in the preface of the version of Mao Zedong’s Poetry. Which marks the birth of Xu Yuanchong’s Three Beauties Principle. Xu Yuanchong raised this theory on the basis of sixty years’ experience in poetry translation. When this principle came into being, it is received wide attention. Xu Yuanchong has also grasped and got inspiration from other translators’ opinions or theories. Such as Yan Fu’s theory of “faithful, expressiveness and elegance” and Qian Zhongshu’s translation theory of “The Translation Art of Hua”.
 +
However, it is not easy to do this, which is why Xu Yuanchong was praised by his teacher, Qian Zhongshu, who is a master of Chinese and western learning: “ You dance with the shackles of rhyme and cadence, which is flexible and amazing.”
 +
 
 +
===Beauty in Sound===
 +
Beauty in Sound refers to the rhyme and smoothness of poetry. It means the translated poems should keep the same melodious rhythm as the original poems.
 +
The beauty of sound is composed of rhymes, rhythms and tones. Generally speaking, poetry emphasizes the beauty of sound. Xu Yuanchong pays attention to sound because it is very important in poetry. Xu thinks that it is reasonable to use rhyme in hundred years because there are few Chinese poems with more than 200 lines. As we all know, poetry is written in a language with harmonious rhythm. Harmonious rhythm and rhyme play an important role in poetry. According to Xu, poetry should have rhythm, be written fluently and sound pleasing to the ear, which is the beauty of Sound. Generally speaking, the translation of phonetic features is the most difficult to achieve, because different languages, especially English and Chinese, have different sound systems. In poetry translation, Professor Xu believes that the English version of Chinese classical poetry should and must have unique characteristics. Although Chinese and English poems have their own metrical systems and rhyming schemes to form the musicality of poetry, equivalence can be achieved by translating Chinese poems into English iambic, inflection, fingering or anaphora. In a word, we only use the weak beat and strong beat in English translation instead of the flat beat in Chinese. As long as the adoption of rhythm does not sacrifice consciousness, the translator should transplant the rhythm of the original work; This is especially true in the translation of Chinese classical poetry, because rhyme is an important feature of poetry. In this case, the beauty of sound will not be lost, so that readers can experience the same artistic feelings as local readers.
 +
The word homeoteleuton means “similarity in endings,” and in this device words, phrases or clauses in close succession end with the same ending suffix or syllable. In the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong, he used the rhetorical device of homeoteleuton to reflect Beauty in sound. However, the rhyme scheme of the translation is not equivalent with the original poem.
 +
e.g.1
 +
君不行兮夷犹，蹇谁留兮中洲？美要眇兮宜修，沛吾乘兮桂舟。
 +
Why don’t you come, oh! Still hesitating? For whom on midway isle, oh! Are you waiting? Duly adorned, Oh! And fair, I float. On rapid stream, oh! My cassia boat.
 +
In the original text, the first sentence rhymes with third sentence and the second sentence rhymes with the fourth sentence. It is the rhyme style of abab. However, in the translation, “hesitating” rhymes with “waiting”, “float” rhymes with “boat”, it is the rhyme style of aabb. These words show Mrs Xiang’s anxiety while waiting for Xiang Jun. Also, after using this rhetorical device, poetry is more catchy to read.
 +
e.g.2
 +
荪壁兮紫坛，播芳椒兮成堂。桂栋兮兰橑，辛夷楣兮药房。
 +
In purple court, oh! thyme decks the wall; With fragrant pepper, oh! is spread the hall. Pillars of cassia, oh! stand upright, And rooms smeel sweet, oh! with clover white.
 +
In the original text, the second sentence rhymes with the fourth sentence, and it is the rhyme style of abcb. However, in the translation, “wall” rhymes with “hall”, “upright” rhymes with “white”, it is the rhyme style of abab. These words describe the good environment where Mrs Xiang lives, thus praising the hero’s noble character.
 +
 
 +
===Beauty in Form===
 +
Beauty in Form refers to neat rows and lengths and neat confrontation. It means that the translated poems should keep the same form (length, antithesis) as the original poems.
 +
Form is unique to poetry, and it is a remarkable feature between poetry and other literary genres. Only the lines of poetry are arranged according to a certain set of rules, especially Chinese classical poetry. As for beauty in form, it is mainly about length and symmetry. Chinese poetry emphasizes balance, symmetry and harmony. For example, in an eight-line poem, the middle four lines should form two couplets, in which each character in the first line should be compared with the corresponding character in the next line in meaning, part of speech and tone. On the relationship between formal beauty and the other two kinds of beauty, Xu Yuanchong explained that among the three beauties, the beauty of meaning is the most important, the beauty of sound is the second, and the beauty of form is the third. However,'beauty in form' is essential; Beauty in sense and beauty in form constitute the unity of contradiction. On one hand, a good form should serve good content. Without good content, no matter how good the form is, it is useless. On the other hand, the content should be expressed in a good form; Otherwise, the inner beauty of the original poem will be destroyed. On the premise of "beauty in meaning" and "beauty in sound", we should try our best to convey "beauty in form", so that these three beauties in the version can be realized. However, if these three can't be realized at the same time, we should give up the beauty in sound and form, but realize the beauty in sense. Therefore, Xu put forward a request to himself, that is, to try his best to convey the beauty of form and harmony on the premise of conveying the beauty of meaning.
 +
Antithesis is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve force and emphasis. The form of the expression is very important for effect, for the force of the emphasis, whether for profundity of judgement, for humor or for satire, depends chiefly on the juxtaposition of direct opposites, of glaring contrasts.
 +
e.g.1
 +
朝搴阰之木兰兮，夕揽洲之宿莽。
 +
At dawn I gather mountain grass, oh! At dusk I pick secluded one.
 +
In the original text, 朝 corresponds to 暮，搴corresponds to 揽，阰之木兰corresponds to 洲之宿莽. Similarly, in the translation, “at dawn” corresponds to “at dusk”, “gather” corresponds to “pick”, and “mountain grass corresponds to “secluded one”. The structure between every two poems is very neat, subject corresponds to subject, adverbial corresponds to adverbial, and noun corresponds to noun. The author uses this rhetorical device, the beauty in rhyme in the poem is reflected. Also, the poem becomes more concise, symmetrical and elegant.
 +
e.g.2
 +
朝骋鹜兮江皋，夕弭节兮北渚。鸟次兮屋上，水周兮堂下。
 +
At dawn I drive my cab, oh！By riverside; At dusk on northern isle, oh! I stop my ride. Under the eaves, oh! the birds reposed; Around the house, oh! the river flows.
 +
In the original text, 朝 corresponds to 夕，屋上corresponds to 堂下. Similarly, in the translation, “at dawn” corresponds to “at dusk”, “under the eaves” corresponds to “around the house”. The structure between every two poems is very neat, subject corresponds to subject, adverbial corresponds to adverbial, and noun corresponds to noun. In addition, the translator mentions “on northern isle” in the first half of the sentence, which provides convenience for the rhyme of aabb of the whole poem.
 +
 
 +
===Beauty in Sense===
 +
Beauty in Sense refers to the beauty of content. It means the translated poems should keep the same meaning as the original poems and move people with meaning.
 +
Xu (1984) thinks that the foundation of the three beauties is three similarities, namely, similarity in meaning, similarity in sound and similarity in form. In order to seek similarity in meaning, translators should convey the meaning of the original text without misinterpreting or increasing readers' thoughts. Generally speaking, the similarity in meaning can be equated with the beauty in meaning of the original text. However, sometimes the similarity in meaning and beauty in meaning are contradictory, and the similarity in meaning cannot convey the beauty in meaning of the original text. This is because the sense of beauty is caused by association or some historical reasons; Therefore, the target readers will not have the same connection with the authors, because they do not have the same historical background. Often, in that case, beauty in meaning is difficult to translate. As for some beautiful words in Chinese, it is difficult to find equivalent words in English. This is because the beauty in meaning is sometimes combined by the beauty in sound and the beauty in form, not just the similarity in meaning. Although the beauty in meaning is based on the similarity in meaning, the beauty in meaning lies in the deep layer, while the similarity in meaning lies in the surface structure. For example, when Xu Yuanchong (2004) translated Li Shangyin's famous poem Untitled Poem, he translated "春蚕到死丝方尽" into “silkworm till its death spin silk from love-sick heart”. Because of Three Beauties Principle is put forward for Tang poetry and Song lyrics, Xu created a beautiful picture full of images with his simple language.
 +
 
 +
===Conclusion===
 +
This paper proves that Three Beauties Principle has guiding significance for the translation of Chu Ci and other Chinese classical literature; Therefore, the communication between China and other countries is better conducted.
 +
In this thesis, the author uses a whole chapter to illustrate how the translator conveys the beauty in meaning, sound and form in the translation by various methods. In order to translate beauty in meaning, translators should properly handle and translate images, rhetoric and characters. All these require translators to have a good understanding of Chinese traditional literature and Chinese culture. And translators should be very careful when dealing with these things. In order to translate the beauty in sound, translators should have a good understanding of the rhythm and rhymes of both Chinese and English. Rhyme is a bit complicated, including ending rhyme, alliteration and onomatopoeia. Translators can properly translate the rhythm and prosody of one language into that of another. Xu believes that beauty in form includes line length, confrontation, duplication and so on. Therefore, in order to convey the beauty in form, translators should pay attention to the length and balance of sections and lines.
 +
As the most important thing in the world, Three Beauty Principle also has its shortcomings. However, from the examples given in this paper, the narration and explanation of this theory, and the nature of translation theory and poetic language, the Three Beauties Principle is a good principle. It has certain guiding significance for future poetry translation.
 +
 
 +
===References===
 +
*[1]Feng Lilian 冯立茜. 浅议许渊冲“三美原则”在其诗歌翻译中的体现[D]. 成都：成都理工大学，2018.
 +
*[2]Liu Miqing刘宓庆. 文学翻译论纲[M].武汉：湖北教育出版社，1999.
 +
*[3]Liu Yuanyuan刘园园. 《楚辞》西方翻译与研究的现状、问题及对策研究[D]. 荆州: 长江大学, 2020.
 +
 
 +
==英语笔译 黄琼 Huang Qiong 202170081571==
 +
<center>'''Bamboo Weaving in Yiyang Hunan'''</center>
 +
 
 +
<center>Huang Qiong</center>
 +
 
 +
===Abstract===
 +
Yiyang has a subtropical monsoon climate with high temperatures, cold winters and hot summers, and abundant precipitation. Bamboo mostly likes warm and humid climates, and Yiyang has abundant rainfall and heat, which is an ideal ecological environment for bamboo to grow, thus it is also known as the “Bamboo Capital of China”. Bamboo has always been a representative cultural image in China, which not only contains rich cultural values but also its artistic and economic values. Yiyang has a history of bamboo weaving for hundreds of years, and its bamboo products have long been famous, among which “Xiaoyu Bamboo Weaving Art” is a representative list of national intangible cultural heritage projects, and local bamboo products cover all aspects of production and life. This article not only introduces the art of bamboo weaving but also focuses on the process of weaving bamboo mats as an example to show the charm of Bamboo weaving.
 +
 
 +
===Key words===
 +
Yiyang, bamboo weaving, Xiaoyu Bamboo Weaving Art, bamboo mat
  
 
===Literature Review===
 
===Literature Review===
−
The discussion of  relationship between language and mind can be traced back to the time of Plato and Aristotle from the recorded writings. This topic has attracted countless psychologists, philosophies, and linguists, who are eager to discuss the relationship between language and mind, and argue with reason. Sapir, Wolf, Piaget, Vygotsky, etc, have also studied it.
+
Yiyang bamboo weaving art is a relative minority topic. More than 60 journals and papers can be found by searching "Yiyang Bamboo" on CNKI, but there are only a few articles, and the general research is not very in-depth. With "Yiyang Bamboo Weaving" as the keyword search, a total of 9 journals, and 13 papers are found. Zhang Jiang Shiqin's Research on the Development of Bamboo Culture Industry in Yiyang describes the development context, environment, current situation, and strategies for promoting the bamboo culture industry. Luo Fen's Research and Development of Yiyang Bamboo Weaving Art mainly introduces Yiyang bamboo weaving art, comprehensively uses various research methods, through sorting out Yiyang traditional bamboo weaving art, tries to put forward good solutions to the existing problems and follow-up development of Yiyang bamboo weaving. Jiang Xiangdong's Inheritance and Development of Hunan Traditional Bamboo Weaving, based on the actual situation of the development of Hunan traditional bamboo weaving, put forward several countermeasures such as "government support", "intensive management" and "talent training", which has practical guiding significance for the inheritance and development of Hunan traditional bamboo weaving art. Domestic research on Yiyang bamboo weaving art is very limited, there is no foreign paper on Yiyang bamboo weaving. Use "China Bamboo weaving" as the keyword to find literature on Google Scholar. The literature writers are all Chinese with few foreigners studying Bamboo weaving art, let alone Yiyang Bamboo weaving art. In addition, it is difficult to find any further theoretical works on Yiyang bamboo weaving. Moreover, the research on the bamboo weaving art in Yiyang is not comprehensive enough, and there is no in-depth discussion on the characteristics and causes of the bamboo weaving art in Yiyang.
−
The Sapir-Wolf hypothesis holds that language influences and even determines mind. However, the "cognitive" hypothesis holds that in the process of language acquisition, cognition precedes language and mind determines language. Whether language determines mind or mind determines language, researchers have their own opinions. As early as in ancient Greece, Plato proposed that mind is a silent language. He believes that language and mind are inseparable, and mind is a part of language. Aristotle proposed that language is the symbol of mind, and language and mind should not be confused. Until the 20th century, the relationship between language and mind received extensive attention from many anthropologists and philosophers. Language researchers represented by Sapir and Wolf tend to believe that language has a direct impact on mind, and mind varies with language, which is the famous Sapir-Wolf hypothesis. Due to the influence of developmental psychologists Piaget and Vygotsky, people gradually lost interest in the Sapir-Wolf hypothesis, and people began to re-examine the relationship between language and mind.  In Piaget's point of view, many factors including imagery, gestures, and action imitation play a role in the internalization of action into mind, but language is the most influential of these factors. Therefore, if there is a problem with language, it is difficult for other factors to develop mind to a higher level. Vygotsky believes that mind and language are two developmental curves that start independently in both ontogeny and phylogeny, and the two developmental curves intersect at the meaning of words, and it is only in the meaning of words that mind and language merge into verbal thinking.  
+
 
 +
===The Introduction to Bamboo weaving and its History===
 +
Bamboo is always an important part of Chinese culture, and literati have often used it as imagery to express their high-minded sentiments. Bai Juyi said in ''The Annals of Bamboo Cultivation'': "The root of bamboo is firm, which is to establish the nature of bamboo. When a gentleman sees this nature of bamboo, he thinks of being upright and selfless, and not to be attached to the influential. When a gentleman sees the heart of bamboo, he thinks of accepting all useful things with an open mind. When a gentleman sees its knot, he thinks of refining his character and being consistent, no matter when things are going well or when he encounters danger."(竹性直，直以立身；君子见其性，则思中立不倚者。竹心空，空以体道；君子见其心，则思应虚受者。竹节贞，贞以立志；君子见其节，则思砥砺名行，夷险一致者。) In China, bamboo is both upright and steadfast in character, and also has a verdant and attractive posture, and has been loved by the literati since ancient times, along with plum blossoms and pine trees are known as the "Three Friends of Winter"(岁寒三友). The pine symbolizes evergreen; the bamboo symbolizes the way of a gentleman and the plum symbolizes pure. In addition to bamboo as cultural imagery, bamboo itself has great value. Bamboo has a long history of being used in architectural art. Bamboo buildings are houses of ordinary people. Southwest minorities such as the Dai nationality(傣族) still live in bamboo buildings. The Dai bamboo building is mainly made of bamboo, and the walls are also woven from bamboo, which has high air permeability, so the ventilation of the house is good. Bamboo can also be used as musical instruments. Traditional Chinese musical instruments such as flute（笛子）, xiao(箫 a vertical bamboo flute), sheng（笙 thirteen bamboo tubes of different lengths）, zheng(筝 the ancient Chinese traditional plucking instrument), erhu（二胡 a two-stringed bowed instrument with a lower register than jinghu） are inseparable from bamboo. Word-formation of these instruments shows that they are related to bamboo(⺮，汉字的偏旁部首，读作“竹字头”). A famous calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty, Wang Xizhi, wrote in the ''Preface to the Orchid Pavilion'': "Seated by the bank of brook, people will still regale themselves right by poetizing their mixed feelings and emotions with wine and songs, never mind the absence of melody from string and wind instruments."(It is the translation of Lin Yutang 林语堂：虽无丝竹管弦之盛，一觞一咏，亦足以畅叙幽情) Thus, since ancient China, bamboo has been used to refer to music.  
  
−
===An overview of language and mind===
+
The art of bamboo weaving in China is also popular, and Hunan Yiyang is also a city with a cultural heritage of bamboo art. Bamboo weaving art reflects the wisdom and value of the working people. With the development over hundreds of years, the craft is more and more advanced, not only embodies the essence of Chinese traditional handicraft but is also an important carrier of Hunan culture. In ancient times, restricted by economic conditions and transportation, ancient people could only use local materials to make tools needed for daily life. The origin of bamboo weaving can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. The Neolithic Age refers to the last phase of the Stone Age in archaeology, beginning about 10,000 years ago and ending from 5,000 to 2,000 years ago. During the Gaomiao culture of Hunan province, which dates back to more than 7,000 years ago, a bamboo mat was placed under the skeleton of a female body. There is no visual difference between this bamboo mat and today's bamboo mat products, but it has been charred (Jiang Xiangdong 2019, 146) More than 6,000 years ago, traces of bamboo weaving were found on cultural relics unearthed from Tujiatai site in Nanxian county （a county in Yiyang）during the Daxi Culture period（Pan & Tan 1994, 34）The Daxi culture dates from about 4400 to 3300 BC. The discovery of Daxi culture reveals a regional cultural heritage in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, which is dominated by red pottery and contains colored pottery. Bamboo handles for spears were unearthed from the tomb sites of the Warring States Period. Yiyang bamboo weaving became a trade in the Ming Dynasty and was exported in the Qing Dynasty. The Yiyang Museum also displays bamboo products from the Qing Dynasty, including bird cages, baskets, and so on. In the old days, farmers used to make baskets of bamboo to carry things, make hats to hide from the sun and wind and rain, make backpacks to carry farming things, and bamboo fans made of bamboo became a tool for farmers to avoid the summer heat and keep cool. In summer, after a hard day’s work, farmers lie on top of the deck chair made of bamboo, shaking the fan, chasing away mosquitoes, listening to the cicadas, looking at the moon overhead, and chatting with neighbors. These show that Yiyang bamboo weaving has a long history.
−
1. The concept of language
 
  
−
Formalist linguistics believes that language is an innate ability of human beings, determined by genetic inheritance, and the acquired external environment and experience play a role in activating the innate language function.if the external environment failed to activate it, the function will be lost. Therefore, the formalism school pays attention to the external formal description of natural language, and judges the syntactic structure as the core of language, which drives the construction of language. From the perspective of cognitive linguistics, semantics is the core that drives the external structure of language, meanings determine the distribution of the use of words, and are reflected in different thematic roles such as agents, receivers, and themes in language forms, and then presented in a specific form. The writer believes that language research that ignores semantics can not fundamentally explain the nature of language. The selection of corresponding collocation elements under the corresponding nodes of each element in the syntactic tree should also be driven by deep semantic components. Therefore, cognitive Linguistics diverges from the starting point of formalist linguistics research and has a more general and objective field of study.
+
[[File:Ancient Bamboo pruducts.jpg]]      [[File:Room made of bamboo.jpg]]
−
As Feng Zhichun said in Modern Chinese, "There is no language outside society"（社会之外无所谓语言）(c.f: 冯志纯 1989). Language is the product of society and a special social phenomenon, which arises with the emergence of society and develops with the development of society. Humans can be distinguished from other animals based on the presence or absence of language. Language is actually a symbol system, consisting of phonetics, vocabulary and grammar, and it is the most important communication tool for human beings. Due to the needs of survival, the members of the large collective of society have established language as a communicative tool by convention. A person's language directly reflects his mind. Language is like a subsystem, and the corresponding parent system is the mind that relies on language, which is directly related to language.
 
  
−
2. The concept of mind
+
===Yiyang' s Natural Environment and Bamboo===
 +
Yiyang, a prefectural city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, is located in the central and northern part of Hunan province, on the south bank of Dongting Lake(洞庭湖). It has been a fertile "land of fish and rice"（鱼米之乡） in the south of the Yangtze River since ancient times. Yiyang has a humid subtropical continental monsoon climate with generally high temperatures, cold winters and hot summers, and abundant precipitation year after year. It rains a lot in July and generally has low sunshine throughout the year. The average annual temperature is 16.1℃-16.9℃, sunshine 1348 hours to 1772 hours and rainfall is 1230mm to 1700mm, which is suitable for growing crops. Yiyang's climate and ecological environment are very suitable for the growth of bamboo. Yiyang is rich in Phyllostachys heteroclada（水竹）and phyllostachys pubescens （楠竹）. Phyllostachys heteroclada has excellent elasticity and toughness, fine texture, and enjoys a cool and humid environment with excellent water absorption performance and a cool bamboo body. It is an excellent material for weaving various living and production appliances. Phyllostachys pubescens can be used to weave all kinds of utensils and crafts, branches as brooms, and young bamboo as raw materials for paper.
  
−
In fact, mind is a polymorphic behavioral awareness activity in the human cerebral cortex. Qian Xuesen once divided human mind into three types: image thinking, abstract thinking and inspirational thinking. 本文 Specifically, image thinking refers to the psychological activities of human beings to intuitively analyze the appearance of objective things through feeling or perception, mainly relying on the right brain of human beings. For example, some fantasies is not directly related to language, things like recalling childhood time,  or remembering someone you know, are tipical examples of "image thinking" . Abstract thinking refers to a kind of mental activity in which humans use the abstract rational concepts of the learned words to analyze, judge and reason about cognitive things, which often requires humans to rely on the left brain for deduction and induction. We need to use language to carry out logical reasoning, tell stories, conceive plans and strategies, etc. This kind of thinking activity associated with language is abstract thinking.
+
Yiyang has abundant bamboo resources. Taojiang County(桃江) is under the jurisdiction of Yiyang City of Hunan Province, known as the township of Bamboo. According to reports from Hunan province in recent years, Yiyang's bamboo forest covers an area of 2.36 million mu(about 177333 hectares）（Mu is a unit of land area under the municipal system in China. One mu is about 666.667 square meters. Fifteen mu equals one hectare）, and its rich bamboo resources support the development of the local bamboo industry. In 2020, the output value of the bamboo and bamboo industry in Taojiang County reached 12 billion yuan, and 200,000 farmers engaged in local bamboo production and processing（Wen, Xiong & Hu 2022, 44）, which shows how important bamboo is in the production and life of Yiyang people.
  
−
3. An overview of the relationship between language and mind
+
[[File: Bamboo Sea of Taojiang.jpg]]
  
−
The famous German linguist and philosopher Humboldt believed that language is a worldview. The only way to form a worldview is through language. In the twentieth century, the Sapir-Wolf hypothesis was seen as an derivative of Humboldtism in American. Sapir compares language to a tool and mind to a product. Mind is impossible to talk about without the expression of language, and the inner manifestation of language is mind. Wolff believed that the mind was extraordinarily mysterious. People's thinking patterns are governed by fixed pattern that they are unaware of, they could not be aware of that fixed pattern, because there are few chances for people to compare their language with other languages, and this pattern is evident whenever they compare their native language with other languages come out. Wolf was Sapir's student, he inherited Sapir's main ideas, summed up and developed Sapir's thoughts. The ideas of the two are very close, and in the 1950s, some linguists generalized the ideas of the two and formed the Sapir-Wolf hypothesis. Linguists usually divide the Sapir-Wolf hypothesis into a strong version and a weak version. The strong version advocates that language determines mind and determines human perception behavior, and clearly states that language and mind are unique to human beings; the latter believes that language affects mind to a certain extent and does not play a restrictive role. Language may not determine human mind, but it does have an important impact on human perception and memory. At the same time, language affects the level of human completion of mental tasks. In general terms, the Sapir-Wolf hypothesis states that the form of language determines the form of mind of language users, and the language we use to describe the world represents the perspective from which we observe the world; there are differences in the world. The formal language also represents the different understandings of the world in different countries. Each language has its specific pattern system and worldview, and culture determines its form and variety. Humans use these forms to communicate, analyze the objective world, express their reasoning, and then develop their own consciousness. Whorf found that in the Eskimo language system, there are several words that express the meaning of snow. However, the only word for snow in English is snow, so Wolff thinks there are differences in the way Eskimos see snow. He believes that people who use the same language share a certain way of knowing and perceiving the world, but this way is not unique.
+
There are different types of bamboo weaving art developed in Yiyang. According to the form, bamboo weaving can be divided into three-dimensional weaving, plane weaving, and mixed bamboo weaving（Guo Jie 2011, 90）. For example, the bamboo mats and fans commonly used by workers are plane weaving. Some bamboo baskets, bamboo boxes, and bamboo hats are woven in three dimensions. Whether it is flat or three-dimensional weaving, it requires a high level of skill and patience to complete beautiful bamboo weaving work.
−
In fact, the relationship between mind and language is very complex and full of unknowns. However, scholars from all fields observe from the perspective of diversity, and the thesis on the relationship between the two shows a state of "There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes".
 
  
−
===Various famous ideas on the relationship between language and mind===
+
Xiaoyu Bamboo Art(小郁竹艺) is an excellent traditional handicraft in Yiyang and is a representation of the development of Yiyang's bamboo industry. Xiaoyu Bamboo Art ware is beautiful in shape and fine in workmanship. In 2006, Xiaoyu Bamboo Art was listed in Hunan Province’s first batch of intangible cultural heritage protection lists. It was selected into the third batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage protection list in 2012. According to UNESCO, Intangible cultural heritage is traditional, contemporary, and living at the same time. It does not only represent inherited traditions from the past but also contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part. Intangible cultural heritage is not merely valued as a cultural good, on a comparative basis, for its exclusivity or its exceptional value. It thrives on its basis in communities and depends on those whose knowledge of traditions, skills, and customs are passed on to the rest of the community, from generation to generation, or to other communities. Intangible cultural heritage includes oral traditions and forms of expression; performing arts; social practice, ceremony, and festival activities; traditional crafts, and so on. Xiaoyu Bamboo Art belongs to the traditional handicraft so it is a kind of intangible cultural heritage. As one of Yiyang’s three national intangible cultural heritages, it can be seen that Yiyang has devoted a lot of effort to build the bamboo brand.  
−
In view of the complexity of the relationship between language and mind, as well as the different research perspectives, methods and theoretical backgrounds of scholars from all fields, many different theories and viewpoints have been formed. The debates about the relationship between language and mind in linguistics can be summed up in the following four categories: independence theory, sequential theory, determinism and coexistence theory. Specifically, independence theorists believe that mind can exist independently of language; there are two kinds of debate among sequentialists: mind exists before language or language exists before mind; determinists also have two kinds of arguments: mind determines language Or language determines mind; coexistenceists insist that language and mind go hand in hand, the former cannot exist independently of the latter, nor can the latter exist independently of the former. The following text is a brief summary of these four perspectives.
 
  
−
1.Independence theory
+
However, with the development of science and technology and the progress of people's living standards, more and more traditional handicrafts have gradually disappeared, and there are fewer and fewer craftsmen. Even Xiaoyu Bamboo art is facing development difficulties. How to inherit and develop bamboo weaving art is worth thinking about.
  
−
From the perspective of language production, independence theorists believe that mind can exist independently before language. That is: mind can exist independently before language is produced; but after language is produced, there is still exist a kind of mind without language's participation. mind can be expressed in other forms than language (such as a painting by an artist, a piece of music from a musician's family tree, a dress designed for herself in a girl's mind, etc.). The ancient Greek philosopher Plato first put forward this point of view, he regarded mind as a kind of insight that cannot be expressed in words.In Chinese, we have a sentence for it, that is "只可意会不可言传" British philosopher Locke is also a follower of this view, and believes that the source of human cognition is the senses caused by the outside world, and abstract thinking through senses, rather than language. The most powerful example of this view is the deaf and aphasia (失语症人), who cannot speak vocal language, but can live as normal people, and are not unable to understand the world and change the world because of the lack of language, It shows that they can think without language and transmit and express information to the outside world.
+
[[File: Xiaoyu Bamboo Art.jpg]]
−
2. Sequence theory
 
  
−
2.1 mind exists before language
+
===The Procedure of Bamboo Weaving--Bamboo Mat as an example===
 +
Because Yiyang bamboo weaving products are numerous, due to the limitation of space, the following is a brief introduction to the weaving process of the bamboo mat. Yiyang is hot and humid in summer, and the bamboo mat woven with bamboo strips has always been a traditional antidote to the heat. As early as during the reign of Emperor Yuanshun (元顺帝 1333-1370), the people of Yiyang began to weave bamboo mats with Phyllostachys heteroclada（水竹）as raw materials, with a history of more than 600 years（Liu & Liu 2014, 98）. A handmade mat in Yiyang can be sold for around 800 to 1,500 yuan. This kind of bamboo mat is placed on top of the sheets in summer and is very cool. Every night before going to bed, it needed to wipe with hot water to absorb heat as the water evaporates. When people lie down on the bamboo mat, sweat is absorbed by the bamboo, then body temperature will drop and the bamboo becomes more warm and cool. The longer the bamboo mat is used, the better the heat dissipation performance is. With the use of time getting longer and longer, the surface of the bamboo mat is getting smoother and darker. The bamboo mat that has not been used at the beginning is yellow, and gradually becomes red, and finally becomes dark brown. A good mat will last 20 or 30 years without deterioration. Such durable bamboo mats cannot be made without excellent bamboo materials and meticulous workmanship by craftsmen. Although bamboo mat is a kind of flat weaving, it also requires a lot of skills. A series of steps are required to process the raw material before the product can be woven.
  
−
This view originated in the 1980s, represented by Piaget (1987), who believes that language and mind are heterologous, and mind occurs earlier than language and controls language activities. Language is only a tool for mind, which can be used to organize mind for the convenience of human social communication. Mind is the innate instinct of human beings, it exists before language which is regarded as the acquired ability of human beings. Piaget mainly focuses on children's cognitive development, and divides it into four basic stages: sensory motor, preoperation, concrete operation and formal operation. In the sensory motor stage (0-2 years old), we can see such a situation: a child who has not yet spoken, although he or she is unable to speak, he or she can use shapes, colors, sounds to learn, cry, laugh, dance, break and other expressions to express his or her wishes. For example: when the child see something he or she likes, he or she will reach out and grab it. From this Piaget concluded that mind exists before language. In real life, writing an article or thinking about a problem requires a pre-conception process, which is also a phenomenon in which mind precedes language. Engels' view of "labor creates language" also shows that human beings have thought before language was created. Domestic scholar Wu Tieping(伍铁平) has also systematically demonstrated from the perspective of language phylogeny and ontogeny that human beings have thought first and then have language. In addition, from an archaeological point of view, people in the Paleolithic period did not have hyoid bones, so they should not be able to communicate verbally, so there should be no language at that time, and the historical records recorded that the language was indeed formed in the late Paleolithic period. Therefore, people at that time should rely on mind without the participation of specific language for daily communication.
+
[[File:instruments.jpg]]       
  
−
2.2 Language exists before mind
+
The first is choosing which bamboo to use as raw material. As mentioned above, there are many Phyllostachys heteroclada and phyllostachys pubescens in Yiyang, so these two kinds of bamboo are generally used. One reason is that this kind of bamboo is abundant, widely distributed, easily transported, and grows relatively quickly compared with other kinds of bamboo, making it easy to use materials. Second, this kind of bamboo is tough, not easy to break, and has high compressive strength, which is very suitable for use as bamboo weaving material. The bamboo mat in Yiyang is usually bamboo that has grown for 3-5 years, and the fiber of such bamboo has been finalized. The growing environment of water bamboo also affects the quality of bamboo. Phyllostachys heteroclada growing on the hillside has a dense texture, while Phyllostachys heteroclada growing near the lakes and fields has a loose texture. Although bamboo prefers wet and damp conditions, it cannot be processed if it grows with little or no sunlight. Selecting raw materials is also an art.  
  
−
The representative of this view is the French philosopher Windles (E.B.deCondil-lac, 1925). He insisted that human beings actively control their mind through the use of language, and believed that human beings could not think consciously and coherently without the aid of language. In the pre-linguistic period before language appeared, human thought was subject to its own physiological function and the stimulation of the surrounding environment, not mind. It is believed that the original human language may be purely emotional, rather than thought, such as labor chanting. It is inferred from this that the savages should have no memory, and the so-called memory is only some illusion, which is formed by the imagination that they cannot freely control.
+
Secondly, after selecting the raw material, the bamboo should be fully soaked to make it shrink, and after soaking, the bamboo should be dried, and only after fully drying can the bamboo be treated. Generally, it takes a few days of exposure to dry the bamboo, but since it rains a lot in the summer in Yiyang, it usually takes a little longer. If want to shorten the work period, workers should look at the weather forecast in advance.  
−
In fact, language is the exclusive treasure of human beings, and the cry of animals is purely an emotional release, which cannot be compared with the language used by humans.
 
−
The people at that time can only be regarded as "formative people", and their language can only be regarded as the "prehistoric stage" of language. So this view does not seem so right.
 
  
−
3. Determinism
+
After the bamboo is dried, the knotted part of the bamboo needs to be scraped off, which is a step called Juan Jie（卷节）. It means that after selecting the right bamboo, the bamboo is initially treated with a gimlet knife（蔑刀）. First, the craftsman scrape off the protruding parts of the bamboo joints so that they are as flat as possible against the bamboo wall.  
  
−
3.1 mind determines language
+
The middle of the bamboo is not unobstructed; there are bamboo joints inside the bamboo that also need to be removed. This step is called Qu Jie(去结)。The next step is to scrape the green surface of bamboo（刮青）. Bamboo woven products are usually yellow or dark red in color, not the green color of the bamboo surface. The layer of greenish skin on the outside of the bamboo is called bamboo green(竹青). The yellow part on the inside of bamboo is called bamboo yellow（竹黄）. The craftsman uses a knife to scrape the green off the outer layer of the bamboo. It is important to scrape the green from the top down so that the bamboo skin is not damaged. Scraping the green is a technical task; if the scraping is deep, it will affect the beauty and durability of the bamboo, while if the scraping is shallow, the residual green will also affect the beauty. In addition to this reason, there is another reason for scraping the green. The surface of the bamboo may leave spots, and removing the bamboo green can also remove the spots. There are also differences in the hue of the bamboo surface due to the age and growing environment of the bamboo, and most craftsmen choose to remove the bamboo green in order to unify the hue, although this step is very hard and time-consuming.
  
−
The former Soviet Union scholar VLyostky believed that "language is a tool and an auxiliary form of mind at the same time." He advocated that mind determines language. Vygotsky started his research from apes and human infants, focusing on the thinking process of the two and the development process of the corresponding vocal language, and found that both have a "pre-language stage" and a "pre-thinking stage", But their language and thought did not occur at the same time, but thought preceded spoken language. So he concluded that it is mind that determines language rather than language that determines mind. Gui Shichun(桂诗春), a domestic scholar, also believes that mind determines language by observing the behavior of gorillas. Wundt, a psychologist, has studied the process of human speech errors in detail, and found that unconscious thinking can absolutely interfere with the thought process that needs to be expressed, which further explains the decisive restrictive effect of mind on language. In addition, Chinese  scholars also analyze the decisive role of mind on language from the perspective of neologism construction. For example,the word Chinglish (Chinese English), which is composed of Chinese and English. When seeing the word Chinglish, firstly, people will find that the two parts in the front and the back of the word are the beginning of the word Chinese and the end of the word English. According to people's understanding of Chinese and English abstract concepts, the meaning of the combined new word Chinglish is deduced. This process is a typical thinking process. Humans finally get a new language and characters through image thinking, so it is said that mind determines language. Furthermore, some scholars have pointed out that if some human behaviors are not for communication, they can be completed only by mind. For example, when students conceive a composition, they only use image thinking and do not need the aid of language at all; but when the teacher asks the students to explain the ideation process, the students have to resort to language.
+
[[File:Gua Qing.jpg]]                  [[File:Bamboo sticks.jpg]]
  
−
3.2 Language determines mind
+
The next step is called Qi Jian(起间). The craftsman uses a cleaver to split the bamboo in half, and on top of that, he keeps splitting it in half until it reaches the desired width. This ideal width depends on the bamboo sticks(竹篾 Zhu Mie). Bamboo sticks, called Mi Pian Zi in the Yiyang dialect, are thin strips of bamboo, which are the basic material for bamboo weaving, and with which the artisan can begin to weave. There are two types of bamboo sticks: thin sticks and thick sticks. The difference between thin and thick sticks is mainly in width, followed by thin sticks that are softer and more delicate, with better smoothness and comfort. After that, it is necessary to split the sticks(分蔑). Specifically, each section of bamboo is split into three parts: a surface layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The craftsman has to divide the bamboo into three layers, which are only about one millimeter thick, which tests the craftsman's experience and skill.  
  
−
The French linguist Humboldt holds this view and believes that "every language is a special world view". The strongest basis for this view is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. Wolf (B.L.whorf) inherited the viewpoint of Sapir that human cognition will be dominated by language, and put forward the hypothesis of language relativity and language absoluteness. The core of the hypothesis is that language plays a decisive role in mind. This hypothesis is divided into strong and weak. The strong theory believes that language determines mind. The reason is that people in countries that speak different languages or ethnic groups with different languages in a country have completely different ways of thinking. This idea is no longer accepted because people with different languages have surprisingly similar ways of thinking about certain things, such as when doing math problems. The weak theory believes that language affects and reflects mind, and then reflects a person's beliefs and attitudes. People with different languages have different ways of thinking, but not completely different. Most linguists now tend to this view. The opinions of Humboldt and Wolfe infinitely exaggerate the decisive role of language on mind, and they think that human mind is completely determined by language, which is too one-sided and extreme. In fact, people who speak the same language can have opposite worldviews, and vice versa. That is to say, the objective things that reflect people's social practice and life experience themselves determine the way of human thinking, not language.
+
The next step is San Fang（三防）. This is to prevent mold, moths, and cracking. By doing San Fang, bamboo mats can be preserved and used for decades. Bamboo is prone to mold and attracts pests at the right temperature and moderation, resulting in poor quality bamboo. Mildew and insect infestation can also hinder the beauty of bamboo weaving. There are also many ways to prevent insects in bamboo. Physical methods include a high-temperature method, chemical methods include steaming, soaking, and smoking. In addition to preventing mold and insects, it is also necessary to prevent the bamboo sticks from cracking, for example, there is the pressurization method. The bamboo material is subjected to external forces that can eliminate internal forces and prevent cracking. Generally, the artisan puts the divided bamboo sticks into a pot and steams them in boiling water for about an hour. After the high temperature steaming, it can prevent insects and mildew, and also increase the softness of the bamboo for the next weaving step.
  
−
4. Coexistence (the coexistence of language and mind)
+
Then the artisan should dye the bamboo sticks. The dyeing of bamboo sticks is an extremely important process in the manufacturing process of bamboo weaving. Heat is used to increase the dyeing speed. The addition of surfactants to the dyeing solution(染液) is an effective means of improving the dyeing effect by giving it higher adsorption and surface activity. Dyeing solution composition, dyeing time, room temperature, and moisture content of the bamboo sticks all affect the dyeing effect of the sticks（Ref. Sun Delin, Liu Wenjin & Yao Wenliang 2012, 9）.In addition to dyeing with solution, workers can also dye the main material with hot oil. The dried bamboo material is placed inside the hot oil at 200 degrees Celsius. The bamboo material taken out appears purplish red. Bamboo dyeing is a very complicated procedure, and the color is unpredictable every time. Since each layer of fiber is different, this can lead to uneven absorption of the solution and differences in the resulting dyeing effect. The consistency of the color is the basis for the artistic effect of bamboo weaving. Inconsistencies in the color of the sticks affect the presentation of the bamboo weaving.
  
−
4.1 Language cannot exist independently of mind
+
All the steps before weaving have been completed and the bamboo sticks are ready. Bamboo mats have nearly 20 working procedures, and each square meter weighs 470 grams above. Generally, bamboo mats are arranged with 14 or 16 sticks per 3.3 centimeters, and the high-quality products are 18 ~ 24 sticks. Bamboo mats can be woven into patterns such as phoenix tails, plum blossom scenes, interlocking locks, flowers and birds, insects and fish, figures, landscapes, paintings, and other patterns(Su Wei 2010, 7). The pattern of ordinary household bamboo mats looks like the Chinese character "ren"(人). This highly regular weaving technique is relatively simple. The next bamboo stick can be hidden under the previous bamboo stick so that the surface of the bamboo mat is smooth and flat. In addition, this style is also convenient for bamboo mat maintenance.
  
−
Language has a actual coding system. So far,  linguistic symbols that do not represent any thinking content have not been found. Language is a tool of mind, mind exists along with language, and the two are co-existing dependencies and work together to complete the coding and cognition of things. In life, perhaps because it is too accustomed and too common, people often do not realize that mind is accompanied by moments. But if you stop and think about it carefully, you will find that there are many examples in life that prove the interdependence between the two. For example, scholars who study second language acquisition often find that when people first learn a foreign language, they often think about the meaning in the dialect or mother tongue first, and then express it in the target language. Through the joint action of language and mind to acquire knowledge.
+
Weaving techniques are also very rich. There are two main weaving methods of the bamboo mat in Yiyang:Tiao 2 Ya 2 (挑2压2) and Tiao 3 Ya 3(挑3压3). Tiao 2 Ya 2 (挑2压2) means that the two sticks are on top and the two stricks are on the bottom, which is the most commonly used and delicate method of bamboo mat weaving. Tiao 3 Ya 3(挑3压3) means 3 bamboo sticks on top and 3 bamboo sticks on the bottom. Few people use this method at present(Liu & Liu 2014, 100). A good craftsman weaves a bamboo mat that is durable. Everything must be measured as if it had been.
  
−
4.2 Mind cannot exist independently of language
+
Now let's introduce t bamboo mat with a “人” pattern, which is woven in the way of Tiao 2 Ya 2 (挑2压2). Start from the middle part of the right triangle on one side of the mat. The starting part is about five cun wide（寸, a unit of length, five cun about 16 centimeters）, and the length is about one meter in the right direction. When weaving the main part, the craftsman uses a bamboo board to press the whole starting part and sits cross-legged on the mat, picks up the sticks from both sides to the middle at the same time with both hands, then picks up the sticks with his index finger and put them into his palm. After all of them are picked up, pick up the bamboo board with the right hand and put it under the picked sticks, then put in the sticks to be woven, and knock them hard and evenly. Repeat this step. When most of the bamboo mat is finished, the artisan twists and closes the edges of the mat（扭边和收边）. The four sides of the mat are dipped in water to prevent the bamboo sticks from breaking, and then the reverse side of the sticks is twisted to 360 degrees to cover the sticks below. The craftsman squats barefoot on top of the mat, cuts the twisted sticks, leaving only one cun long, and sets the front sticks at a 30-degree angle into the back sticks, finishing one by one by pressing two. After closing the edge, insert the closed sticks into the seam of the mat, and arrange them in order, without overlapping and without breaking.
  
−
Generally speaking, thinking can be divided into abstract thinking and image thinking. Abstract thinking must be realized with the help of acquired language and related logical words, and there is a flesh-and-blood connection between it and language. The so-called image thinking that can exist without language is only relative, actually, image thinking cannot exist independently before the appearance of language. The most powerful example is the writer's literary creative process. They usually use image thinking to reflect objective reality, first imagine a typical image system, and then describe and shape it with practical language. The author generalizes and typifies the characters in his or her writings with strong expressive figurative language, and then infects people with the evolved comprehensive artistic images. For example, Ah Q(阿Q) in Lu Xun's(鲁迅) writings is a synthesis of various people in real life. The author uses Ah Q as a personalized image to shape the typical characters in the typical environment at that time. Some people think that painters and musicians can think abstractly based on color, line or sound without language, so it is asserted that mind can exist independently before language. In fact, pictures, music, etc. are only auxiliary tools for mind, and cannot exist in place of language. No painter or musician can think with color, line or sound alone, they need to convert these material materials into language in order to express their clear ideas.
+
[[File:Bamboo mat.jpg]]                [[File:Weaving.jpg]]
  
−
===My view on the relationship between language and mind===
+
This technique is actually very complicated, and it usually takes 4 or 5 days for an old craftsman to finish weaving a cool mat. If a new man learns to weave bamboo mats, many mistakes will be made, such as wrong patterns, and he may even get injured. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer men who know how to weave bamboo mats because there are technical requirements, not everyone can weave well, and fewer and fewer people are willing to spend time learning how to weave. The development and inheritance of the Yiyang bamboo mat are the results of thousands of years of polishing and perfecting.
−
From the perspective of the relationship between language and mind, mind plays a leading role in language, and the initiative of mind itself should be fully affirmed; from the perspective of social practice, people's mind is not entirely dependent on language, especially image thinking, more Using vivid and intuitive images, through examples and demonstrations, it points out the one-sidedness of the traditional assertion that "human thinking activities are carried out on the basis of language, and thinking activities cannot be carried out without language", which shows that mind can exist independently of language. There is a relationship between the two that is closely related to each other but also exists independently of each other. On the other hand, according to Humboldt's point of view: "Every language contains a unique world view", which also shows that language is a window to observe the way of thinking. The nature that humans face is the same, and the structure of the brain is roughly the same, so the ability of all human beings to understand the world is the same, that is, the thinking ability is basically the same. However, affected by differences in geographical environment, living conditions, customs, etc., they formed their own different perspectives in the process of observing and understanding reality, making the same reality in the subjective perception of different ethnic groups.
 
−
There are different states in cognition. The external manifestations of different ways of thinking are the structural differences of different languages. Therefore, in order to understand the way of thinking of different people, we should start from their language. Children of each ethnic group learn the way of thinking of their own ethnic group while learning the language. Therefore, I believe that language and mind influence each other. With the continuous evolution and development of language in society, the mind system will also undergo new changes, and new ways of thinking will also affect the development of human language to a certain extent.
 
  
 
===Conclusion===
 
===Conclusion===
−
Language is essentially a synthesis of inform form and inform content; mind is the process of brain or brain-like processing of internal and external information. Therefore, language and mind are two completely independent entities. Language processes and thinking processes are using different mechanisms and are two completely different processes. Mind does not need to be carried out by language, and it is not the decisive role of language on mind as held by the Sapir-Wolf hypothesis. In contrast, the cognitive hypothesis holds that language and mind are two separate processes. In fact, the relationship between language and mind can be observed in a broader context to reflect the sociolinguistic relevance. This is because people's minds have extensive commonalities in perceptual, cognitive, social and linguistic psychology. At the same time, there are differences in the objective world in which different native speakers live, so people's ways of thinking are also diverse.
+
Chinese bamboo weaving products have a long history, the production skills are very exquisite, and gradually to the direction of elegant art. Traditional bamboo weaving is the precious wealth of Chinese culture, but under the strong impact of industrial civilization, the status of handicrafts has been greatly inferior. At present, the Yiyang bamboo products processing level is still in the primary stage, and there is no high technology content. Most of them are made by hand, and a low production rate has always been a problem. Even though machine production is now vigorously developed, the quality of products is difficult to match that of hand weaving. The shape and color of bamboo products in Yiyang are slightly inadequate. The price of bamboo crafts is relatively low. There is a lack of good brands and few high-grade artworks that combine the advantages of product decoration effect, practical efficiency, innovation ability, and art appreciation in one. The art of bamboo weaving in Yiyang has survived thousands of years of weathering and it has been quite difficult to survive(Luo Fen 2013, 42). We need to research and develop new techniques, develop new ideas, pioneer and innovate on the basis of inheriting traditional handicrafts and do a good job of modernizing and transforming the art of bamboo weaving. First of all, set up a bamboo art industry association, organize and plan bamboo art expositions, and regularly host bamboo culture seminars, which can promote exchanges between bamboo weaving artists, bamboo weaving enthusiasts, and bamboo weaving researchers, and can also play a propaganda role. Second, increase the training of talents. We can introduce advanced technology from domestic and foreign places where the art of bamboo weaving is better developed, send Yiyang’s bamboo weaving artists and processing and production personnel to other regions to learn modern science and technology, or give appropriate financial subsidies to bamboo weaving inheritors. Yiyang bamboo weaving is an extremely representative traditional craft of Yiyang. It is also an indispensable part of our Chinese cultural treasures. The preservation and protection of Chinese traditional crafts is the top priority.
−
Therefore, in the process of thinking, people should break through the stereotypes of language habits and put forward innovative ideas. When using language to communicate, different opinions under innovative thinking can be expressed and new ways of thinking can be reflected. In this way, eastern and Western scholars can break through the language bondage of Oriental language family and Indo-European language family, and learn languages by changing the way of thinking, which can often achieve twice the result with half the effort.
+
 
 +
===References===
 +
* Guo Jie 郭杰.(2011). 浅谈益阳竹编工艺[A Brief Discussion on Yiyang Bamboo Weaving Technology].''现代交际'' Modern communication,(06):90.
 +
* Jiang Xiangdong 姜向东.(2019).湖南传统竹编的传承和发展[Inheritance and Development of Hunan Traditional Bamboo Weaving].''艺海'' The Sea of Art(01),146-149.
 +
* Liu Yingwu & Liu Lang 刘英武 & 刘浪.(2014).茅竹湖水竹凉席装饰特征与制篾工艺探析[The Analysis of Decorative Features and Bamboo Sheet Technology of Maozhu Lake Bamboo Mat]. ''装饰'' Decoration (07),98-100.
 +
* Luo Fen 罗芬.(2013).益阳竹编艺术的研究与开发[Research and development of Bamboo weaving art in Yiyang]湖南师范大学 Hunan Normal University
 +
* Pan Yuehui & Tan Guoming 潘茂辉,谈国鸣.(1994).南县涂家台早期新石器时代遗址调查报告[Investigation report on the Early Neolithic site of Tujiatai, Nanxian County]. ''湖南考古辑刊'' Journal of Hunan Archaeology (00),34-43.
 +
* Su Wie 苏伟.(2010). 益阳水竹凉席[Yiyang's Bamboo Mat]. ''湖南农业'' Hunan Agriculture (02),7.
 +
* Sun Delin, Liu Wenjin & Yao Wenliang 孙德林,刘文金 & 姚文亮.(2012).竹篾染色工艺的优化研究[Optimization of Bamboo Sticks Dyeing Research].''包装工程'' Packaging engineering (05),9-12.
 +
* Wen Aihua, Xiong Yanhui & Hu Dehe 文爱华,熊艳辉 & 胡德合.(2022).把乡里笋竹做成“世界宝宝”[Make Bamboo Shoots into "World Babies"]. ''湖南农业'' Hunan Agriculture(01),44-45.
 +
* Xu Wei 徐薇.(2012).益阳小郁竹艺工艺与文化研究[Study on the Craft and culture of Yiyang Xiaoyu Bamboo Art] 湖南师范大学 Hunan Normal University.
 +
 
 +
===Terms and Expressions===
 +
1. 竹编 bamboo weaving           
 +
2. 竹篾 bamboo split
 +
3. 水竹  Phyllostachys heteroclada Oliver
 +
4. 毛竹  Phyllostachys edulis
 +
5. 亚热带季风气候 subtropical monsoon climate
 +
 
 +
===Questions===
 +
1. What is the climate type of Yiyang?
 +
2. What is the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yiyang?
 +
 
 +
===Answers===
 +
1. subtropical monsoon climate  
 +
2. Xiaoyu Bamboo Weaving art
 +
 
 +
==英语笔译 邝雨琪 Kuang Yuqi 202170081572==
 +
<center>'''Chinese Mooncake Culture'''</center>
 +
 
 +
<center>邝雨琪Kuang Yuqi</center>
 +
 
 +
===Introduction===
 +
Chinese moon cake is the representative food of the Mooncake Festival, or more commonly known as Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated with family gatherings, feasts, and an abundance of lights, lanterns, and candles. Mooncake is a kind of round cookie with various fillings and different artistic patterns on the surface, depicting the legends of the festival and conveying auspicious meanings. During the festival, people sacrifice these cookies to the moon as offerings'''*''', eat them for celebration and present them to relatives and friends for good wishes. (Gu Xijia 2010)
 +
 
 +
'''*Worship the Moon'''
 +
 
 +
The moon worship is an ancient royal ritual and an important Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival activity, to pray for the moon to bless the people. At the night of Mid-Autumn Fetisval, people place a table that faces the moon, put mooncakes and other sacrifices on the table, make wishes and offer incense to the moon. At the end of the worship, people burn the special papers to the moon. Then they share the sacrifices. The wishes they usually made are family reunion, happiness, success and beauty. The worship ceremony is to show respect to the moon god.
 +
 
 +
===Mooncake Mythology ===
 +
According to legend, in ancient times the earth orbited ten suns, with a single sun appearing each day. However, on one particularly sweltering day, all ten rose in the sky at once, scorching the earth and its inhabitants. The emperor called upon Hou Yi（后羿）, a famed archer, to shoot down the nine extras. Upon his success and the subsequent salvation of all of the poor sunburned souls below, Hou Yi, in essence, became a celebrity. People from far and wide flocked to him aggressively. The people of ancient China gifted Hou Yi with considerably valuable items---the Elixir of Life from the Goddess of Heaven.
 +
 
 +
Upon receiving this particular gift, Hou Yi recognized its value and gave it to his beautiful and beloved wife, Chang Er（嫦娥）, for safekeeping. However, Peng Meng（逄蒙）, an evil follower of Hou Yi, witnessed the exchange and sought to steal the elixir for himself. Soon thereafter, he cornered Chang Er with a sword and attempted to force her into handing it over. Chang Er, knowing there was no other escape, quickly swallowed the elixir herself. However, the dose was too strong, and she immediately began floating far into the sky, where she finally came to rest on the moon. After Hou Yi learned all this, he went insane with attempts to reach her. But he could not, and had to satisfy his love for her by setting her offerings of fruit and sweets and nightly worship of that white orb in the sky. As a result, the moon cakes have become metaphorical items for lonely Chang Er and her husband Hou Yi, who miss each other, dreaming of reunion and expressing their feelings.
 +
 
 +
For a more specific look at mooncakes, we can also fast forward a few thousand years to the Yuan dynasty. Around 1368, tired of being oppressively ruled by the Mongols, the Han Chinese decided to organize a rebellion. Wary of being found out, they communicated the idea of the revolution to their fellow Han by baking slips of paper with the date of the uprising in to mooncakes. They knew that the Mongols would never eat this Han style treat. The cakes were distributed far and wide across the city. So, when the Han bit into their afternoon snacks and pulled paper out of their mouths, they were all in on the secret. Due to their ingenuity, the revolution was a success and a new dynasty began. Nowadays, mooncakes are eaten on the exact day, as a reminder of the triumph of the Han during the Mid-Autumn Festival many years ago.
 +
 
 +
===The History of Mooncake===
 +
Mooncake history is as long as 3,000 years in China. The predecessor of mooncake is the Taishi cake（太师饼）in the Shang Dynasty (17th century BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (17th century BC-256 BC). For a long time in history, mooncakes were used as a sacrifice on the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is said that the custom of eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD); in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD), it became popular in the royal palace; in late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), it has been spread widely to the folks; in Ming (1368-1644 AD) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911AD), it has become a common dietary habit of Chinese people. (Ou Shinan 2015)
 +
 
 +
'''Origin of Mooncake - Taishi Cake（太师饼）'''
 +
 
 +
According to historical records, in Shang and Zhou Dynasties (17th century BC-256 BC) in China, there were Taishi cakes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. At that time, Taishi cakes were made to commemorate Wenzhong, who invented the cake, which was thin in edge and thick in the middle. It is the predecessor of mooncake in China. (Yang Binhu 2015)
 +
 +
'''Wulnuts Cake（胡饼）in Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD)'''
 +
 
 +
In Han Dynasty, Zhangqian（张骞）, who was sent on a diplomatic mission to the western of China, introduced sesame seeds and walnuts from the west. Then the sesame seeds and walnuts were used as the fillings of mooncakes. People called it Hu cake at that time. (Yang Binhu 2015)
 +
 
 +
'''Round Cakes Eaten on Mid-autumn Festival since Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)'''
 +
 
 +
In Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Li Shimin（李世民）ordered a general called Lijing（李靖）to lead the troops to conquer Turk, a nationality in the north. On the 15th day the 8th lunar month, Li Jing returned triumphantly. Li Shimin celebrated the triumph of Li Jing and the troops. There was a trader from Tibet offered some round cakes to Li Shimin to congratulate victory. Li Shimin was very happy to receive this gift and introduced the round cakes to his faithful subjects. After that, the round cakes became popular both in palace and among the folks. People ate the round cakes on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. In mooncake history, we cannot avoid mentioning Concubine Yang Yuhuan（杨玉环）of a later Tang emperor Li Longji（李隆基）. It is said it is Yang who named the round cake “mooncake”. (Yang Binhu 2015)
 +
 
 +
'''Court Cakes（宫饼）Prevailed in Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD)'''
 +
 
 +
In Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD), mooncake was called “Court Cake” and was not only popular in the palace but also the folklore. Later, people gave it meaning of reunion, reflecting the good wishes for family reunion, and also deep miss of friends. The written record of the characters “moon cake” were first seen in a book of Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD), which is an important textual evidence in mooncake history. (Yang Binhu 2015)
 +
 
 +
'''Mooncake Uprising in Late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD)'''
 +
 
 +
In late Yuan Dynasty, people could not bear the cruel rule of the court. Zhu Yuanzhang（朱元璋）, the founder of Ming, united various resistance forces to prepare for the uprising. But it was hard to deliver military message secretly. Liu Bowen（刘伯温）, a subject of Zhu Yuanzhang, came up with an idea that put the note writing “Uprising on the 15th night of 8th lunar month” into the mooncakes, and then sent them to other resistance forces. On the day of the uprising, the uprising troops from different places got together and fight against the Yuan troop. Soon the uprising succeeded and Zhu Yuanzhang presented mooncakes to the ministers as gifts. It is said that since then the custom of eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival was formed. This is an essential event in mooncake history.
 +
 +
'''Eating mooncakes got popular in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD)'''
 +
 
 +
There is a detailed record of the mooncake from the Ming Dynasty: “Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th day of 8th lunar month, and people celebrate family reunion by eating mooncakes.” From the record, we can see eating mooncake in Mid-Autumn Festival has got popular in the folk. (Yang Binhu 2015)
 +
 +
'''Homemade mooncakes are essential for Mid-autumn Festival in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD)'''
 +
 
 +
According to mooncake history, eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival has become a wide spread custom in the Qing Dynasty, and there are more historical records about mooncakes. At that time, mooncakes were mostly homemade. Many books recorded the making process of mooncake with flour, nuts, sugar and lard, etc.
 +
 +
'''Famous brands of mooncakes rose since 20th century'''
 +
 
 +
Since 1900s, Dao Xiang Cun（稻香村）, Lian Xiang Lou（莲香楼）, Guan Sheng Yuan（冠生园） and other mooncake brands have shown up. So far, some mooncake brands have already been over 100 years old. Nowadays, Chinese people eat mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and present mooncakes to each other.
 +
 
 +
In recent years, the mooncakes have become more and more elaborate, and there are extremely high-priced mooncakes. As gifts, some moon cakes are luxuriously packaged, and a box of moon cakes can reach several thousand or even tens of thousands RMB.
 +
===Mooncakes Symbolize Family Reunion===
 +
Shaped like the full moon, the moon cake is made round. The round moon cake looks exactly like the full moon in the night sky. In ancient times, mooncakes were a kind of offering to the moon. Over the centuries, these special cakes have become the most popular food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. They are named after the moon goddess (Chang'e), who is said to make this kind of cake.
 +
 +
In Chinese culture, roundness symbolizes completeness and togetherness. A full moon symbolizes prosperity and reunion for the whole family. Round mooncakes complement the harvest moon in the night sky at the Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunion and “round” has a similar pronunciation with “reunion” in Chinese.
 +
 
 +
The mooncake is not just a food, but more of a cultural element deeply penetrated into Chinese people’s hearts, symbolizing family reunion and embodying spiritual feelings. At Mid-Autumn Festival people eat mooncakes together with family, or present mooncakes to relatives or friends, to express love and best wishes. It is a celebration of the fullest and brightest moon of the year. The moon cake is undoubtedly a key element in the Chinese culture.
 +
 
 +
Even today, while eating moon cakes on Mid-autumn Festival, overseas Chinese miss their relatives and beloved ones in China even more, eagerly hoping to reunite with them. Mooncakes are the most iconic food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Under China’s influence, southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand also make it a custom to eat moon cakes on the Mid-autumn Festival.
 +
 
 +
===The Top 10 Mooncake Flavors===
 +
Mooncake, a kind of pastry, is a popular festival food in China for Mid-Autumn Festival. Because of the different materials, especially the fillings, mooncakes come in many flavors, basically sweet or salty. Here are ten of the most popular mooncake flavors. (Qiao Fengqi 2014)
 +
 
 +
[[File:Mooncake 1.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
1.Wuren Mooncake（五仁月饼）– Mixed Nuts Mooncake
 +
 
 +
Wuren literally means five kinds of nuts or kernels such as walnut kernels, almonds, sesame seeds, melon seeds, hawthorn, red beans and so on. You will get a different taste with each bite. Wuren Mooncake is a typical and popular mooncake flavor in China. Though Chinese young people don’t like it very much, Wuren mooncake is much welcomed by the old.
 +
 +
2.Red Bean Mooncake（豆沙月饼）
 +
 
 +
Sweet red bean mooncake has always been a classic type that many people prefer. Through careful production, the combination of sweet bean paste and the outer skin makes the mooncake smooth and have a richer flavor. Some people don't like such a sweet taste, but a cup of tea is a good choice to go with them.
 +
 +
3.White Lotus Mooncake（莲蓉月饼）
 +
 
 +
The lotus mooncake is the representative of Cantonese-style mooncake. The filling is white lotus paste, which is made of the fresh lotus seeds of the year with a natural fragrance. Since the sugar is added and calories are high in lotus paste mooncake, the elderly and diabetics should not eat too much.
 +
 +
4.Salted Egg Yolk Mooncake（蛋黄月饼）
 +
 
 +
As it implied in the name, the filling of this kind of mooncake is the solid salted egg yolk. The unique taste makes this mooncake popular. The fresh lotus seeds paste or red bean paste are the most common combinations for mooncake fillings with egg yolks.
 +
 
 +
5.Snow Skin Mooncake（冰皮月饼）
 +
 
 +
Snow skin mooncake is a new mooncake flavor in recent years. It is small and cute, and the cake skin is crystal clear made of glutinous rice flour. It is very suitable for young people who are pursuing fashion trends. Different from other mooncakes, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Mooncake 2.jpg]]
 +
 +
6.Minced Pork Mooncake（鲜肉月饼）
 +
 
 +
Minced pork mooncake is a traditional snack in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai regions. The filling is fresh minced pork. The wrapper is permeated by meat juice and baked, which makes it crisp and a special taste. Meat lovers can also have a try of another meat mooncake flavor, Cantonese style ham mooncake.
 +
 +
7.Green Tea Mooncake（茶叶月饼）
 +
 
 +
The biggest feature of green tea mooncake is the fresh natural taste. With the taste of fresh tea leaves, the usually greasy taste of mooncake is well balanced. Green tea powder is added into the skin or the fillings. Different from other types of mooncakes, it is not overly sweet and has a certain health effect!
 +
 +
8.Fruits Mooncake（水果月饼）
 +
 
 +
Fruit mooncake blends the taste of fruit. The sweet but not greasy taste is loved by many people. The fillings is usually added with the freshest fruits like strawberry, orange, peach, and pineapple. The durian mooncake is the popular fruit mooncake flavor in recent years.
 +
 +
9.Flower Cake（鲜花饼）
 +
 
 +
Flower mooncakes have been well received in the market in recent years. The fillings are added with flowers, bringing a fragrant taste. The variety is quite rich and the most popular ones are rose and sweet-scented osmanthus.
 +
 
 +
10.Yam Mooncake（芋泥月饼）
 +
 
 +
Yam mooncake is also a new mooncake flavor. The filling is sweet yam paste. The mucus protein contained in the yam can improve the body’s resistance. So the yam mooncake is popular among those who want to keep healthy. Also, it has a great taste.
 +
 
 +
===12 Types of Regional Mooncakes in China===
 +
In China, traditional mooncakes are classified into 4 types depending on the origin, sales volume and features: Cantonese-style, Beijing-style, Suzhou-style, and Chaoshan-style. As time passed by, more types appeared: Hong Kong-style, Shanghai-style, Yunnan style, Shaanxi style… (Qiao Fengqi 2014)
 +
 
 +
1.Cantonese-style Mooncake（广式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:Guang.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet or salty with thin crust
 +
 
 +
The characteristics of Cantonese-style mooncake are thin crust and large fillings. The stuffing is mainly of lotus seed paste, coconut paste, yolks, bean paste, jujube paste or various meat. Cantonese-style moon cakes taste soft, and it is better to eat them together with tea.
 +
 +
2.Chaoshan-style Mooncake（潮汕月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:Chaoshan.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: soft with crispy crust, oily but not fatty, sweet or salty but not greasy
 +
 
 +
The Chaoshan-style mooncake, or the teochew mooncake, is a famous traditional flaky mooncake in the Chaoshan area of Guangdong Province. According to the different types of stuffing, it can be divided into mung bean mooncake, black bean mooncake, seafood mooncake, yolks mooncake, etc. The kernel inside stuffing is commonly yolks or seafood.
 +
 +
3.Beijing-style Mooncake（京式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:jing.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet
 +
 
 +
The most distinctive feature of the Beijing-style mooncake is the cooking method handed down from ancient royal palace; the process of selecting materials and making is quite complicated. The fillings are usually made from nuts, sweet-scented osmanthus, and rock sugar, etc. It is exquisite in appearance, and the crust is thin and crispy, attracting a lot of foodies.
 +
 +
4.Shanghai-style Mooncake（上海月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:shanghai.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: salty
 +
 
 +
It is a kind of baked flaky mooncake, and it tastes the best soon after it is cooked. The stuffing of it is entirely fresh pork, which tastes smooth. The crust is crispy, and the rich gravy penetrates into it, making it extremely delicious.
 +
 +
5.Hong Kong-style Mooncake（港式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:gang.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: salty sweet
 +
 
 +
The traditional mooncake representative in Hong Kong is stuffed of white lotus seed paste with double yolks. It is exquisite of the materials and making process. The crust is thin, the thickness is even, and the two salted golden yellow yolks are neatly centered with silky red oil. The mooncake tastes smooth and delicious. There are also other popular Hong Kong-style mooncakes, such as five nuts, salty meat and ham mooncake.
 +
 
 +
6.Suzhou-style Mooncake（苏式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:su.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet or salty, heavily oily but not greasy
 +
 
 +
Suzhou-style mooncake is featured with crispy taste. As for the sweet ones, the stuffing are mainly rose petals, five nuts and bean paste, which is tightly pressed. And it is sweeter than mooncakes of other regions. For the salty ones, Suzhou-style mooncakes can be divided into spiced salt mooncakes, ham mooncakes, shallot mooncakes, shrimp mooncakes, etc.
 +
 +
7.Yunnan-style Mooncake（滇式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:dian.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet and a little salty, oily but not greasy
 +
 
 +
Yunnan-style mooncake is also called ham mooncake because the stuffing is made from Xuanwei ham, a specialty in Yunnan, with honey, lard and white sugar. Made of purple wheat flour from Chenggong in Kunming, the crust is a little hard. After baking, its surface is golden yellow or brownish red, oily and gorgeous. This traditional mooncake has a fragrant flavor of ham.
 +
 
 +
8.Anhui-style Mooncake（徽式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:hui.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet or salty
 +
 
 +
Auhui-style mooncake is featured with its thin crust and full stuffing. It is a smaller than other types of mooncake, which makes it delicate. The crust is made by mixing of fine flour and vegetable oil. The stuffing is made of various vegetables which are marinated and mixed with fresh pork oil and white sugar. The representative one is the prune mooncake.
 +
 
 +
9.Quzhou-style Mooncake（衢式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:qu.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet and crispy with a flavor of sesame
 +
 
 +
Sesames is the most important material of Quzhou-style mooncake. People use sesames as the stuffing or decorate the skin with sesames. On the larger-sized ones, people would paint auspicious images with colored sesames.
 +
 
 +
10.Shaanxi-style Mooncake（秦式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:qin.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet but not greasy
 +
 
 +
Shaanxi-style mooncakes are mainly vegetal, locally called Crystal Cakes. The stuffing is the mixture of sugar, nuts, animal oil or vegetable oil, preserved fruits, roses and orange peels. It is more desiccated and the crust is thicker than other types of mooncake.
 +
 +
11.Shanxi-style Mooncake（晋式月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:jin.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: crispy, mainly sweet
 +
 
 +
For traditional mooncakes in Shanxi-style, the ingredients of crust are mainly oil, sugar and eggs, and the stuffing can be jujube paste, five nuts, red sugar, osmanthus, etc. Shanxi-style mooncake is featured with its sweet taste. The most common and most popular is the sugar mixed mooncake; different sugars are added into both crust and stuffing.
 +
 +
12.Fengzhen Mooncake（内蒙古丰镇月饼）
 +
 
 +
[[File:fengzhen.jpg]]
 +
 
 +
Flavor: sweet
 +
 
 +
There is no stuffing in Fengzhen Mooncake of Inner Mongolia. People mix the fried linseed oil, syrup of red sugar and flour into a dough, and grow it. Then it is divided into smaller doughs, pressed and baked with sesames and linseed oil on the surface. The Fengzhen mooncake tastes better two or three days later after baking, when the color becomes darker.
 +
 
 +
===Mooncake recipe–(Quick and easy)===
 +
Mooncake is the indispensable Chinese dessert served during the mid-autumn festival which falls on the 15th of August of the Chinese lunar calendar. The style and purpose of this festive dessert have evolved considerably in the modern day. Various cake shops and restaurants produce mooncakes with different varieties and designs, packed in deluxe boxes with elegant decoration.  It has also become a fad to purchase mooncake as a gift among relatives, friends, and business associates to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. As a result, a large number of overpriced moon cakes have appeared in the market every year due to high demand. The selling price is many folds compared to the cost of the ingredients. Therefore, homemade mooncakes would be a good choice which is low cost and can also show your sincerity, hard work, and effort. Below is an easy mooncake recipe for beginners to make red bean paste mooncake with yolk, one of the most popular flavors.
 +
 
 +
'''Preparation'''
 +
 
 +
1. Make Crust: Mix invert syrup or honey, alkaline water and peanut oil well, add flour and mix well again, then knead the mixture into a dough, and let the dough grow for about 3 hours. If there is no alkaline water, you can make 2g of baking soda dissolve in a little water and use it.
 +
2. Make Egg Yolk: Crack the eggs, take out the egg yolks and bake them for 5 minutes at 150℃ (300℉) in an oven.
 +
3. You can also make red bean paste by yourself: soak about 100g red beans a day in advance, boil them in a pressure cooker, then add 50g brown sugar to the cooked red beans and crush them with a spoon. If you want it to be drier, fry it.
 +
 
 +
'''Directions'''
 +
 
 +
Step 1. Divide the dough into smaller pieces each 25g and divide bean paste each 30g.
 +
Step 2. Flat the bean paste, put in an egg yolk and wrap it into a ball. A filling ball is fine. Make the rest fillings like this.
 +
Step 3. Flat the flour dough, put in a filling ball, wrap it and shape the whole into an oval.
 +
Step 4. Sprinkle some flour into the moon cake mold evenly, then put the oval dough into the mold and shape the dough. Follow step 3 and step 4 of this mooncake recipe to make the rest.
 +
Step 5. Put a piece of oil-absorbing paper on the baking tray, then put the shaped mooncakes on it.
 +
Step 6. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes, bake them for 5 minutes at 170℃ (340℉).
 +
Step 7. Brush egg liquid on the mooncakes and then bake them again in the oven for 15 minutes.
 +
 
 +
'''Ready'''
 +
 
 +
Take them out of the oven and serve them on a fine plate. The red bean paste mooncake with yolks are ready to be enjoyed. It tastes better after being stored in sealed fresh-keeping bags for 2 days.
 +
 
 +
'''Tips on How to Make Mooncakes'''
 +
 
 +
1.The ratio of pastry to filling is critical. A good mooncake should have a thin layer of pastry with plenty of fillings. The ratio should be one part of pastry to two parts of fillings. A skillful chef can use even less pastry to encase the filling.
 +
 
 +
2.Marinate egg yolks in cooking wine for a few minutes to remove the unwanted smell before baking them.
 +
 
 +
3.The red bean mooncake recipe provide a common cooking method. Instead of red bean paste, the sweet dough can be stuffed with other nuts or seed paste.
 +
 
 +
'''How to Store Mooncakes'''
 +
 
 +
1. Generally, five nuts mooncakes can be kept for about 15 days at a temperature below 25℃ (77 F) and those filled with sweet bean paste, lotus seed paste and jujube paste less than 10 days; if the temperature is higher than 30℃ (86 F), the storage period should be no longer than 7 days; for fillings of fresh meat, chicken shreds and ham, one should buy them just before eating.
 +
 
 +
2. Keep in a cool, dry, ventilated place and avoid storage in direct sunlight or near sources of heat. Chinese moon cakes contain rich oil and sugar, so both heat and humidity can cause them to go bad.
 +
 
 +
3. Store them in a separate place so they don't pick up odors from other foods.
 +
 
 +
4.Handle gently. Some types of the cookies, such as Yunnan-style, have soft, loose crusts. Any mishandling may break them.
 +
 +
'''Note:'''
 +
 
 +
Most mooncakes contain high sugar and oil, so are not healthy. People suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipoidemia, stomach disease, hepatobiliary disease, and the overweight, old and little kids should not eat too much or stay away from them.
 +
 
 +
To decrease the harmfulness the high fat and calorie bringing to our body, some foods are recommended to eat together with mooncakes, including tea, sour fruit like grapefruit, hawthorn and kiwifruit and wine. They help digest, take away fat in our body, so to avoid retention of food in the stomach and obesity. Also, do not eat too much at one time. (Luo Yiran 2010)
 +
===Mooncake culture in Other Asian Countries===
 +
Influenced by Chinese culture, Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival in some neighboring Asian countries. However, the customs are not quite the same in different countries. (Shen Haibin 2007)
 +
 
 +
'''Singapore'''
 +
 
 +
To Singaporeans, Mid-Autumn Festival is a good time to make friendly contacts, express thanks, and give greetings and best wishes to relatives, friends, and business partners by the way of sending moon cakes. As the country is a famous tourist destination, local people never miss the chance to attract tourists. They decorate Orchard Road, river banks, Chinatown, Chinese Garden and other places to welcome tourists worldwide.
 +
 
 +
'''Malaysia'''
 +
 
 +
Eating moon cakes, appreciating the moon and parading with lanterns have been the Mid-Autumn Festival custom of Malaysian Chinese for generations. During the festival, old-brands promote moon cakes; special counters are set up in shopping malls to sell moon cakes; newspapers, TV programmers are thick with moon cake advertisements. Besides the parade, there may be lion and dragon dances, fancy car parades and other celebrations.
 +
 
 +
'''Japan'''
 +
 
 +
The Japanese also celebrate the festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. When the festival was introduced into Japan from China about 1,000 years ago, the custom of appreciating the moon while holding a party formed, named appropriately “Moon Appreciation Party”. Although the Chinese lunar calendar is not used in Japan any more, the custom of moon appreciation is kept in many places of the country. The festival food in Japan is not moon cake, but glutinous rice cake.
 +
 
 +
'''Thailand'''
 +
 
 +
According to Thai legend, on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, the Eight Immortals go to the Moon Palace to send peach-shaped cakes and birthday greetings to Guanyin (a Bodhisattva). So their offerings usually include some peach-shaped cakes. All family members, men and women, the young and old, then sit around the table with offerings to worship the moon, pray and exchange greetings.
 +
 
 +
'''Philippines'''
 +
 
 +
During the festival, Chinese towns and Chinese colonies all over the country are decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, especially the China town in Manila. Various home-made and imported moon cakes are sold in lots of shops. Activities like dragon dance parade, traditional Chinese clothing parade, lantern parade, and fancy car parade are held.
 +
 
 +
'''Vietnam'''
 +
 
 +
The leading roles of Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam are children. As the day approaches, markets are full of lanterns and toys in spite of moon cakes. When adults eat moon cakes and appreciate the moon on that night, children usually play around with their beautiful lanterns. During the days, people there also hold Mid-Autumn Festival competitions to see who can make the most beautiful lantern. Lion dance performances are held in some places to enhance the celebration.
 
===References===
 
===References===
−
*Lin Xinhua林新华（1998(4)）．对萨丕尔——沃尔夫假说的再认识．''外语教学''：6一8 pp.  
+
*Gu Xijia 顾希佳.(2010).月亮节与人间情怀[Moon Festival and Human Feelings]. 文化艺术研究Studies in Literature and Art (04),91-95.
−
*Liu Runqing刘润清（1995）.''西方语言学流派''.北京:外语教学与研究出版社.
+
 
−
*Piaget 皮亚杰（1987）.''儿童的心理发展''傅统先,译.济南:山东教育出版社.  
+
*Luo Yiran 骆怡然.(2010).月饼种类多 食用有讲究[Diversified Mooncakes, Dainty Eating]. 广西质量监督导报Guangxi Quality Supervision Guide Periodical (08),14.
−
*Qian Xuesen钱学森（1986）.''关于思维科学''.上海:上海人民出版社.  
+
 
−
*施光，辛斌（2007（1））． 语言·思维·认知－ 再论沃尔夫假说． ''四川外语学院学报'': 102 -106 pp． Shi Guang
+
*Ou Shinan 欧石楠.(2015).月饼的传说[The Legend of Mooncake]. 农家参谋The Farmers Consultant (09),56.
−
* Sapir萨丕尔（1985）.''语言论''. 北京商务印书馆.
+
 
−
*Wu Tieping伍铁平（1986）.''语言与思维关系新探''.上海:上海教育出版社:5一13 pp.  
+
*Qiao Fengqi 乔凤岐.(2014).中秋月饼的由来及其制作工艺[The Origin of Mid-Autumn Moon Cake and Its Making Process]. 焦作师范高等专科学校学报Journal of Jiaozuo Teachers College (01),32-35+49.
−
*Whorf B L.Language（1942（1））. Mind and Reality.''The Theosophist'':63 pp
+
 
−
*Yang Yonglin杨永林（2004(2).唯理论与规约论之争一语言与思维关系研究.''外语教学'':14一17 pp.
+
*Shen Haibin 沈海滨.(2007).亚洲各国的中秋节[Mid-Autumn Festival in Asian Countries]. 世界文化World Culture (10),51.
 +
 
 +
*Yang Binhu 杨斌鹄.(2015).月饼名称演变史[The History of Mooncake Names]. 人才资源开发Human Resource Development (19),34.
 +
===Terms and Expressions===
 +
the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar 农历八月十五
 +
 
 +
the Elixir of Life 长生不老药
 +
 
 +
Mongols 蒙古人
 +
 
 +
Taishi Cake 太师饼
 +
 
 +
Wulnuts Cake胡饼
 +
 
 +
Court Cake 宫饼
 +
 
 +
Wuren Mooncake 五仁月饼---Mixed Nuts Mooncake
 +
 
 +
Yam Mooncake 芋泥月饼
 +
 
 +
Shaanxi-style Mooncake 秦式月饼
 +
 
 +
Shanxi-style Mooncake 晋式月饼
 +
 
 +
hyperlipoidemia 高血脂
 +
 
 +
hawthorn 山楂
 +
===Questions===
 +
1.When is Mid-Autumn Festival?
 +
 
 +
2.What is mooncake?
 +
 
 +
3.Why are mooncakes round?
 +
 
 +
4.Why do we eat mooncakes on Mooncake Festival?
 +
 
 +
5.What are the 10 most popular mooncake flavors?
 +
===Answers===
 +
1.Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar month.
 +
 
 +
2.Mooncake is the representative food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is a kind of round cookie with various fillings and different artistic patterns on the surface, depicting the legends of the festival and conveying auspicious meanings.
 +
 
 +
3.In Chinese culture, roundness symbolizes completeness and togetherness. Mooncakes are generally made round to symbolize prosperity and reunion for the whole family. 
 +
 
 +
4.On the festival day, all families eat mooncakes to celebrate the family reunion. The mooncake is not just a food, but more of a cultural element deeply penetrated into Chinese people’s hearts, symbolizing family reunion and embodying spiritual feelings.
 +
 
 +
5.Wuren mooncake; Red bean mooncake; White lotus mooncake; Salted egg yolk mooncake; Snow skin mooncake; Minced pork mooncake; Green tea mooncake; Fruits mooncake; Flower mooncake; Yam mooncake.

Revision as of 08:45, 5 July 2022

Back to course homepage: Chinese_Language_and_Culture_2022, back to final exam paper overview: 20220630_Culture

This is the final exam paper website no. 2

Because this website got too large, we have split it into smaller websites. Please look for your name beneath to get to your smaller website. If you look for the old version of this website, please find a copy here: 20220630_Culture_save

  • 20220630_Culture_1 papers 1-10: 1: 英语笔译 卞王倩 Bian Wangqian 202170081563 Europeanized Chinese and Cultural Factors Behind it, 2: 英语笔译 曹姣 Cao Jiao 202170081564 Research on court culture in the Tang Dynasty from the perspective of poem -- take Changhenge for example, 3 英语笔译 陈路瑶 Chen Luyao 202170081565, 4 英语笔译 崔晓凡 Cui Xiaofan 202170081566, 5 英语笔译 邓阳林 Deng Yanglin 202170081567, 6 英语笔译 高智慧 Gao Zhihui 202170081568, 7 英语笔译 何丽娜 He Lina 202170081569, 8 英语笔译 胡良明 Hu Liangming 202170081570, 9 英语笔译 黄琼 Huang Qiong 202170081571, 10 英语笔译 邝雨琪 Kuang Yuqi 202170081572
  • 20220630_Culture_2 papers 11-20: 11 英语笔译 黎溢佳 Li Yijia 202170081573, 12 英语笔译 李思敏 Li Simin 202170081574, 13 英语笔译 李思源 Li Siyuan 202170081575, 14 英语笔译 李婷 Li Ting 202170081576, 15 英语笔译 李欣 Li Xin 202170081577, 16 英语笔译 李颖 Li Ying 202170081578, 17 英语笔译 李媛 Li Yuan 202170081579, 18 英语笔译 李梓婕 Li Zijie 202170081580, 19 英语笔译 梁思婷 Liang Siting 202170081581, 20 英语笔译 廖诗韵 Liao Shiyun 202170081582
  • 20220630_Culture_3 papers 21-30: 21 英语笔译 刘唱 Liu Chang 202170081583, 22 英语笔译 刘乐乐 Liu Lele 202170081584, 23 英语笔译 刘双英 Liu Shuangying 202170081585, 24 英语笔译 刘婷 Liu Ting 202170081586, 25 英语笔译 刘瑶 Liu Yao 202170081587, 26 英语笔译 刘珍 Liu Zhen 202170081588, 27 英语笔译 龙翰良 Long Hanliang 202170081589, 28 英语笔译 罗姚林 Luo Yaolin 202170081590, 29 英语笔译 马艳焕 Ma Yanhuan 202170081591, 30 英语笔译 聂薇 Nie Wei 202170081592
  • 20220630_Culture_4 papers 31-40: 31 英语笔译 孙丽君 Sun Lijun 202170081593, 32 英语笔译 仝雨梦 Tong Yumeng 202170081594, 33 英语笔译 童略雅 Tong Lueya 202170081595, 34 英语笔译 庹树梅 Tuo Shumei 202170081596, 35 英语笔译 王思琪 Wang Siqi 202170081597, 36 英语笔译 王亚娟 Wang Yajuan 202170081598, 37 英语笔译 肖冬晴 Xiao Dongqing 202170081599, 38 英语笔译 肖佳莉 Xiao Jiali 202170081600, 39 英语笔译 谢晓莹 Xie Xiaoying 202170081601, 40 英语笔译 熊嘉玲 Xiong Jialing 202170081602
  • 20220630_Culture_5 papers 41-50: 41 英语笔译 颜媛 Yan Yuan 202170081603, 42 英语笔译 杨心怡 Yang Xinyi 202170081604, 43 英语笔译 杨紫微 Yang Ziwei 202170081605, 44 英语笔译 张国浩 Zhang Guohao 202170081606, 45 英语笔译 张姣玲 Zhang Jiaoling 202170081607, 46 英语笔译 张瑞 Zhang Rui 202170081608, 47 英语笔译 赵宇翔 Zhao Yuxiang 202170081609, 48 英语笔译 郑冬琴 Zheng Dongqin 202170081610, 49 英语笔译 钟青 Zhong Qing 202170081611, 50 英语笔译 周皓熙 Zhou Haoxi 202170081612
  • 20220630_Culture_6 papers 51-60: 51 英语笔译 周哲 Zhou Zhe 202170081613, 52 英语笔译 朱丽娟 Zhu Lijuan 202170081614, 53 英语口译 段小蝶 Duan Xiaodie 202170081615, 54 英语口译 方楚晗 Fang Chuhan 202170081616, 55 英语口译 胡雯雯 Hu Wenwen 202170081617, 56 英语口译 黄天琪 Huang Tianqi 202170081618, 57 英语口译 兰绮 Lan Qi 202170081619, 58 英语口译 李丹 Li Dan 202170081620, 59 英语口译 李立飞 Li Lifei 202170081621, 60 英语口译 莫雨婷 Mo Yuting 202170081622
  • 20220630_Culture_7 papers 61-70: 61 英语口译 彭慧璇 Peng Huixuan 202170081623, 62 英语口译 时友洁 Shi Youjie 202170081624, 63 英语口译 伍佳惠 Wu Jiahui 202170081625, 64 英语口译 夏晶 Xia Jing 202170081626, 65 英语口译 向师琦 Xiang Shiqi 202170081627, 66 英语口译 向望 Xiang Wang 202170081628, 67 英语口译 徐舞 Xu Wu 202170081629, 68 英语口译 张静芝 Zhang Jingzhi 202170081630, 69 英语口译 张旻丰 Zhang Minfeng 202170081631, 70 日语笔译 曹梦然 Cao Mengran 202170081632
  • 20220630_Culture_8 papers 71-80: 71 日语笔译 胡梦琪 Hu Mengqi 202170081633, 72 日语笔译 张白鹭 Zhang Bailu 202170081634, 73 朝鲜语笔译 刘安莉 Liu Anli 202170081635, 74 朝鲜语笔译 王思佳 Wang Sijia 202170081636, 75 朝朝鲜语笔译 徐盖 Xu Gai 202170081638, 76 朝鲜语笔译 徐文慧 Xu Wenhui 202170081639, 77 外国语言文学 Akira Jantarat 202121080009, 78 比较文学与跨文化研究 Mahzad 202021080004, 79 英语语言文学 Mimi 2020GBJ002301

英语笔译 高智慧 Gao Zhihui 202170081568

The History of Chinese Noodles
高智慧 Gao Zhihui

Introduction

The earliest known noodles found in China can be dated back to 4 thousand years ago. They were found in archeological findings near the Yellow River in China. However, first concrete written records of noodles come from the time when Eastern Han Dynasty reigned between 25 and 200 AD. There are many stories about the origin of noodles. To a certain extent, noodles also reflect the cultural traditions and customs of China, which essentially means "human nature" and "worldly common sense". There are thousands of varieties of noodles in China, according to the classification of the shape of noodles, seasoning gravy, cooking craft, and so on. Many noodles have local characteristics. Noodles are accepted by people from all over the world. The industrial revolution and the development of the food industry have successfully transitioned the way we produce noodles, from a traditional handicraft industry to mass production using machinery. In addition, the invention of instant noodles and their mass production also greatly changed the noodle industry. In essence, noodles are a kind of cereal food, which is the main body of the traditional Chinese diet. It is the main source of energy for Chinese people and the most economical energy food. Adhering to the principle of making cereal food the main food, is to maintain our Chinese good diet tradition, which can avoid the disadvantages of a high energy, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet, and promote health. The importance of the status of noodles in the dietary structure of residents China and the health impact should not be ignored.

The Origin of Noodles

Mix water and flour and knead into a dough, you now have a plethora of prospects in the palm of your hands. Noodles are the epitome of versatility and flexibility, and it's this adaptable nature that has contributed to its rise as a world renowned food. Noodles are eaten as pho in Vietnam, chow-chow in Nepal, seviyan in India and many other permutations and combinations throughout the globe. While the popularity of noodles is a widely accepted consensus, its origin is still a prominently debated subject. There are numerous contenders who have claimed to be the creators of the Noodle. Italians profess that they are the pioneers of this plant based food, whereas the Chinese argue that they invented this culinary sensation. In this paper I will endeavor to trace the geneses of this cereal food and subsequently attempt to end the age old dispute surrounding it.

We begin our historical research in the East Asian country, China. Noodles are believed to have originated here, as "Bing" or cake in English, during the early rule of the Han Dynasty. They were then diversified by experimentation and the evolution of additional shapes and cooking methods. Noodles further gained cultural prominence via folklore related to "health, religion, economy" and with the emergence of Chinese superstitions. (Zhang Na and Ma Guansheng, 2016) However, due to recent archeological discoveries it's likely that noodles were around much prior to the rise of the Han Rule. Excavation sites have revealed that wheat grains and early production apparatuses existed from the early to late Neolithic period – an astounding ten thousand years before now. More tangible evidence, which testifies to the existence of Noodles well into the past, was unearthed in 1999. "Noodles discovered among relics at the Lajia archeological site in Minhe(民和) County, Qinghai Province". After scientists analysed the noodles and bowl of noodles found at the site through radioactive dating, it was disclosed that noodles were crafted and cooked four thousand years ago during the early Xia Dynasty. These archaeological findings thus provide us with physical evidence which date back to periods long before the present day. They reveal that the noodle has been closely interwoven into the Chinese society and their culinary practices for eons.

China has the most promising data to support its claim of being the inventors of this simple wheat and water based dough. The discovery of the noodle remains and bowl occurred two thousand years prior to Horace's mentions of Lagane, which means pasta. With its physical, archeological evidence predating even the written records of Italian, Arabic and Mediterranean pasta, it truly does make China victorious in the contention. However, even though China may be the site of the first instances of noodles and they may have introduced some countries like Japan and India to them, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they were the ones who introduced the rest of the world to it. Italians were enjoying pasta long before Marco Polo brought back the secrets of the Chinese noodle trade. As there is very little documented data and only a few preserved artifacts related to Italian pasta, it’s not right to make any broad claims about its beginning. It is also plausible that pasta developed spontaneously in China and Italy at different time periods. New evidence is bound to be unearthed at some point in the future, which will give more concrete and reliable sources with information about who introduced the Italians to the noodle.

Ancient Records of Chinese Noodles

There were various kinds of shapes for noodles, such as sheets and strips. Sheets of noodles are cooked by pulling the dough into sheets and cooking in a pot with boiling water. In the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the shapes of the noodles gradually increased. Two special kinds of noodles, called shui yin (水引) and bo tuo (馎饦), were included in the book Qi Min Yao Shu or Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People (《齐民要术》)in the middle ancient era. Shui yin is cooked by pulling the dough into strips as thick as chopsticks, cutting these into segments 30cm long, soaking in a dish of water, then pressing them into flat noodles shaped as a leek leaf and cooking in a pot with boiling water. Bo tuo is especially smooth and delicious. In the Sui, Tang, and Five dynasty periods, there were more varieties of noodles. With the increase of noodle varieties, the methods and techniques of cooking have been continuously improved. There was a kind of cold noodle with a unique flavor, called Leng tao (冷淘), which was appreciated by the great poet Du Fu, describing it “as cold as snow when gliding through the teeth (经齿冷于雪)”. There was another kind of noodle with full tenacity, referred to as “one of the seven wonderful health foods”, which has a saying “wet noodles can be used to tie the shoe”. In the Song and Yuan dynasty period, fine dried noodles appeared, such as pig and sheep raw noodles and vegetable raw noodles sold in Linan (临安) city during the Southern Song period. Until the Ming and Qing Dynasty, there were more varieties of noodles. In the Qing dynasty, five spicy noodles and eight treasures noodles were included in Xian Qing Ou Ji 《闲情偶寄》 by dramatist Li Yu (李渔). These two kinds of noodles were made of five and eight kinds of animal and plant raw material powder, respectively, and mixed into flour, which were considered as top grade noodles.

Qi shan minced noodles.jpg

Stories of Noodles

Food is not only a source of human nutrition, it also plays many roles in the aspects of religion and economy, etc. People use special food to celebrate important events and festivals, for instance, we eat sweet dumplings in the Lantern Festival, we eat traditional Chinese rice-puddings in the Dragon Boat Festival, we eat moon cakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and we eat dumplings in Spring Festival.

In the aspect of noodles, Chinese people have lots of customs, which essentially mean “human nature” and “worldly common sense” materialized in the noodles. At birthdays, people eat longevity noodles; at the time of marriage and moving into a new house people eat noodles with gravy (打卤面), which means flavored life; on the day of lunar February 2 “dragon head (龙抬头)”, people eat dragon whiskers noodles (龙须面) to look forward to good weather. We eat different noodles in different seasons and different festivals.

Famous noodles in China have a unique value of traditional culture. Seafood noodles (三鲜伊面) are also called dutiful son’s noodle (孝子面). According to historical records, Yi Yin’s (伊尹) mother was perennially sick and bedridden. So he made noodles with eggs and flour, and then steamed and fried these noodles. Even if he was not at home it was convenient for his mother to eat these nonperishable noodles. The noodles were added to a soup made with chicken, pig bones, and seafood. Under the tender care of Yi Yin, his mother soon recovered. This was the reason why seafood noodles are also called dutiful son’s noodles. The processing method of seafood noodles in ancient time was very similar to industrialized manufacturing methods of instant noodles in modern times.

Sichuan (四川) dandan noodles (担担面)are known to every family. In the old days, hawkers sold noodles on the street with a shoulder pole, giving the name dandan noodles. There was a pot and stove on the shoulder pole, which made it convenient to cook noodles with full seasoning at any time. The business philosophy of wholehearted customer service is the essence for dandan noodles to stay prosperous.

Qishan (岐山) minced noodles (臊子面) with special flavor, also called ashamed son noodles, also has a story in Shaanxi (陕西). Qishan minced noodles were originally called sister-in-law noodles (嫂子面). Previously, there was a poor scholar, whose parents died when he was young. He was raised by his elder brother and sister-in-law. In order to let him read books for fame, his sister-in-law made noodles for him. His sister-in-law was not only good at cooking noodles, but also good at making gravy with meat and vegetables. Oil sprinkled over chili was also mixed in noodles to increase appetite. Under the care of his sister-in-law, he passed the provincial civil service examination as expected under the old Chinese examination system. Therefore, it was also called sister in law noodles. Later, many people followed the example of cooking noodles to seek fame for their children, but repeatedly failed. Feeling shame for their son, the noodles were also called ashamed son noodles, which was pronounced as sào zi in Chinese.

Guangxi (广西) vinegar-pepper old friend noodles (老友面) has a story about friendship. Once upon a time, there was a Zhou teahouse where a customer drank tea almost every day. For a few days, the teahouse owner Zhou found the regular customer did not come to tea. Out of concern for an old friend, he went to visit him. He discovered that the old friend was sick. The shopkeeper quickly made a bowl of vinegar-pepper noodle soup with sautéed garlic and fermented black beans and sent the noodles to his friend. The old friend ate the noodles in a sweat and then recovered. So vinegar-pepper noodles have another name old friend noodles.

Another famous type of Chinese noodles is the Crossing-the-Bridge noodles(过桥米线), which is a rice noodle soup from the Yunnan Province. Crossing-the-Bridge noodles also has an interesting story associated with it. The story described a boy who was ordered by his father to study for the Imperial Exams in the cottage of an island, and the boy was not allowed to leave the island until his studies were completed. Since the island was far away from his house, and the story took place in the coldest months of the year, all the meals that the family cook had cooked for the boy would become cold and unpalatable when the meals reach the boy. After being troubled by this problem for a long time, the cook finally came up with an idea and invented a new type of noodle dish, Crossing-the-Bridge noodles, by adding an extra layer of hot chicken broth and chicken fat to the noodle soup. According to the story, the noodle was invented to have the capability of keeping warm for a long time under cold winds and temperatures, so that when the cook brings the noodle soup across the bridge to the boy who was studying for the imperial examinations, the noodle soup would still be hot and warm enough to eat. “ ‘It is too hot!’ he said, and began laughing. ‘I know,’ said the cook, nodding happily. ‘It is the fat that keeps out the wind, the cold, and the bad spirits. Now that you have the nourishment you need, learning will come naturally and gracefully.’ The boy ate the delicious soup with a hunger that he did not know he had as he watched the chef skipping like a child across the bridge back to his kitchen.” Therefore, Crossing-the-Bridge noodles reflected the cleverness and mastery of the cook in cooking, as well as the love and care he had for the boy, and the passion he had for pleasing people with his food.

The Classification of Noodles

There are thousands of varieties of noodles in China, according to the classification of the composition of noodles, the shapes of noodles, and the different gravy seasoning. The main compositions of noodles are wheat and rice. Most kinds of noodles are made of flour (the powder made from wheat). There is also another special composition of noodles: rice noodles (米线). Rice noodles are frequently seen in Southern style cooking, such as Yunnan province: over-the-bridge rice noodles. In addition, noodles can be classified according to the thickness: they can be as thick as chopsticks or as thin as hair, such as the dragon beard noodles. Some can be classified according to the how they are made, such as hand-pulled noodles (拉面), shaved noodles (刀削面), and so on. They can also be classified according to the seasoning, such as Beijing fried bean sauce noodles (北京炸酱面) and Shandong noodles with gravy (山东打卤面). Others are classified according to cooking crafts, such as noodles mixed with scallion, oil, and soy sauce (葱油拌面), noodles with quick-fried eel shreds and shelled shrimps (虾爆鳝面), and so on.

China has a vast territory and abundant resources and mainly can be divided into the following areas: East China, Southern China, Central China, North China, Northwest China, Southwest China, Northeast China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan areas. There are also some local characteristic noodles. In East China, there are Shanghai noodles in superior soup (上海阳春面), Nanjing small boiled noodles (南京小煮面), Hangzhou Pian Er Chuan noodles (noodles with preserved vegetable, sliced Pork, and bamboo shoots in soup) (杭州片儿川面), Wenzhou vegetable raw noodles (温州素面), Zhenjiang pot noodles (镇江锅盖面), Shandong Fushan hand-pulled noodles (山东福山拉面), Suzhou Su style soup noodles (苏州苏式汤面), Fuzhou line noodles (福州线面), and Anhui flat noodles (安徽板面). In Southern China, there are Guangzhou wonton noodles (广州馄饨面). In Central China, there are Wuhan hot noodles with sesame paste (武汉热干面). In North China, there are Beijing fried bean sauce noodles, Shanxi shaved noodles (山西刀削面) and noodles with braised string bean (豆角焖面), Hebei dragon whiskers noodles (河北龙须面) (saute fine noodles with shredded chicken), fine dried noodles, sesame paste noodles (麻酱面), and Neimenggu braised noodles with string bean (内蒙古焖面). In Northwest China, there are Xinjiang pulled noodles (新疆拉条子), Shanxi oil-splashing noodles (陕西油泼面), Biángbiáng noodles (Biángbiáng 面), a type of noodle popular in the cuisine of China's Shaanxi Province, and serofluid noodles (浆水面), Henan stewed noodles (河南烩面), steamed noodles (蒸面), and Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (兰州拉面). In Southwest China, there are Guizhou noodles with pig’s blood and internal organs (贵州肠旺面), Sichuan dandan noodles (四川担担面), bean curd pudding noodles (豆花面), zhazha noodles with chili oil hot pepper and pork-bone soup (渣渣面), burning noodles from Yibin (宜宾燃面), longevity noodles and bedding noodles (铺盖面). In Northeast China, there are Jilin cold noodles (吉林冷面). In Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao, there are Hong Kong strained noodles (捞面), rickshaw noodles (车仔面) and shrimp roe noodles (虾子面), southern Taiwanese-style noodles (担仔面), and clam noodles (花蛤仔面). Noodles are usually eaten as a staple food in or to the north of the Yellow River Valley, but eaten as breakfast in the southern region.

There are also some kinds of representative noodles. Beijing fried bean sauce noodles are a traditional Chinese food, popular in Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, and other places. Beijing fried bean sauce noodles are cooked in the following way: first prepare the fresh-cut vegetables, blanch and set aside; next, put minced meat stir-fried with scallion, ginger, garlic, and soybean paste in hot oil; then boil the noodles and scoop them up, pour sauce on them; lastly, mix with the vegetables.

Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles, also known as one of the top ten Chinese noodles, are Islamic-style snacks in the Gansu Province. The noodles have special characteristics: “soup clear like mirror, the strong scent of cooked meat, thin noodles”. The noodles also have a set of standards: “clear (clear soup), white (white radish), red (red pepper oil), green (green coriander and garlic bolt), and yellow (yellow noodles)”. Locally, people named them “beef noodles”.

The Industrialization of Noodle Production

Since the advent of noodles, although the culture and heritage of the craft are different in various areas, noodles were always processed in a manual way. With the development of the industrial revolution, it realized the transition from a traditional handicraft industry to machine mass production. In the 1850s, machine-made noodles appeared in the market for the first time, and are still in use. At present, China is the world's largest consumer of noodles; the annual consumption and production value are amazing. Data showed that from 2007 to 2012, China's sales value of noodles increased from 8.6 billion yuan to 20.26 billion yuan. In recent decades, it can be said that the advent and development of instant noodles brought the greatest impact.

As early as before the invention of instant noodles, in the ancient East and West, there have been similar processing methods: noodles were boiled first, then fried with hot oil, and finally served with soup. In ancient China, there were similar noodles called Yi noodles (伊面). According to legend in the Qing Dynasty, Yi bingshou (伊秉绶) gave a banquet to celebrate his mother's birthday at home. There were so many guests that the rushed chef mistakenly put the cooked egg noodles into the boiling pan. Without an alternative solution, the chef scooped up these noodles, then fried them in hot oil, and finally served with soup. Guests unexpectedly praised the noodles, so the cooking craft has been handed down. In the early days, Yi noodles was written on the packaging of instant noodles.

In 1958, Taiwanese–Japanese Momofuku Ando (安藤百福) invented the instant noodles as fast food, and created a revolution in the world's eating habits(Zhao,2015,24). At that time one had to wait in line for a long time to eat a bowl of noodles, so he invented the convenient instant noodles. After the invention, Momofuku Ando also founded Nissin food company (日清公司) to sell chicken soup hand-pulled noodles (鸡汤拉面). The initial price was 35 yen. Imitation products immediately appeared which resulted in price competition. Ando soon realized that it was necessary to regulate the market, in order to maintain the reputation of the new products. In 1960, he won the lawsuit about the copyright of instant noodles, and registered the chicken soup hand-pulled noodles trademark in the 2nd year. In 1964, Ando founded Japan Hand-Pulled Noodle Industry Association and transferred the patent to the industry. Ando said that the purpose of this move was to expand the industry, so as to provide cheap instant noodles to the residents.

The Nissin food company started looking more actively for opportunities abroad after the invention of instant noodles. In 1963, it first cooperated with South Korea Miyaki food company (三养食品). In 1968, it once again cooperated with the international food company in Taiwan to launch the chicken soup taste instant ramen. At the beginning, the market of instant ramen with Japanese formula was not good. After adjusting the sauce and the noodles, it became the best-selling product in Taiwan. Most customers buy it as snack food.

According to official data of the World Association of instant noodles, since 2009 China's total consumption of instant noodles has been ranked first in the world. In 2013 the total consumption of instant noodles in the world reached a total of about 105.59 billion bags, while China ranked first for the total consumption of 46.22 billion bags, the per capita consumption reached 34 packets.

The Nutritional Composition and Health of Noodles

The basic raw material for making noodles is flour. Therefore, its main nutrients are basically the same as flour, including protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and low fat. Taking the ordinary fine dried noodles found in the market for example, 100 g fine dried noodles contain 10.3 g protein, 75.6 g carbohydrates, just 0.6 g fat, 129 mg potassium, 18.45 mg sodium, 11.8μg selenium, and so on.

Noodles are classified as cereal foods. Cereal food is the main body of the traditional Chinese diet, the main source of energy for the human body, and also the most economical energy food. With the development of the economy and the improvement of life, Chinese people tend to eat more animal food and oil. An authoritative survey found that in some of the more affluent families, the consumption of animal food has exceeded the consumption of cereal food. Animal food contains more energy and fat, but less dietary fiber, which is not conducive to the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases. A report on the status of nutrition and chronic diseases of Chinese residents showed that the daily fat intake of Chinese residents was too much, providing more than 30% of the total dietary energy, while a deficiency of calcium, iron, vitamins A and D, and some other nutrients still existed(2015). Adhering to the principle of “making cereal food the main food”, the purpose is to maintain our Chinese good diet tradition, which can avoid the disadvantages of a high energy, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet. Therefore, the importance of the status of noodles in the dietary structure of the residents in our country and their health impact should not be ignored.

In the process of making noodles, eggs are added. Therefore, noodles contain the nutritional content of eggs, with the amount of nutritional content depending on the amount of added eggs. Protein amino acid composition of eggs is the closest to the needs of the human body with very high nutritional value. Eggs contain between 10% and ∼15% fat with 98% of the fat found in egg yolk; egg white contains very little fat. The fat in egg yolk is easily digested and absorbed and also contains a high content and full range of vitamins, including all the B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and trace amounts of vitamin C. Therefore, adding eggs can improve the nutritional value of noodles.

Salts are added in the process of making noodles. Excessive salt intake will increase the risk of high blood pressure. A report on the status of nutrition and chronic diseases of Chinese residents showed that the daily intake of salt was 10.5 g /d in 2012; however, the daily recommended intake of salt is 6 g/d according to Dietary guidelines for Chinese Residents and 5 g according to the World Health Organization. It is worth noting that the prevalent rate of high blood pressure for adults aged ≥18 years was 25.2% in 2012. This is an increase when compared with 2002 (rate was 18.8%). Therefore, food companies should try to reduce the addition of salt as much as possible.

In addition to the health impact of the original nutritional composition of noodles, we should also pay attention to the health impact of the cooking craft and other related factors.

Gravy: in order to improve the taste, people often eat noodles with gravy. Some kinds of gravy contain fat and salt. For example, fried bean sauce noodles contain more fat and salt. In order to avoid an increase in the risk of chronic diseases, we should add less gravy when eating noodles.

Ingredients: when cooking noodles, we can add eggs, vegetables, and other ingredients, so as to make noodles achieve the principle of “food diversification”, and promote health for people.

Instant noodles: the seasoning packet in instant noodles contains more salt, so we should add half a packet of seasoning when eating instant noodles, in order to reduce salt intake.

Terms and Expressions

soup cake 汤饼

Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties 魏晋南北朝

Qi Min Yao Shu or Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People 《齐民要术》

fine dried noodles 挂面

pig and sheep raw noodles 猪羊庵生面

vegetable raw noodles 素面

five spicy noodles 五香面

eight treasures noodles 八珍面

longevity noodles 长寿面

noodles with gravy 打卤面

dragon whiskers noodles 龙须面

dutiful son’s noodle 孝子面

dandan noodles 担担面

minced noodles/ ashamed son noodles 臊子面

sister-in-law noodles 嫂子面

vinegar-pepper old friend noodles 老友面

Crossing-the-Bridge noodles 过桥米线

rice noodles 米线

hand-pulled noodles 拉面

shaved noodles 刀削面

Beijing fried bean sauce noodles 北京炸酱面

noodles mixed with scallion, oil, and soy sauce 葱油拌面

noodles with quick-fried eel shreds and shelled shrimps 虾爆鳝面

Shanghai noodles in superior soup 上海阳春面

Nanjing small boiled noodles 南京小煮面

Hangzhou Pian Er Chuan noodles (noodles with preserved vegetable, sliced Pork, and bamboo shoots in soup) 杭州片儿川面

Wenzhou vegetable raw noodles 温州素面

Zhenjiang pot noodles 镇江锅盖面

Shandong Fushan hand-pulled noodles 山东福山拉面

Suzhou Su style soup noodles 苏州苏式汤面

Fuzhou line noodles 福州线面

Anhui flat noodles 安徽板面

Guangzhou wonton noodles 广州馄饨面

Wuhan hot noodles with sesame paste 武汉热干面

Shanxi shaved noodles 山西刀削面

noodles with braised string bean 豆角焖面

Hebei dragon whiskers noodles (saute fine noodles with shredded chicken) 河北龙须面

sesame paste noodles 麻酱面

Neimenggu braised noodles with string bean 内蒙古焖面

Xinjiang pulled noodles 新疆拉条子

Shanxi oil-splashing noodles 陕西油泼面

serofluid noodles 浆水面

Henan stewed noodles 河南烩面

Guizhou noodles with pig’s blood and internal organs 贵州肠旺面

Sichuan dandan noodles 四川担担面

bean curd pudding noodles 豆花面

zhazha noodles with chili oil hot pepper and pork-bone soup 渣渣面

bedding noodles 铺盖面

Jilin cold noodles 吉林冷面

Hong Kong strained noodles 捞面

rickshaw noodles 车仔面

shrimp roe noodles 虾子面

southern Taiwanese-style noodles 担仔面

clam noodles 花蛤仔面

References

  • Zhang Na,Ma Guansheng 张娜，马冠生.(2016).Journal of Ethnic Foods.
  • Zhao Guanghui 赵光辉(2015).“被饥饿催生”的方便面的故事 [The story of instant noodles created by hunger].中国农资J China Agric,(28),24.
  • National Health and Family Planning Commission Disease Prevention and Control Bureau 国家卫生健康委员会.(2015).《中国居民营养与慢性病状况报告(2015年)》Report on the Status of Nutrition and Chronic Diseases of Chinese Residents.

Questions

1.Which country is considered to be the inventor of noodles?

2.The first concrete written records of noodles can be dated back to which dynasty?

3.What are the representative noodles in the Gansu Province?

4.What is the basic raw material for making noodles?

Answers

1.China.

2.Eastern Han Dynasty.

3.Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles.

4.Flour.

英语笔译 何丽娜 He Lina 202170081569

Ancient Chinese Civilization--the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City
He Lina

Introduction

The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City(良渚古城遗址)(ca. 3300-2300 BC),is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, and belongs to the late Neolithic archaeological culture. According to archaeological findings, the Liangzhu site is characterized by its exquisite jade, stone and black pottery craftsmanship which embody its social etiquette system, early urban planning and large-scale engineering construction as well as its social organization system, and the world's earliest large-scale plowed rice farming and early specialization of handicraft industry. (Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:2) In addition, as a representative site of large prehistoric settlements in East Asia in the history of human civilization, the Liangzhu Site in China was approved for inclusion in the World Heritage List on July 6, 2019. This article will make a brief introduction and the summary in some aspects from geography, archaeological discovery, heritage elements of the Liangzhu ancient city ruins, the value of the heritage and the protection and inheritance of Liangzhu cultural sites, to further explore the extensive and profound influence of Liangzhu culture on Chinese civilization.

Geographical Position

0bf13104dc8815737bfc080cc8e01e5.png

Liangzhu Culture is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River around Taihu Lake （太湖）which are in the southeast of China, and its distribution area is very broad. Its central settlements are clustered in Liangzhu Site, Liangzhu town（良渚镇） and Pingyao Town（瓶窑镇）, Yuhang District（余杭区）, Hangzhou city（杭州市）, Zhejiang Province（浙江省）. Its geographical coordinates are 119°56 '40 "~120°03' 228" EAST longitude, 30°22 '36 "~30°26' 17" north latitude, with a subtropical monsoon climate.(Liangzhu Archaaeological Site)

In terms of topography, Hangzhou is located in the junction zone between low hills which are stretching branches of Tianmu Mountain(天目山) and Hangzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou Plain(杭嘉湖平原), the biggest accumulation plain in Zhejiang Province. And the whole plain is covered with river channels ,which is very suitable for rice cultivation and has convenient water conservancy and transportation.

R-C .jpg

The site distribution area is just situated in the northwest of Hangzhou, enjoying the advantages of its natural geographical location. It is located in the alluvial plain in the transition zone between hills and plains, surrounded by mountains in the west, north and south, with some isolated hills scattered inside.

Archaeological Findings

In 1935, He Tianxing(何天行), a native of Hangzhou, made an investigation in the area where Liangzhu Site is seated and discovered a black pottery plate inscribed with ceramic inscriptions. Later, more than 100 cultural relics were discovered successively, and he wrote one of the earliest archaeological reports in China: Stone Tools and Black Pottery in Liangzhu Town, Hangzhou County. His discovery was the prelude to the archaeological culture of Liangzhu Culture. On this basis, after a year of arduous investigation, Shi Xingeng（施昕更） from The West Lake Museum in Zhejiang Province carried out several archaeological excavations near Liangzhu Town in 1936, and collected a number of prehistoric remains characterized by black pottery. In 1938, he published the book: Liangzhu: Preliminary Report on the Site of Black Pottery in the Second District of Hangzhou County. Their discovery caused a stir in Chinese academic circles, which greatly promoted the study of Yangtze Civilization and the development of fledgling Chinese archaeology. In 1959, Xia Nai(夏鼐), a researcher of the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, officially named these findings Liangzhu Culture. (Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:11-14)

After that, until the 1980s, a large number of sites were successively discovered in the Taihu Basin（太湖流域） around the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However, these sites were very scattered, and archaeologists' understanding of these sites was still in the initial stage on which the archaeologists only focused on single sites and failed to form an overall understanding.

From 1986 to 2006, with the excavations of Fanshan Royal Tomb (反山王陵)(1986) and Yaoshan Tomb（瑶山墓葬） (1987), many exquisite jade articles representing high status were unearthed, which made a major breakthrough in archaeology of Liangzhu site and gradually formed the concept of "Liangzhu Site Group". In 2007, the ruins of the ancient city were discovered. Later, the outer city of Liangzhu ancient City was preliminarily confirmed in 2010. After 5 years, Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology discovered and confirmed a large water conservancy system outside the ancient city. (Wang Ningyuan 2016:106)

With the efforts of the archaeological staff over the years, the ancient city of Liangzhu has been clearly shown to the world bit by bit, and the value of Liangzhu culture in the academic world has also been rising, exerting a world-class influence.

Heritage Elements of Liangzhu Ancient City Site

The results of archaeological excavation and research show that the Liangzhu ancient city site is large in scale, complex in type and rich in connotation, and the overall value of its heritage is jointly carried by the city site, peripheral water conservancy system, hierarchical cemetery (including altar) and unearthed artifacts represented by Liangzhu jade ware.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

1. The Ancient City Site (古城遗址)

He.jpg

The ancient city site is the core area of the Liangzhu site. The spatial layout of the city site is a centriped-type triple structure, which is composed of three groups of man-made remains including palace area, inner city and outer city, from inside to outside.

The palace area, located in the center of the inner city, consists of three major elevated ruins: Mojiaoshan(莫角山), Chizhongsi(池中寺) and Huangfenshan（皇坟山）. According to investigation, it should be the area where the ruling class of Liangzhu Kingdom lived. Mojiaoshan palace area is the largest area of the three platforms. Seated in the center of the ancient city, it is a man-made rectangular earth platform, about 670 meters long from east to west, 450 meters wide from north to south, with an area of nearly 300,000 spare meters, occupying 1/10 of the area of the ancient city. The investigation shows that the height of the artificial platform in the east of Mojiao Mountain is about 10~12 meters, and that in the west is about 2~6 meters. Mojiao Mountain platform can be divided into three smaller ones: Big Mojiaoshan(大莫角山), Little Mojiao shan(小莫角山) and Wuguishan(乌龟山), which are the main base of the palace. As can be seen from the picture, Big Mojiaoshan is located in the northeast of the Mojiaoshan Palace area, while Little Mojiaoshan is located in the northwest and Wuguishan is in the southwest. There is also a wide area between the three platforms serving as the sand and soil square, presumably the site for some important ceremonial activities.To the south of the Wuguishan platform is the Chizhongsi platform where nearly 100,000 kg of carbonized rice and a reservoir have been excavated, which can be inferred to be the main storage area. To the east of the area is Huangfenshan platform which is also a palace base site according to investigation.(Liang Wei,2020:3)

The inner city is surrounded by four walls, east, west, north and south. It is an irregular rectangle with rounded corners, about 1,910 meters long from north to south and 1,770 meters wide from east to west, with a total area of about 300 hectares. The total length of the wall is about 6km, with a width ranging from 20 to 150 meters and a proximate height of 4 meters. Alongside the ancient city wall on the east, west and north sides run rivers outside of the city. What's more, close to the inside of the wall many man-made channels are found in the inner city, forming a very complex river network system. After archaeological exploration of these walls, a total of 9 gates were found, among which only one land gate was located in the southern wall, and the rest were water gates. There are two water gates on each side of the city wall, which are connected with all water systems. These water gates connect the city river inside and outside the ancient city, forming a convenient water conservancy and transportation pattern.(Liang Wei,2020:3)

The inner city was found with many platforms in addition to the central palace area. After archaeological excavation, some platforms are the royal burial site while others are speculated to be the areas for the residents in the ancient city to live and work for a large number of remains of manufacturing materials related to jade production such as jade,jade drilling and black quartz piece, wood ware as well as paint bone artifacts were unearthed. Through such scraps, it can be inferred that except for the farmers, there were also a large number of artisans who worked in the handicrafts workshops manufacturing jade and stone productions.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

2. Water Conservancy System on the Outskirts（古城外围水利系统）

During the period from 1995 to 2015, a huge water conservancy system composed of multiple dams was gradually found outside the ancient city of Liangzhu. Located in Pingyao town, the water system is distributed in the north and west of Liangzhu Ancient City, and is currently found to be composed of 11 dams. This large-scale water conservancy system is connected with the internal and external waterways of the ancient city. It is speculated that it should be an organic part of the unified planning and design at the beginning of the construction of Liangzhu Ancient City with the help of natural geographical advantages.(Liangzhu Museum)

These dams can be divided into three categories according to their different forms and locations: Embankments in front of the Mountains(山前长堤), High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley(谷口高坝) and Low Dams on the Plain(平原低坝).(Liangzhu Museum)

High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley: a total of 6 dam sites have been found in the mouth of the valley about 11 kilometers northwest to Liangzhu Ancient City site, which can be divided into two groups: east and west. Each group blocks one valley mouth as a flood barrier. The eastern group includes sites of Zhoujiafan(周家畈), Laohuling(老虎岭) and Ganggongling(岗公岭); The western group includes Qiuwu(秋坞), Shiwu(石坞) and Mifenglong(蜜蜂垄) sites. The distance between the east and west is not far, about 2.3 kilometers, and the earthwork volume of the whole high dam area is about 60 cubic meters. According to the survey, High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley were built in about 3100-3000 BC, through which it can be inferred that the rulers of the ancient city of Liangzhu had taken the water conservancy construction into consideration at the beginning of the construction of the ancient city, reflecting the ruler's strong ability to organize the society and to play the layout of a city and demonstrating a highly developed degree of civilization.(Wang Ningyuan,2019:31)

Low Dams on the Plain: this dam area is located in the southwest side of the ancient city site, composed of four sites including Wutonglong(梧桐弄), Guanshan(官山), Liyushan(鲤鱼山), Shizishan(狮子山), with different lengths ranging from 140 to 400 meters and a total earthwork volume of 30 cubic meters. Built between separate hills, these four dikes are connected with these hills, forming a closed barrier which cut off the otherwise wide body of water to form a huge reservoir.(Wang Ningyuan,2019:31)

Embankments in front of the Mountains: the Embankments in front of the Mountains, also known as Tangshan Site(塘山遗址), is located in front of the mountain about 2km north to Liangzhu Ancient City, with a total length of about 5km from east to west. It is the largest single site of the water conservancy system outside liangzhu Ancient City site, and its earthwork volume is about 198 cubic meters. Tangshan dam is different from the other two dam areas for it has a north-south double dam structure. The compound dam has a high ridge of soil at the east and west ends as well as in the middle, forming two closed reservoirs. The Embankments in front of the Mountains has a great protective effect on the ancient city. Once torrents of water rush down the mountain to the north of the ancient city, it can serve as a buffer against the flood.(Wang Ningyuan,2019:31)

Archeologically, these dams may have served as a combination of flood control, transportation and water use. These dams were connected with the river in the ancient city and had a great impact on the work and lives of the residents in their times. It can be said that Liangzhu water conservancy system is the earliest large-scale water conservancy project in China with a highly degree of integrity. This system fully shows the development degree of Chinese prehistoric civilization and is an important embodiment of Chinese ancient civilization.

3. Graded Cemeteries（分等级墓地）

There are also large and small cemeteries in and around liangzhu ancient city, among which five well-preserved and representative cemeteries are Fanshan Cemetery(反山墓地), Yaoshan Cemetery(瑶山墓地), Jiangjiashan Cemetery(姜家山墓地), Wenjiashan cemetery(文家山墓地) and Bianjiashan cemetery(卞家山墓地). Except that Yaoshan cemetery was discovered outside the ancient city ruins, the other four were excavated in the ancient city.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

Fanshan Cemetery:it is located on a high ground in the northwest of the ancient city, east to the Mojiaoshan Palace area. A total of 11 noble tombs were cleared through archaeological excavations, roughly in two rows, one in the north and another in the south, with the two highest ranking tombs in the middle. Along with the excavation of cemeteries, a large number of funerary goods were unearthed, including jade, stone tools and pottery, among which jade wares were the most abundant. At the same time, the number of jade articles unearthed in the Fanshan Cemetery is also the largest among several cemeteries, and the production techniques are the most exquisite. It can be identified that the Fanshan Cemetery is the highest grade cemetery in Liangzhu culture so far, which is slightly later than the Yaoshan Cemetery.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

Yaoshan Cemetery: located about 5000 meters northeast to the ancient city site, it is divided into two parts: an altar and a cemetery. Archaeological excavations cleared 13 large tombs of nobles, which were divided into two rows on the south side of the altar. Yaoshan cemetery and Fanshan cemetery belong to high grade cemetery.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

Jiangjiashan Cemetery: this cemetery is also located to the west side of Mojiaoshan in the central area of Liangzhu city, and is in the south of the Fanshan Cemetery. After the archaeological excavation, the cemetery was cleared out of 17 tombs, including the large tombs of nobles and the tombs of civilians and children with fewer burial goods, so it is archaeologically speculated that it should be the family cemetery of nobles.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

Wenjiashan Cemetery: it is located in a small mound slope on the west side of the outer city. The cemetery was cleared out of 18 tombs, and tombs of different grades coexist. so it is archaeologically speculated that it should be a lower grade noble family cemetery.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)


Bianjiashan Cemetery: located on the artificial terrace of the settlement area in the south of the outer city, 66 tombs have been excavated. There is no obvious sequence of these tombs, and they are all low-ranking civilian tombs. It is speculated that they should belong to public tombs.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)


The excavations of these tombs are of breakthrough significance in the archaeological activities of Liangzhu culture. Archaeological researchers divided these tombs into four grades: high grade, the higher level, the intermediate and low level on the basis of the locations of the five cemeteries, the distribution and the arrangement of the tombs, and unearthed artifacts with the shape, number, etc., revealing there have been a more clear and complex social hierarchy in the Liangzhu period, for early tangible evidence of the existence of regional countries.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

4. The Unearthed Objects Represented by Liangzhu Jade Ware

Along with the excavations of cemeteries and the discovery of ancient city sites, a large number of movable relics of Liangzhu ancient city site have been unearthed. These relics are not only large in number, but also rich in variety. They are mainly jade wares, pottery, lacquer wares, stone tools, bamboo wares, bone and horn wares and so on which were found in graded graveyards, river channels and handicraft workshops, reflecting the social life of Liangzhu residents from the ruling class down to the common people and providing solid material evidence for archeologists to restore the civilization of prehistoric times. Among these relics, the number of jade articles unearthed far outweighs other remains. At the same time, these jade craftsmanship is exquisite, which not only reflects the superb skills of craftsmen in the ancient city of Liangzhu, but also testifies to the degree of civilization at that time. Jade has been an integral part of traditional Chinese culture since ancient times and is regarded as a symbol of royal power and divine power. Judging from a large number of jade articles unearthed in Liangzhu Ancient City site, the idea of divine right of kings and theocracy had already appeared in Liangzhu ancient City period, and the ritual system of the early state also began to take shape.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

These jades were mainly unearthed in hierarchical cemeteries with an amount not less than 7000 and a great variety of models, mainly including jade cong(玉琮), jade yue(玉钺), jade bi(玉璧), y-shaped jade wares（三叉型玉器）,jade bracelet（玉镯）, jade weaving wares（玉织具）, etc. In addition, some jades were found carved into birds, turtles, fish, cicadas and other animal.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)

Jade cong is the most important and representative jade ware in Liangzhu culture. This kind of jade is cylindrical, round and hollow inside and square outside with four symmetrical triangular shaped convex surface, implying Liangzhu ancestors' primitive world view that heaven is round and earth is square. The four convex surfaces are engraved with special symbols, the upper part of which is the image of a crested god, the middle is the face of a beast with round eyes and fangs, and the lower part is the claw of a bird, expressing the worship and yearning for the god behind it (generally believed to be the god of sun). Cong is also the most influential jade with the widest distribution.(Liangzhu Archaeological Site)


Jade bi is the largest jade ware of Liangzhu culture in unit area, and it is also one of the typical representatives of Liangzhu culture jade ware and even Chinese jade ware. The aperture of this kind of perforated oblate jade ware is usually no more than half of its diameter. Most of them are plain jade, but some of them are engraved with the bird and the sun. It is mentioned in "Rites of Zhou" 《周礼》that jade bi is a special sacrificial vessel made of jade for offering sacrifices to heaven, and the large jade bi found in the site of Yaoshan cemetery as an altar seems to prove this point.(Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:25-26)

Jade yue, shaped like an axe, is also an important part of Liangzhu jade ware.The earliest yue(钺) may have been a stone axe. The jade yue of Liangzhu culture generally has two types: long trapezoidal jade yue (长方梯行钺)and narrow trapezoidal jade yue（扁方梯形钺）. Generally, there is only one jade yue in a tomb, which is far less in number than jade cong and jade bi. It is mainly unearthed in high-level male tombs, considered to be a symbol of royal power or military commander's power. (Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:26)

The Heritage Value of Liangzhu Ancient City Site

Due to the limited scale of archaeological excavation, many connotations and details of Liangzhu ancient city site have not been completely and clearly revealed and presented, all of which are still waiting for further archaeological research. But there are indications that early regional states have emerged in the Circum-Taihu region around the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China between 3300 and 2300 BC. This is much earlier than the Xia(夏), Shang(商) and Zhou(周) dynasties, which are widely known, and is a strong testament to the long and profound history of Chinese civilization.(Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:166)

The layout of the ancient city of Liangzhu from the inside to the outside of the three layers of space and the grading of the cemetery size indicate that in the Liangzhu period, there had been a multi-level social stratification and the combination of theocratic and royal political rule. A large number of funerary jade articles and special tatoo of gods, humans and beasts were the spiritual and cultural representation of that time, thus establishing the early social etiquette system. The carbonized rice and handicraft remains found in archaeological sites also indicate that the Liangzhu society not only developed rice-farming and plough agriculture, but also developed handicraft industry to a certain extent, reflecting the social division of labor at that time. The construction of large-scale water conservancy project has unique planning features and construction technology of "water city", which is an outstanding example of combining artificial technologies and nature for survival and development of Liangzhu ancestors, and represents their ability to use land and river network in plain area in the early stage of East Asia.(Zhou Yin,Wu Jin,2004:166)

On July 6, 2019, the Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City was inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 43rd World Heritage Conference held in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, showing the great river civilization in the Yangtze River basin of China to the world.

Protection and Inheritance

1. Protection Comes First

Before the 1980s, the development of the town where the site is located was slow, and the contradiction between the protection of the site and urbanization development were not prominent. Local people also attached great importance to the protection of the site. In 1961, the Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City was announced as a key cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province. Later, with the development of the times, the local economy developed rapidly and the progress of urbanization accelerated, which undoubtedly caused some difficulties for the archaeological exploration and protection of the site. However, the local government has been supporting the archaeological undertaking, and established a special protection agency: Yuhang Liangzhu Cultural Site Management Institute(余杭县良渚文化遗址管理所) in 1987. Later, the national road near the site was diverted and a printing plant was relocated for archaeological excavation work. In addition, the government of Hangzhou and Yuhang District also formulated many policies and regulations for site protection, and established and improved an effective management mechanism. The government strengthens the training of professional knowledge, protection management techniques, strengthen heritage protection management monitoring and other means to implement conservation management, so that heritage can be effectively protected. (c.f:Zhou Su,2020)

In addition, the ancient city site is not isolated, but organically integrated with its surrounding natural geographical environment. Therefore, the protection of the site is not limited to its body, but should also pay attention to the protection of the natural environment around the site, protecting the mountainous vegetation and wetlands around the site, and closing the ore factories around the site, and etc.(Zhou Su,2020:)


2. Cultural Display and Dissemination The ruins of Liangzhu ancient City is of great academic value and should also let more people appreciate this prehistoric civilization. On-site displays and pavilion displays are great to help people learn about this excellent culture. The Liangzhu Museum was first constructed and opened in 1994, and then rebuilt with the further development of Liangzhu archaeological work. It was redeveloped in 2018. The Liangzhu Site National Park can display the Liangzhu culture in an all-round way to visitors. By giving full play to the main function of the national archaeological site park, the site can be better "alive", so that the most basic cultural gene of the Chinese nation can adapt to the contemporary culture and coordinate with the modern society.(Zhou Su,2020:)


3.Promoting Integrated Development

On the premise of ensuring the safety of cultural relics and the priority of archaeology, overall consideration should be given to the land use, such as population distribution, industrial layout, public facilities and infrastructure allocation around the sites, so as to realize the integrated development of historical sites and urban and rural areas. With the development of economy, the level of education can also be improved, so as to further enhance the public's awareness of the preservation of the site.(c.f:Zhou Su,2020)

References

Liang Wei梁伟.(2020).良渚古城的规划及其深远影响研究[The Urban Planning and Prehistorical Liangzhu City]. 现代城市研究 Modern Urban Research(01):2-8.

Wang Ningyuan王宁远(2016).良渚古城及外围水利系统的遗址调查与发掘[Survey and Excavation of the Water Conservancy System in Liangzhu City and Surroundings].遗产与保护研究 Research on Heritages and Preservation(05):102-110.

Wang Ningyuan王宁远(2019).比三个西湖还大的史前巨作——良渚古城外围水利系统发现纪实[A prehistoric masterpiece larger than three West Lakes: a documentary of the discovery of the water conservancy system outside the ancient city of Liangzhu]. 杭州(周刊) Hangzhou Weekly(26),26-31.

Zhou Yin,Wu Jin周膺、吴晶(2004).中国5000年文明第一证：良渚文化与良渚古国[The First Evidence of The 5000-Year Civilization of China: Liangzhu Culture and Early State of Liangzhu].Hangzhou: Zhejiang University Press浙江大学出版社.

Zhou Su周苏(2020).良渚古城遗址保护管理实践概述[Overview of Conservation and Management Practice of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City].自然与文化遗产研究Study on Natural and Cultural Heritage(03):36-46.

服务-良渚博物院 [lzmuseum.cn]https://www.lzmuseum.cn/FuWuZhiNan/index.html

良渚遗址官网[Liangzhu Archaeologial site].https://www.lzsite.cn/classinfo.aspx?classid=1

Terms and expressions

The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址

late Neolithic archaeological culture 新石器时代晚期的考古文化

social etiquette system 社会礼仪制度

World Heritage List 世界自然遗产名录

the Circum-Taihu Lake Area太湖流域

geographical coordinates 地理坐标

accumulation plain 堆积平原

alluvial plain 冲积平原，沉积平原

Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology浙江省文物考古研究所

the Ancient City Site 古城遗址

a centriped-type triple structure 一个中心型三层结构

carbonized rice 碳化水稻

Water Conservancy System on the Outskirts古城外围水利系统

Embankments in front of the Mountains山前长堤

High Dams at the Mouth of the Valley谷口高坝

Low Dams on the Plain平原低坝

earthwork volume 土方量

Graded Cemeteries分等级墓地

"Rites of Zhou" 《周礼》

jade cong玉琮

jade yue玉钺

jade bi玉璧

y-shaped jade wares三叉型玉器

jade bracelet玉镯

jade weaving wares玉织具

long trapezoidal jade yue 长方梯行钺

narrow trapezoidal jade yue扁方梯形钺

multi-level social stratification 多层次社会分层

Questions

1.When was the Archaeological Ruins of Ancient Liangzhu City approved for inclusion in the World Heritage List?

2. Where is the Liangzhu Culture located?

3. Which cemetery does also serve as a altar?

4.Were there only farmers in the ancient Liangzhu city? Why?

5.What is the symbol of jade yue? And where is it often discovered?

Answers

1. It was approved on July 6, 2019.

2.Liangzhu Culture is located in the Circum-Taihu Lake Area in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River which are in the southeast of China.

3. Yaoshan Cemetery.

4. No, there existed artisans in the ancient Liangzhu city. Because many handicraft remains found in archaeological sites.

5.It is mainly unearthed in high-level male tombs, considered to be a symbol of royal power or military commander's power.

英语笔译 胡良明 Hu Liangming 202170081570

A Study of the English Translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong Under Three Beauties Principle
Hu Liangming

Abstract

Qu Yuan’s Chu Ci is the first collection of romantic poetry in China, which has a very important position in the history of Chinese literature. In the middle and late 19th century, with the constant contacts and communication between China and foreign countries, domestic and foreign translators began to study and translate the Chu Ci and produced many indepth works. This thesis takes the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong as the research object, takes the Three Beauties Principle as theoretical basis, uses contrastive method, literature research and text analysis method, and analyses the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong from three aspects: beauty in sound, beauty in form and beauty in sense. It is found that Xu Yuanchong used rhetorical devices such as onomatopoeia, repetition, simile, personification and so on to reflect Three Beauties Principle in the process of translating Chu Ci into Chinese. The study can promote[?] the translation of Chinese classical literature by translators at home and abroad, thus promoting[?] the cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, and embody the advantages of Chinese literary theory in ancient Chinese ancient translation, which has an important[?] guiding role for future literary translation.

Key words

Chu Ci, Xu Yuanchong, Three Beauties Principle

Introduction

The Original meaning of Chu Ci is the words of Chu, which gradually evolved into two meanings: one is the genre of poetry, and the other is the name of the collection of poems. In the beginning, Chu Ci is a new poetry genre founded by Qu Yuan. The works use the literary style of Chu (now around Hu Nan province and Hu Bei province), describing the mountains and rivers and historical customs of Chu, with strong local characteristics. In the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang edited Qu Yuan’s works and Song Yu’s works into a collection called Chu Ci. It is a very important collection of romantic poems and songs in the history of Chinese literature, with its unrestrained feelings, strange imagination, rich local characteristics of Chu and myth. Since Qu Yuan’s works came into being, people began the research of them and the history of research has lasted more than 2000 years. However, the study on English translation of Chi Ci was short. Until the 19th century, people began to pay more and more attention to the translation of Chu Ci. There are many people who have translated Chu Ci at home and abroad. For example, Yang Xianyi and his wife, Sun Dayu, Zhuo Zhenying, Xu Yuanchong and so on. And there are many foreign translators, such as Edward Harper Parker, Herbert Giles, James Legge, Arthur Waley and many other people. Among so many English translated versions of Chu Ci, the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong is the most classic. He translated Chu Ci with his Three Beauties Principle and combined the translation with Chinese culture. At present, few scholars have studied the relationship between Xu Yuanchong’s English translation of Chu Ci and the Three Beauties Principle theory. Therefore, it is of a great significance to explore the mutual confirmation between Three Beauties Principle and the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong.

Literature Review

Chu Ci is a new poetry genre founded by Qu Yuan in the Warring States Period. The works use the literary style of Chu (now around Hu Nan province and Hu Bei province), describing the mountains and rivers and historical customs of Chu, which has unique characteristics. In the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang edited Qu Yuan’ s works and Song Yu’s works into a collection, which was called Chu Ci. It has become a collection of poems with far reaching-reaching influence on Chinese literature after The Book of Songs. The original meaning of Chu Ci was the words of Chu, and it gradually evolved into two meanings: one is the genre of poetry, and the other is the name of poetry collection(in a certain extent, it also represents the literature of Chu). As far as poetry genre is concerned, it is a new poetic style founded by Qu Yuan as a representative poet in the late Warring States Period on the basis of Chu folk songs. As far as the name of the collection in the style of Chu Ci edited by Liu Xiang in the Han Dynasty on the basis of predecessors, it included 16 works written by Qu Yuan and Song Yu of Chu people in the Warring States Period and by Jia Yi, Zhuang Ji, Dong Fangshuo and Liu Xiang in the Han Dynasty. The main author of Chu Ci is Qu Yuan, he created immortal works such as Li Sao, Nine Chapters, Nine Songs and so on. The form of poetry is processed and formed on the basis of Chu folk songs, and a large number of local customs and dialects of Chu are quoted in the poems. The historical legends, mythological stories, customs and habits involved in the works, as well as the artistic means and the rich lyrical style are all marked with Chu culture. These are the basic characteristics of Chu Ci, and they are an important part of Chu culture that complements the Central Plains culture. Chu Ci occupies an important position in the history of Chinese poetry. Its appearance broke two or three centuries’ silence after the Book of Songs, and shined brilliantly in poetry circles. Chu Ci not only opened up the following Fu style, but also influenced the prose creation of the following dynasties. It is the source of active romantic poetry creation. Tao Yuanming and Li Bai of later generations are all affected by it. Since Qu Yuan’s works came into being, people began the research of them and the history of research has lasted more than 2000 years. However, the study of English translation of Chi Ci was short. Until the 19th century, people began to pay more and more attention to the translation of Chu Ci. There are many people who have translated Chu Ci at home and abroad. At home, such as Yang Xianyi and his wife, Sun Dayu and Xu Yuanchong all have translated Chu Ci. There are many foreign translators, such as Arthur Waley, David Hawkes and some other people. At home, Yang Xianyi and his wife published the English translation of Li Sao and some other poems of Chu Ci by Foreign Languages Press in 1955, Xu Yuanchong published the English Translation of the complete works of Chu Ci by Hunan People’s Publishing House and China Translation and Publishing Corporation in 1994 and 2005 respectively, Zhuo Zhenying published Chinese Classic· Chu Region in Chinese and English by Hunan People’s Publishing House in 2006, and Sun Dayu published Selected poems of Qu Yuan by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press in 2007. In the western countries, Edward Harper Parker’s The Sadness of Separation, or Li Sao was regarded as the earliest English version related to the anthology and it was published in The China Review: or Notes and Queries on the Far East in 1879. In 1884 Gems of Chinese Literature was published by Herbert Giles in Shanghai, he selectively translated Bu Ju, Yu Fu, Shan Gui and so on in his bo. In 1895, for the purpose of preaching, Li Sao, Guo Shang and Li Hun was translated by James Legge as Confucian classics and published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. In 1919, Arthur Waley selectively translated Guo Shang and Da Zhao in his anthologies A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems and More Translations from Chinese. He also translated Jiu Ge into English in 1955. In 1959, David Hawkes’s The Songs of the South was published by the Oxford University Press, which is the most authoritative English translation of Chu Ci in the West.

Methods and Theories

Three Beauties Principle is originated from Lun Xun’s opinion. He put forward the theory of Three Beauties in Chinese literary creation in his article From Words to Articles. The original text is: Beauty in sense is to feel from the heart, this is the first step; beauty in sound is to feel from the ears, this is the second step; and beauty in form is to feel from the eyes, this is the third step. Xu Yuanchong of Peking University transplanted this theory into translation theory and formed his own Three Beauties Principle for poetry translation. According to Xu, “I applied Lu Xun’s ‘three beauties’ to translation and it is ‘three beauties’ principle on poetry translation. That is to say, the rendition should move the readers as the original, this is beauty in meaning; it should have rhyme pleasant to ear as the original, this is beauty in sound; the translators should try to keep the original form (such as the length of poetic lines and antithesis), this is beauty in form.” In 1979, Xu Yuanchong raised the poetry translation theory of beauty in meaning, beauty in sound and beauty in form in the preface of the version of Mao Zedong’s Poetry. Which marks the birth of Xu Yuanchong’s Three Beauties Principle. Xu Yuanchong raised this theory on the basis of sixty years’ experience in poetry translation. When this principle came into being, it is received wide attention. Xu Yuanchong has also grasped and got inspiration from other translators’ opinions or theories. Such as Yan Fu’s theory of “faithful, expressiveness and elegance” and Qian Zhongshu’s translation theory of “The Translation Art of Hua”. However, it is not easy to do this, which is why Xu Yuanchong was praised by his teacher, Qian Zhongshu, who is a master of Chinese and western learning: “ You dance with the shackles of rhyme and cadence, which is flexible and amazing.”

Beauty in Sound

Beauty in Sound refers to the rhyme and smoothness of poetry. It means the translated poems should keep the same melodious rhythm as the original poems. The beauty of sound is composed of rhymes, rhythms and tones. Generally speaking, poetry emphasizes the beauty of sound. Xu Yuanchong pays attention to sound because it is very important in poetry. Xu thinks that it is reasonable to use rhyme in hundred years because there are few Chinese poems with more than 200 lines. As we all know, poetry is written in a language with harmonious rhythm. Harmonious rhythm and rhyme play an important role in poetry. According to Xu, poetry should have rhythm, be written fluently and sound pleasing to the ear, which is the beauty of Sound. Generally speaking, the translation of phonetic features is the most difficult to achieve, because different languages, especially English and Chinese, have different sound systems. In poetry translation, Professor Xu believes that the English version of Chinese classical poetry should and must have unique characteristics. Although Chinese and English poems have their own metrical systems and rhyming schemes to form the musicality of poetry, equivalence can be achieved by translating Chinese poems into English iambic, inflection, fingering or anaphora. In a word, we only use the weak beat and strong beat in English translation instead of the flat beat in Chinese. As long as the adoption of rhythm does not sacrifice consciousness, the translator should transplant the rhythm of the original work; This is especially true in the translation of Chinese classical poetry, because rhyme is an important feature of poetry. In this case, the beauty of sound will not be lost, so that readers can experience the same artistic feelings as local readers. The word homeoteleuton means “similarity in endings,” and in this device words, phrases or clauses in close succession end with the same ending suffix or syllable. In the English translation of Chu Ci by Xu Yuanchong, he used the rhetorical device of homeoteleuton to reflect Beauty in sound. However, the rhyme scheme of the translation is not equivalent with the original poem. e.g.1 君不行兮夷犹，蹇谁留兮中洲？美要眇兮宜修，沛吾乘兮桂舟。 Why don’t you come, oh! Still hesitating? For whom on midway isle, oh! Are you waiting? Duly adorned, Oh! And fair, I float. On rapid stream, oh! My cassia boat. In the original text, the first sentence rhymes with third sentence and the second sentence rhymes with the fourth sentence. It is the rhyme style of abab. However, in the translation, “hesitating” rhymes with “waiting”, “float” rhymes with “boat”, it is the rhyme style of aabb. These words show Mrs Xiang’s anxiety while waiting for Xiang Jun. Also, after using this rhetorical device, poetry is more catchy to read. e.g.2 荪壁兮紫坛，播芳椒兮成堂。桂栋兮兰橑，辛夷楣兮药房。 In purple court, oh! thyme decks the wall; With fragrant pepper, oh! is spread the hall. Pillars of cassia, oh! stand upright, And rooms smeel sweet, oh! with clover white. In the original text, the second sentence rhymes with the fourth sentence, and it is the rhyme style of abcb. However, in the translation, “wall” rhymes with “hall”, “upright” rhymes with “white”, it is the rhyme style of abab. These words describe the good environment where Mrs Xiang lives, thus praising the hero’s noble character.

Beauty in Form

Beauty in Form refers to neat rows and lengths and neat confrontation. It means that the translated poems should keep the same form (length, antithesis) as the original poems. Form is unique to poetry, and it is a remarkable feature between poetry and other literary genres. Only the lines of poetry are arranged according to a certain set of rules, especially Chinese classical poetry. As for beauty in form, it is mainly about length and symmetry. Chinese poetry emphasizes balance, symmetry and harmony. For example, in an eight-line poem, the middle four lines should form two couplets, in which each character in the first line should be compared with the corresponding character in the next line in meaning, part of speech and tone. On the relationship between formal beauty and the other two kinds of beauty, Xu Yuanchong explained that among the three beauties, the beauty of meaning is the most important, the beauty of sound is the second, and the beauty of form is the third. However,'beauty in form' is essential; Beauty in sense and beauty in form constitute the unity of contradiction. On one hand, a good form should serve good content. Without good content, no matter how good the form is, it is useless. On the other hand, the content should be expressed in a good form; Otherwise, the inner beauty of the original poem will be destroyed. On the premise of "beauty in meaning" and "beauty in sound", we should try our best to convey "beauty in form", so that these three beauties in the version can be realized. However, if these three can't be realized at the same time, we should give up the beauty in sound and form, but realize the beauty in sense. Therefore, Xu put forward a request to himself, that is, to try his best to convey the beauty of form and harmony on the premise of conveying the beauty of meaning. Antithesis is the deliberate arrangement of contrasting words or ideas in balanced structural forms to achieve force and emphasis. The form of the expression is very important for effect, for the force of the emphasis, whether for profundity of judgement, for humor or for satire, depends chiefly on the juxtaposition of direct opposites, of glaring contrasts. e.g.1 朝搴阰之木兰兮，夕揽洲之宿莽。 At dawn I gather mountain grass, oh! At dusk I pick secluded one. In the original text, 朝 corresponds to 暮，搴corresponds to 揽，阰之木兰corresponds to 洲之宿莽. Similarly, in the translation, “at dawn” corresponds to “at dusk”, “gather” corresponds to “pick”, and “mountain grass corresponds to “secluded one”. The structure between every two poems is very neat, subject corresponds to subject, adverbial corresponds to adverbial, and noun corresponds to noun. The author uses this rhetorical device, the beauty in rhyme in the poem is reflected. Also, the poem becomes more concise, symmetrical and elegant. e.g.2 朝骋鹜兮江皋，夕弭节兮北渚。鸟次兮屋上，水周兮堂下。 At dawn I drive my cab, oh！By riverside; At dusk on northern isle, oh! I stop my ride. Under the eaves, oh! the birds reposed; Around the house, oh! the river flows. In the original text, 朝 corresponds to 夕，屋上corresponds to 堂下. Similarly, in the translation, “at dawn” corresponds to “at dusk”, “under the eaves” corresponds to “around the house”. The structure between every two poems is very neat, subject corresponds to subject, adverbial corresponds to adverbial, and noun corresponds to noun. In addition, the translator mentions “on northern isle” in the first half of the sentence, which provides convenience for the rhyme of aabb of the whole poem.

Beauty in Sense

Beauty in Sense refers to the beauty of content. It means the translated poems should keep the same meaning as the original poems and move people with meaning. Xu (1984) thinks that the foundation of the three beauties is three similarities, namely, similarity in meaning, similarity in sound and similarity in form. In order to seek similarity in meaning, translators should convey the meaning of the original text without misinterpreting or increasing readers' thoughts. Generally speaking, the similarity in meaning can be equated with the beauty in meaning of the original text. However, sometimes the similarity in meaning and beauty in meaning are contradictory, and the similarity in meaning cannot convey the beauty in meaning of the original text. This is because the sense of beauty is caused by association or some historical reasons; Therefore, the target readers will not have the same connection with the authors, because they do not have the same historical background. Often, in that case, beauty in meaning is difficult to translate. As for some beautiful words in Chinese, it is difficult to find equivalent words in English. This is because the beauty in meaning is sometimes combined by the beauty in sound and the beauty in form, not just the similarity in meaning. Although the beauty in meaning is based on the similarity in meaning, the beauty in meaning lies in the deep layer, while the similarity in meaning lies in the surface structure. For example, when Xu Yuanchong (2004) translated Li Shangyin's famous poem Untitled Poem, he translated "春蚕到死丝方尽" into “silkworm till its death spin silk from love-sick heart”. Because of Three Beauties Principle is put forward for Tang poetry and Song lyrics, Xu created a beautiful picture full of images with his simple language.

Conclusion

This paper proves that Three Beauties Principle has guiding significance for the translation of Chu Ci and other Chinese classical literature; Therefore, the communication between China and other countries is better conducted. In this thesis, the author uses a whole chapter to illustrate how the translator conveys the beauty in meaning, sound and form in the translation by various methods. In order to translate beauty in meaning, translators should properly handle and translate images, rhetoric and characters. All these require translators to have a good understanding of Chinese traditional literature and Chinese culture. And translators should be very careful when dealing with these things. In order to translate the beauty in sound, translators should have a good understanding of the rhythm and rhymes of both Chinese and English. Rhyme is a bit complicated, including ending rhyme, alliteration and onomatopoeia. Translators can properly translate the rhythm and prosody of one language into that of another. Xu believes that beauty in form includes line length, confrontation, duplication and so on. Therefore, in order to convey the beauty in form, translators should pay attention to the length and balance of sections and lines. As the most important thing in the world, Three Beauty Principle also has its shortcomings. However, from the examples given in this paper, the narration and explanation of this theory, and the nature of translation theory and poetic language, the Three Beauties Principle is a good principle. It has certain guiding significance for future poetry translation.

References

  • [1]Feng Lilian 冯立茜. 浅议许渊冲“三美原则”在其诗歌翻译中的体现[D]. 成都：成都理工大学，2018.
  • [2]Liu Miqing刘宓庆. 文学翻译论纲[M].武汉：湖北教育出版社，1999.
  • [3]Liu Yuanyuan刘园园. 《楚辞》西方翻译与研究的现状、问题及对策研究[D]. 荆州: 长江大学, 2020.

英语笔译 黄琼 Huang Qiong 202170081571

Bamboo Weaving in Yiyang Hunan
Huang Qiong

Abstract

Yiyang has a subtropical monsoon climate with high temperatures, cold winters and hot summers, and abundant precipitation. Bamboo mostly likes warm and humid climates, and Yiyang has abundant rainfall and heat, which is an ideal ecological environment for bamboo to grow, thus it is also known as the “Bamboo Capital of China”. Bamboo has always been a representative cultural image in China, which not only contains rich cultural values but also its artistic and economic values. Yiyang has a history of bamboo weaving for hundreds of years, and its bamboo products have long been famous, among which “Xiaoyu Bamboo Weaving Art” is a representative list of national intangible cultural heritage projects, and local bamboo products cover all aspects of production and life. This article not only introduces the art of bamboo weaving but also focuses on the process of weaving bamboo mats as an example to show the charm of Bamboo weaving.

Key words

Yiyang, bamboo weaving, Xiaoyu Bamboo Weaving Art, bamboo mat

Literature Review

Yiyang bamboo weaving art is a relative minority topic. More than 60 journals and papers can be found by searching "Yiyang Bamboo" on CNKI, but there are only a few articles, and the general research is not very in-depth. With "Yiyang Bamboo Weaving" as the keyword search, a total of 9 journals, and 13 papers are found. Zhang Jiang Shiqin's Research on the Development of Bamboo Culture Industry in Yiyang describes the development context, environment, current situation, and strategies for promoting the bamboo culture industry. Luo Fen's Research and Development of Yiyang Bamboo Weaving Art mainly introduces Yiyang bamboo weaving art, comprehensively uses various research methods, through sorting out Yiyang traditional bamboo weaving art, tries to put forward good solutions to the existing problems and follow-up development of Yiyang bamboo weaving. Jiang Xiangdong's Inheritance and Development of Hunan Traditional Bamboo Weaving, based on the actual situation of the development of Hunan traditional bamboo weaving, put forward several countermeasures such as "government support", "intensive management" and "talent training", which has practical guiding significance for the inheritance and development of Hunan traditional bamboo weaving art. Domestic research on Yiyang bamboo weaving art is very limited, there is no foreign paper on Yiyang bamboo weaving. Use "China Bamboo weaving" as the keyword to find literature on Google Scholar. The literature writers are all Chinese with few foreigners studying Bamboo weaving art, let alone Yiyang Bamboo weaving art. In addition, it is difficult to find any further theoretical works on Yiyang bamboo weaving. Moreover, the research on the bamboo weaving art in Yiyang is not comprehensive enough, and there is no in-depth discussion on the characteristics and causes of the bamboo weaving art in Yiyang.

The Introduction to Bamboo weaving and its History

Bamboo is always an important part of Chinese culture, and literati have often used it as imagery to express their high-minded sentiments. Bai Juyi said in The Annals of Bamboo Cultivation: "The root of bamboo is firm, which is to establish the nature of bamboo. When a gentleman sees this nature of bamboo, he thinks of being upright and selfless, and not to be attached to the influential. When a gentleman sees the heart of bamboo, he thinks of accepting all useful things with an open mind. When a gentleman sees its knot, he thinks of refining his character and being consistent, no matter when things are going well or when he encounters danger."(竹性直，直以立身；君子见其性，则思中立不倚者。竹心空，空以体道；君子见其心，则思应虚受者。竹节贞，贞以立志；君子见其节，则思砥砺名行，夷险一致者。) In China, bamboo is both upright and steadfast in character, and also has a verdant and attractive posture, and has been loved by the literati since ancient times, along with plum blossoms and pine trees are known as the "Three Friends of Winter"(岁寒三友). The pine symbolizes evergreen; the bamboo symbolizes the way of a gentleman and the plum symbolizes pure. In addition to bamboo as cultural imagery, bamboo itself has great value. Bamboo has a long history of being used in architectural art. Bamboo buildings are houses of ordinary people. Southwest minorities such as the Dai nationality(傣族) still live in bamboo buildings. The Dai bamboo building is mainly made of bamboo, and the walls are also woven from bamboo, which has high air permeability, so the ventilation of the house is good. Bamboo can also be used as musical instruments. Traditional Chinese musical instruments such as flute（笛子）, xiao(箫 a vertical bamboo flute), sheng（笙 thirteen bamboo tubes of different lengths）, zheng(筝 the ancient Chinese traditional plucking instrument), erhu（二胡 a two-stringed bowed instrument with a lower register than jinghu） are inseparable from bamboo. Word-formation of these instruments shows that they are related to bamboo(⺮，汉字的偏旁部首，读作“竹字头”). A famous calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty, Wang Xizhi, wrote in the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion: "Seated by the bank of brook, people will still regale themselves right by poetizing their mixed feelings and emotions with wine and songs, never mind the absence of melody from string and wind instruments."(It is the translation of Lin Yutang 林语堂：虽无丝竹管弦之盛，一觞一咏，亦足以畅叙幽情) Thus, since ancient China, bamboo has been used to refer to music.

The art of bamboo weaving in China is also popular, and Hunan Yiyang is also a city with a cultural heritage of bamboo art. Bamboo weaving art reflects the wisdom and value of the working people. With the development over hundreds of years, the craft is more and more advanced, not only embodies the essence of Chinese traditional handicraft but is also an important carrier of Hunan culture. In ancient times, restricted by economic conditions and transportation, ancient people could only use local materials to make tools needed for daily life. The origin of bamboo weaving can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. The Neolithic Age refers to the last phase of the Stone Age in archaeology, beginning about 10,000 years ago and ending from 5,000 to 2,000 years ago. During the Gaomiao culture of Hunan province, which dates back to more than 7,000 years ago, a bamboo mat was placed under the skeleton of a female body. There is no visual difference between this bamboo mat and today's bamboo mat products, but it has been charred (Jiang Xiangdong 2019, 146) More than 6,000 years ago, traces of bamboo weaving were found on cultural relics unearthed from Tujiatai site in Nanxian county （a county in Yiyang）during the Daxi Culture period（Pan & Tan 1994, 34）The Daxi culture dates from about 4400 to 3300 BC. The discovery of Daxi culture reveals a regional cultural heritage in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, which is dominated by red pottery and contains colored pottery. Bamboo handles for spears were unearthed from the tomb sites of the Warring States Period. Yiyang bamboo weaving became a trade in the Ming Dynasty and was exported in the Qing Dynasty. The Yiyang Museum also displays bamboo products from the Qing Dynasty, including bird cages, baskets, and so on. In the old days, farmers used to make baskets of bamboo to carry things, make hats to hide from the sun and wind and rain, make backpacks to carry farming things, and bamboo fans made of bamboo became a tool for farmers to avoid the summer heat and keep cool. In summer, after a hard day’s work, farmers lie on top of the deck chair made of bamboo, shaking the fan, chasing away mosquitoes, listening to the cicadas, looking at the moon overhead, and chatting with neighbors. These show that Yiyang bamboo weaving has a long history.

Ancient Bamboo pruducts.jpg Room made of bamboo.jpg

Yiyang' s Natural Environment and Bamboo

Yiyang, a prefectural city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, is located in the central and northern part of Hunan province, on the south bank of Dongting Lake(洞庭湖). It has been a fertile "land of fish and rice"（鱼米之乡） in the south of the Yangtze River since ancient times. Yiyang has a humid subtropical continental monsoon climate with generally high temperatures, cold winters and hot summers, and abundant precipitation year after year. It rains a lot in July and generally has low sunshine throughout the year. The average annual temperature is 16.1℃-16.9℃, sunshine 1348 hours to 1772 hours and rainfall is 1230mm to 1700mm, which is suitable for growing crops. Yiyang's climate and ecological environment are very suitable for the growth of bamboo. Yiyang is rich in Phyllostachys heteroclada（水竹）and phyllostachys pubescens （楠竹）. Phyllostachys heteroclada has excellent elasticity and toughness, fine texture, and enjoys a cool and humid environment with excellent water absorption performance and a cool bamboo body. It is an excellent material for weaving various living and production appliances. Phyllostachys pubescens can be used to weave all kinds of utensils and crafts, branches as brooms, and young bamboo as raw materials for paper.

Yiyang has abundant bamboo resources. Taojiang County(桃江) is under the jurisdiction of Yiyang City of Hunan Province, known as the township of Bamboo. According to reports from Hunan province in recent years, Yiyang's bamboo forest covers an area of 2.36 million mu(about 177333 hectares）（Mu is a unit of land area under the municipal system in China. One mu is about 666.667 square meters. Fifteen mu equals one hectare）, and its rich bamboo resources support the development of the local bamboo industry. In 2020, the output value of the bamboo and bamboo industry in Taojiang County reached 12 billion yuan, and 200,000 farmers engaged in local bamboo production and processing（Wen, Xiong & Hu 2022, 44）, which shows how important bamboo is in the production and life of Yiyang people.

Bamboo Sea of Taojiang.jpg

There are different types of bamboo weaving art developed in Yiyang. According to the form, bamboo weaving can be divided into three-dimensional weaving, plane weaving, and mixed bamboo weaving（Guo Jie 2011, 90）. For example, the bamboo mats and fans commonly used by workers are plane weaving. Some bamboo baskets, bamboo boxes, and bamboo hats are woven in three dimensions. Whether it is flat or three-dimensional weaving, it requires a high level of skill and patience to complete beautiful bamboo weaving work.

Xiaoyu Bamboo Art(小郁竹艺) is an excellent traditional handicraft in Yiyang and is a representation of the development of Yiyang's bamboo industry. Xiaoyu Bamboo Art ware is beautiful in shape and fine in workmanship. In 2006, Xiaoyu Bamboo Art was listed in Hunan Province’s first batch of intangible cultural heritage protection lists. It was selected into the third batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage protection list in 2012. According to UNESCO, Intangible cultural heritage is traditional, contemporary, and living at the same time. It does not only represent inherited traditions from the past but also contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part. Intangible cultural heritage is not merely valued as a cultural good, on a comparative basis, for its exclusivity or its exceptional value. It thrives on its basis in communities and depends on those whose knowledge of traditions, skills, and customs are passed on to the rest of the community, from generation to generation, or to other communities. Intangible cultural heritage includes oral traditions and forms of expression; performing arts; social practice, ceremony, and festival activities; traditional crafts, and so on. Xiaoyu Bamboo Art belongs to the traditional handicraft so it is a kind of intangible cultural heritage. As one of Yiyang’s three national intangible cultural heritages, it can be seen that Yiyang has devoted a lot of effort to build the bamboo brand.

However, with the development of science and technology and the progress of people's living standards, more and more traditional handicrafts have gradually disappeared, and there are fewer and fewer craftsmen. Even Xiaoyu Bamboo art is facing development difficulties. How to inherit and develop bamboo weaving art is worth thinking about.

Xiaoyu Bamboo Art.jpg

The Procedure of Bamboo Weaving--Bamboo Mat as an example

Because Yiyang bamboo weaving products are numerous, due to the limitation of space, the following is a brief introduction to the weaving process of the bamboo mat. Yiyang is hot and humid in summer, and the bamboo mat woven with bamboo strips has always been a traditional antidote to the heat. As early as during the reign of Emperor Yuanshun (元顺帝 1333-1370), the people of Yiyang began to weave bamboo mats with Phyllostachys heteroclada（水竹）as raw materials, with a history of more than 600 years（Liu & Liu 2014, 98）. A handmade mat in Yiyang can be sold for around 800 to 1,500 yuan. This kind of bamboo mat is placed on top of the sheets in summer and is very cool. Every night before going to bed, it needed to wipe with hot water to absorb heat as the water evaporates. When people lie down on the bamboo mat, sweat is absorbed by the bamboo, then body temperature will drop and the bamboo becomes more warm and cool. The longer the bamboo mat is used, the better the heat dissipation performance is. With the use of time getting longer and longer, the surface of the bamboo mat is getting smoother and darker. The bamboo mat that has not been used at the beginning is yellow, and gradually becomes red, and finally becomes dark brown. A good mat will last 20 or 30 years without deterioration. Such durable bamboo mats cannot be made without excellent bamboo materials and meticulous workmanship by craftsmen. Although bamboo mat is a kind of flat weaving, it also requires a lot of skills. A series of steps are required to process the raw material before the product can be woven.

Instruments.jpg

The first is choosing which bamboo to use as raw material. As mentioned above, there are many Phyllostachys heteroclada and phyllostachys pubescens in Yiyang, so these two kinds of bamboo are generally used. One reason is that this kind of bamboo is abundant, widely distributed, easily transported, and grows relatively quickly compared with other kinds of bamboo, making it easy to use materials. Second, this kind of bamboo is tough, not easy to break, and has high compressive strength, which is very suitable for use as bamboo weaving material. The bamboo mat in Yiyang is usually bamboo that has grown for 3-5 years, and the fiber of such bamboo has been finalized. The growing environment of water bamboo also affects the quality of bamboo. Phyllostachys heteroclada growing on the hillside has a dense texture, while Phyllostachys heteroclada growing near the lakes and fields has a loose texture. Although bamboo prefers wet and damp conditions, it cannot be processed if it grows with little or no sunlight. Selecting raw materials is also an art.

Secondly, after selecting the raw material, the bamboo should be fully soaked to make it shrink, and after soaking, the bamboo should be dried, and only after fully drying can the bamboo be treated. Generally, it takes a few days of exposure to dry the bamboo, but since it rains a lot in the summer in Yiyang, it usually takes a little longer. If want to shorten the work period, workers should look at the weather forecast in advance.

After the bamboo is dried, the knotted part of the bamboo needs to be scraped off, which is a step called Juan Jie（卷节）. It means that after selecting the right bamboo, the bamboo is initially treated with a gimlet knife（蔑刀）. First, the craftsman scrape off the protruding parts of the bamboo joints so that they are as flat as possible against the bamboo wall.

The middle of the bamboo is not unobstructed; there are bamboo joints inside the bamboo that also need to be removed. This step is called Qu Jie(去结)。The next step is to scrape the green surface of bamboo（刮青）. Bamboo woven products are usually yellow or dark red in color, not the green color of the bamboo surface. The layer of greenish skin on the outside of the bamboo is called bamboo green(竹青). The yellow part on the inside of bamboo is called bamboo yellow（竹黄）. The craftsman uses a knife to scrape the green off the outer layer of the bamboo. It is important to scrape the green from the top down so that the bamboo skin is not damaged. Scraping the green is a technical task; if the scraping is deep, it will affect the beauty and durability of the bamboo, while if the scraping is shallow, the residual green will also affect the beauty. In addition to this reason, there is another reason for scraping the green. The surface of the bamboo may leave spots, and removing the bamboo green can also remove the spots. There are also differences in the hue of the bamboo surface due to the age and growing environment of the bamboo, and most craftsmen choose to remove the bamboo green in order to unify the hue, although this step is very hard and time-consuming.

Gua Qing.jpg Bamboo sticks.jpg

The next step is called Qi Jian(起间). The craftsman uses a cleaver to split the bamboo in half, and on top of that, he keeps splitting it in half until it reaches the desired width. This ideal width depends on the bamboo sticks(竹篾 Zhu Mie). Bamboo sticks, called Mi Pian Zi in the Yiyang dialect, are thin strips of bamboo, which are the basic material for bamboo weaving, and with which the artisan can begin to weave. There are two types of bamboo sticks: thin sticks and thick sticks. The difference between thin and thick sticks is mainly in width, followed by thin sticks that are softer and more delicate, with better smoothness and comfort. After that, it is necessary to split the sticks(分蔑). Specifically, each section of bamboo is split into three parts: a surface layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The craftsman has to divide the bamboo into three layers, which are only about one millimeter thick, which tests the craftsman's experience and skill.

The next step is San Fang（三防）. This is to prevent mold, moths, and cracking. By doing San Fang, bamboo mats can be preserved and used for decades. Bamboo is prone to mold and attracts pests at the right temperature and moderation, resulting in poor quality bamboo. Mildew and insect infestation can also hinder the beauty of bamboo weaving. There are also many ways to prevent insects in bamboo. Physical methods include a high-temperature method, chemical methods include steaming, soaking, and smoking. In addition to preventing mold and insects, it is also necessary to prevent the bamboo sticks from cracking, for example, there is the pressurization method. The bamboo material is subjected to external forces that can eliminate internal forces and prevent cracking. Generally, the artisan puts the divided bamboo sticks into a pot and steams them in boiling water for about an hour. After the high temperature steaming, it can prevent insects and mildew, and also increase the softness of the bamboo for the next weaving step.

Then the artisan should dye the bamboo sticks. The dyeing of bamboo sticks is an extremely important process in the manufacturing process of bamboo weaving. Heat is used to increase the dyeing speed. The addition of surfactants to the dyeing solution(染液) is an effective means of improving the dyeing effect by giving it higher adsorption and surface activity. Dyeing solution composition, dyeing time, room temperature, and moisture content of the bamboo sticks all affect the dyeing effect of the sticks（Ref. Sun Delin, Liu Wenjin & Yao Wenliang 2012, 9）.In addition to dyeing with solution, workers can also dye the main material with hot oil. The dried bamboo material is placed inside the hot oil at 200 degrees Celsius. The bamboo material taken out appears purplish red. Bamboo dyeing is a very complicated procedure, and the color is unpredictable every time. Since each layer of fiber is different, this can lead to uneven absorption of the solution and differences in the resulting dyeing effect. The consistency of the color is the basis for the artistic effect of bamboo weaving. Inconsistencies in the color of the sticks affect the presentation of the bamboo weaving.

All the steps before weaving have been completed and the bamboo sticks are ready. Bamboo mats have nearly 20 working procedures, and each square meter weighs 470 grams above. Generally, bamboo mats are arranged with 14 or 16 sticks per 3.3 centimeters, and the high-quality products are 18 ~ 24 sticks. Bamboo mats can be woven into patterns such as phoenix tails, plum blossom scenes, interlocking locks, flowers and birds, insects and fish, figures, landscapes, paintings, and other patterns(Su Wei 2010, 7). The pattern of ordinary household bamboo mats looks like the Chinese character "ren"(人). This highly regular weaving technique is relatively simple. The next bamboo stick can be hidden under the previous bamboo stick so that the surface of the bamboo mat is smooth and flat. In addition, this style is also convenient for bamboo mat maintenance.

Weaving techniques are also very rich. There are two main weaving methods of the bamboo mat in Yiyang:Tiao 2 Ya 2 (挑2压2) and Tiao 3 Ya 3(挑3压3). Tiao 2 Ya 2 (挑2压2) means that the two sticks are on top and the two stricks are on the bottom, which is the most commonly used and delicate method of bamboo mat weaving. Tiao 3 Ya 3(挑3压3) means 3 bamboo sticks on top and 3 bamboo sticks on the bottom. Few people use this method at present(Liu & Liu 2014, 100). A good craftsman weaves a bamboo mat that is durable. Everything must be measured as if it had been.

Now let's introduce t bamboo mat with a “人” pattern, which is woven in the way of Tiao 2 Ya 2 (挑2压2). Start from the middle part of the right triangle on one side of the mat. The starting part is about five cun wide（寸, a unit of length, five cun about 16 centimeters）, and the length is about one meter in the right direction. When weaving the main part, the craftsman uses a bamboo board to press the whole starting part and sits cross-legged on the mat, picks up the sticks from both sides to the middle at the same time with both hands, then picks up the sticks with his index finger and put them into his palm. After all of them are picked up, pick up the bamboo board with the right hand and put it under the picked sticks, then put in the sticks to be woven, and knock them hard and evenly. Repeat this step. When most of the bamboo mat is finished, the artisan twists and closes the edges of the mat（扭边和收边）. The four sides of the mat are dipped in water to prevent the bamboo sticks from breaking, and then the reverse side of the sticks is twisted to 360 degrees to cover the sticks below. The craftsman squats barefoot on top of the mat, cuts the twisted sticks, leaving only one cun long, and sets the front sticks at a 30-degree angle into the back sticks, finishing one by one by pressing two. After closing the edge, insert the closed sticks into the seam of the mat, and arrange them in order, without overlapping and without breaking.

Bamboo mat.jpg Weaving.jpg

This technique is actually very complicated, and it usually takes 4 or 5 days for an old craftsman to finish weaving a cool mat. If a new man learns to weave bamboo mats, many mistakes will be made, such as wrong patterns, and he may even get injured. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer men who know how to weave bamboo mats because there are technical requirements, not everyone can weave well, and fewer and fewer people are willing to spend time learning how to weave. The development and inheritance of the Yiyang bamboo mat are the results of thousands of years of polishing and perfecting.

Conclusion

Chinese bamboo weaving products have a long history, the production skills are very exquisite, and gradually to the direction of elegant art. Traditional bamboo weaving is the precious wealth of Chinese culture, but under the strong impact of industrial civilization, the status of handicrafts has been greatly inferior. At present, the Yiyang bamboo products processing level is still in the primary stage, and there is no high technology content. Most of them are made by hand, and a low production rate has always been a problem. Even though machine production is now vigorously developed, the quality of products is difficult to match that of hand weaving. The shape and color of bamboo products in Yiyang are slightly inadequate. The price of bamboo crafts is relatively low. There is a lack of good brands and few high-grade artworks that combine the advantages of product decoration effect, practical efficiency, innovation ability, and art appreciation in one. The art of bamboo weaving in Yiyang has survived thousands of years of weathering and it has been quite difficult to survive(Luo Fen 2013, 42). We need to research and develop new techniques, develop new ideas, pioneer and innovate on the basis of inheriting traditional handicrafts and do a good job of modernizing and transforming the art of bamboo weaving. First of all, set up a bamboo art industry association, organize and plan bamboo art expositions, and regularly host bamboo culture seminars, which can promote exchanges between bamboo weaving artists, bamboo weaving enthusiasts, and bamboo weaving researchers, and can also play a propaganda role. Second, increase the training of talents. We can introduce advanced technology from domestic and foreign places where the art of bamboo weaving is better developed, send Yiyang’s bamboo weaving artists and processing and production personnel to other regions to learn modern science and technology, or give appropriate financial subsidies to bamboo weaving inheritors. Yiyang bamboo weaving is an extremely representative traditional craft of Yiyang. It is also an indispensable part of our Chinese cultural treasures. The preservation and protection of Chinese traditional crafts is the top priority.

References

  • Guo Jie 郭杰.(2011). 浅谈益阳竹编工艺[A Brief Discussion on Yiyang Bamboo Weaving Technology].现代交际 Modern communication,(06):90.
  • Jiang Xiangdong 姜向东.(2019).湖南传统竹编的传承和发展[Inheritance and Development of Hunan Traditional Bamboo Weaving].艺海 The Sea of Art(01),146-149.
  • Liu Yingwu & Liu Lang 刘英武 & 刘浪.(2014).茅竹湖水竹凉席装饰特征与制篾工艺探析[The Analysis of Decorative Features and Bamboo Sheet Technology of Maozhu Lake Bamboo Mat]. 装饰 Decoration (07),98-100.
  • Luo Fen 罗芬.(2013).益阳竹编艺术的研究与开发[Research and development of Bamboo weaving art in Yiyang]湖南师范大学 Hunan Normal University
  • Pan Yuehui & Tan Guoming 潘茂辉,谈国鸣.(1994).南县涂家台早期新石器时代遗址调查报告[Investigation report on the Early Neolithic site of Tujiatai, Nanxian County]. 湖南考古辑刊 Journal of Hunan Archaeology (00),34-43.
  • Su Wie 苏伟.(2010). 益阳水竹凉席[Yiyang's Bamboo Mat]. 湖南农业 Hunan Agriculture (02),7.
  • Sun Delin, Liu Wenjin & Yao Wenliang 孙德林,刘文金 & 姚文亮.(2012).竹篾染色工艺的优化研究[Optimization of Bamboo Sticks Dyeing Research].包装工程 Packaging engineering (05),9-12.
  • Wen Aihua, Xiong Yanhui & Hu Dehe 文爱华,熊艳辉 & 胡德合.(2022).把乡里笋竹做成“世界宝宝”[Make Bamboo Shoots into "World Babies"]. 湖南农业 Hunan Agriculture(01),44-45.
  • Xu Wei 徐薇.(2012).益阳小郁竹艺工艺与文化研究[Study on the Craft and culture of Yiyang Xiaoyu Bamboo Art] 湖南师范大学 Hunan Normal University.

Terms and Expressions

1. 竹编 bamboo weaving 2. 竹篾 bamboo split 3. 水竹 Phyllostachys heteroclada Oliver 4. 毛竹 Phyllostachys edulis 5. 亚热带季风气候 subtropical monsoon climate

Questions

1. What is the climate type of Yiyang? 2. What is the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yiyang?

Answers

1. subtropical monsoon climate 2. Xiaoyu Bamboo Weaving art

英语笔译 邝雨琪 Kuang Yuqi 202170081572

Chinese Mooncake Culture
邝雨琪Kuang Yuqi

Introduction

Chinese moon cake is the representative food of the Mooncake Festival, or more commonly known as Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated with family gatherings, feasts, and an abundance of lights, lanterns, and candles. Mooncake is a kind of round cookie with various fillings and different artistic patterns on the surface, depicting the legends of the festival and conveying auspicious meanings. During the festival, people sacrifice these cookies to the moon as offerings*, eat them for celebration and present them to relatives and friends for good wishes. (Gu Xijia 2010)

*Worship the Moon

The moon worship is an ancient royal ritual and an important Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival activity, to pray for the moon to bless the people. At the night of Mid-Autumn Fetisval, people place a table that faces the moon, put mooncakes and other sacrifices on the table, make wishes and offer incense to the moon. At the end of the worship, people burn the special papers to the moon. Then they share the sacrifices. The wishes they usually made are family reunion, happiness, success and beauty. The worship ceremony is to show respect to the moon god.

Mooncake Mythology

According to legend, in ancient times the earth orbited ten suns, with a single sun appearing each day. However, on one particularly sweltering day, all ten rose in the sky at once, scorching the earth and its inhabitants. The emperor called upon Hou Yi（后羿）, a famed archer, to shoot down the nine extras. Upon his success and the subsequent salvation of all of the poor sunburned souls below, Hou Yi, in essence, became a celebrity. People from far and wide flocked to him aggressively. The people of ancient China gifted Hou Yi with considerably valuable items---the Elixir of Life from the Goddess of Heaven.

Upon receiving this particular gift, Hou Yi recognized its value and gave it to his beautiful and beloved wife, Chang Er（嫦娥）, for safekeeping. However, Peng Meng（逄蒙）, an evil follower of Hou Yi, witnessed the exchange and sought to steal the elixir for himself. Soon thereafter, he cornered Chang Er with a sword and attempted to force her into handing it over. Chang Er, knowing there was no other escape, quickly swallowed the elixir herself. However, the dose was too strong, and she immediately began floating far into the sky, where she finally came to rest on the moon. After Hou Yi learned all this, he went insane with attempts to reach her. But he could not, and had to satisfy his love for her by setting her offerings of fruit and sweets and nightly worship of that white orb in the sky. As a result, the moon cakes have become metaphorical items for lonely Chang Er and her husband Hou Yi, who miss each other, dreaming of reunion and expressing their feelings.

For a more specific look at mooncakes, we can also fast forward a few thousand years to the Yuan dynasty. Around 1368, tired of being oppressively ruled by the Mongols, the Han Chinese decided to organize a rebellion. Wary of being found out, they communicated the idea of the revolution to their fellow Han by baking slips of paper with the date of the uprising in to mooncakes. They knew that the Mongols would never eat this Han style treat. The cakes were distributed far and wide across the city. So, when the Han bit into their afternoon snacks and pulled paper out of their mouths, they were all in on the secret. Due to their ingenuity, the revolution was a success and a new dynasty began. Nowadays, mooncakes are eaten on the exact day, as a reminder of the triumph of the Han during the Mid-Autumn Festival many years ago.

The History of Mooncake

Mooncake history is as long as 3,000 years in China. The predecessor of mooncake is the Taishi cake（太师饼）in the Shang Dynasty (17th century BC-1046 BC) and Zhou Dynasty (17th century BC-256 BC). For a long time in history, mooncakes were used as a sacrifice on the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is said that the custom of eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival began in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD); in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD), it became popular in the royal palace; in late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), it has been spread widely to the folks; in Ming (1368-1644 AD) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911AD), it has become a common dietary habit of Chinese people. (Ou Shinan 2015)

Origin of Mooncake - Taishi Cake（太师饼）

According to historical records, in Shang and Zhou Dynasties (17th century BC-256 BC) in China, there were Taishi cakes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. At that time, Taishi cakes were made to commemorate Wenzhong, who invented the cake, which was thin in edge and thick in the middle. It is the predecessor of mooncake in China. (Yang Binhu 2015)

Wulnuts Cake（胡饼）in Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD)

In Han Dynasty, Zhangqian（张骞）, who was sent on a diplomatic mission to the western of China, introduced sesame seeds and walnuts from the west. Then the sesame seeds and walnuts were used as the fillings of mooncakes. People called it Hu cake at that time. (Yang Binhu 2015)

Round Cakes Eaten on Mid-autumn Festival since Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)

In Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Li Shimin（李世民）ordered a general called Lijing（李靖）to lead the troops to conquer Turk, a nationality in the north. On the 15th day the 8th lunar month, Li Jing returned triumphantly. Li Shimin celebrated the triumph of Li Jing and the troops. There was a trader from Tibet offered some round cakes to Li Shimin to congratulate victory. Li Shimin was very happy to receive this gift and introduced the round cakes to his faithful subjects. After that, the round cakes became popular both in palace and among the folks. People ate the round cakes on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. In mooncake history, we cannot avoid mentioning Concubine Yang Yuhuan（杨玉环）of a later Tang emperor Li Longji（李隆基）. It is said it is Yang who named the round cake “mooncake”. (Yang Binhu 2015)

Court Cakes（宫饼）Prevailed in Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD)

In Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD), mooncake was called “Court Cake” and was not only popular in the palace but also the folklore. Later, people gave it meaning of reunion, reflecting the good wishes for family reunion, and also deep miss of friends. The written record of the characters “moon cake” were first seen in a book of Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD), which is an important textual evidence in mooncake history. (Yang Binhu 2015)

Mooncake Uprising in Late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD)

In late Yuan Dynasty, people could not bear the cruel rule of the court. Zhu Yuanzhang（朱元璋）, the founder of Ming, united various resistance forces to prepare for the uprising. But it was hard to deliver military message secretly. Liu Bowen（刘伯温）, a subject of Zhu Yuanzhang, came up with an idea that put the note writing “Uprising on the 15th night of 8th lunar month” into the mooncakes, and then sent them to other resistance forces. On the day of the uprising, the uprising troops from different places got together and fight against the Yuan troop. Soon the uprising succeeded and Zhu Yuanzhang presented mooncakes to the ministers as gifts. It is said that since then the custom of eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival was formed. This is an essential event in mooncake history.

Eating mooncakes got popular in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD)

There is a detailed record of the mooncake from the Ming Dynasty: “Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th day of 8th lunar month, and people celebrate family reunion by eating mooncakes.” From the record, we can see eating mooncake in Mid-Autumn Festival has got popular in the folk. (Yang Binhu 2015)

Homemade mooncakes are essential for Mid-autumn Festival in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD)

According to mooncake history, eating mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival has become a wide spread custom in the Qing Dynasty, and there are more historical records about mooncakes. At that time, mooncakes were mostly homemade. Many books recorded the making process of mooncake with flour, nuts, sugar and lard, etc.

Famous brands of mooncakes rose since 20th century

Since 1900s, Dao Xiang Cun（稻香村）, Lian Xiang Lou（莲香楼）, Guan Sheng Yuan（冠生园） and other mooncake brands have shown up. So far, some mooncake brands have already been over 100 years old. Nowadays, Chinese people eat mooncakes in the Mid-Autumn Festival, and present mooncakes to each other.

In recent years, the mooncakes have become more and more elaborate, and there are extremely high-priced mooncakes. As gifts, some moon cakes are luxuriously packaged, and a box of moon cakes can reach several thousand or even tens of thousands RMB.

Mooncakes Symbolize Family Reunion

Shaped like the full moon, the moon cake is made round. The round moon cake looks exactly like the full moon in the night sky. In ancient times, mooncakes were a kind of offering to the moon. Over the centuries, these special cakes have become the most popular food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. They are named after the moon goddess (Chang'e), who is said to make this kind of cake.

In Chinese culture, roundness symbolizes completeness and togetherness. A full moon symbolizes prosperity and reunion for the whole family. Round mooncakes complement the harvest moon in the night sky at the Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunion and “round” has a similar pronunciation with “reunion” in Chinese.

The mooncake is not just a food, but more of a cultural element deeply penetrated into Chinese people’s hearts, symbolizing family reunion and embodying spiritual feelings. At Mid-Autumn Festival people eat mooncakes together with family, or present mooncakes to relatives or friends, to express love and best wishes. It is a celebration of the fullest and brightest moon of the year. The moon cake is undoubtedly a key element in the Chinese culture.

Even today, while eating moon cakes on Mid-autumn Festival, overseas Chinese miss their relatives and beloved ones in China even more, eagerly hoping to reunite with them. Mooncakes are the most iconic food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Under China’s influence, southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand also make it a custom to eat moon cakes on the Mid-autumn Festival.

The Top 10 Mooncake Flavors

Mooncake, a kind of pastry, is a popular festival food in China for Mid-Autumn Festival. Because of the different materials, especially the fillings, mooncakes come in many flavors, basically sweet or salty. Here are ten of the most popular mooncake flavors. (Qiao Fengqi 2014)

Mooncake 1.jpg

1.Wuren Mooncake（五仁月饼）– Mixed Nuts Mooncake

Wuren literally means five kinds of nuts or kernels such as walnut kernels, almonds, sesame seeds, melon seeds, hawthorn, red beans and so on. You will get a different taste with each bite. Wuren Mooncake is a typical and popular mooncake flavor in China. Though Chinese young people don’t like it very much, Wuren mooncake is much welcomed by the old.

2.Red Bean Mooncake（豆沙月饼）

Sweet red bean mooncake has always been a classic type that many people prefer. Through careful production, the combination of sweet bean paste and the outer skin makes the mooncake smooth and have a richer flavor. Some people don't like such a sweet taste, but a cup of tea is a good choice to go with them.

3.White Lotus Mooncake（莲蓉月饼）

The lotus mooncake is the representative of Cantonese-style mooncake. The filling is white lotus paste, which is made of the fresh lotus seeds of the year with a natural fragrance. Since the sugar is added and calories are high in lotus paste mooncake, the elderly and diabetics should not eat too much.

4.Salted Egg Yolk Mooncake（蛋黄月饼）

As it implied in the name, the filling of this kind of mooncake is the solid salted egg yolk. The unique taste makes this mooncake popular. The fresh lotus seeds paste or red bean paste are the most common combinations for mooncake fillings with egg yolks.

5.Snow Skin Mooncake（冰皮月饼）

Snow skin mooncake is a new mooncake flavor in recent years. It is small and cute, and the cake skin is crystal clear made of glutinous rice flour. It is very suitable for young people who are pursuing fashion trends. Different from other mooncakes, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.

Mooncake 2.jpg

6.Minced Pork Mooncake（鲜肉月饼）

Minced pork mooncake is a traditional snack in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai regions. The filling is fresh minced pork. The wrapper is permeated by meat juice and baked, which makes it crisp and a special taste. Meat lovers can also have a try of another meat mooncake flavor, Cantonese style ham mooncake.

7.Green Tea Mooncake（茶叶月饼）

The biggest feature of green tea mooncake is the fresh natural taste. With the taste of fresh tea leaves, the usually greasy taste of mooncake is well balanced. Green tea powder is added into the skin or the fillings. Different from other types of mooncakes, it is not overly sweet and has a certain health effect!

8.Fruits Mooncake（水果月饼）

Fruit mooncake blends the taste of fruit. The sweet but not greasy taste is loved by many people. The fillings is usually added with the freshest fruits like strawberry, orange, peach, and pineapple. The durian mooncake is the popular fruit mooncake flavor in recent years.

9.Flower Cake（鲜花饼）

Flower mooncakes have been well received in the market in recent years. The fillings are added with flowers, bringing a fragrant taste. The variety is quite rich and the most popular ones are rose and sweet-scented osmanthus.

10.Yam Mooncake（芋泥月饼）

Yam mooncake is also a new mooncake flavor. The filling is sweet yam paste. The mucus protein contained in the yam can improve the body’s resistance. So the yam mooncake is popular among those who want to keep healthy. Also, it has a great taste.

12 Types of Regional Mooncakes in China

In China, traditional mooncakes are classified into 4 types depending on the origin, sales volume and features: Cantonese-style, Beijing-style, Suzhou-style, and Chaoshan-style. As time passed by, more types appeared: Hong Kong-style, Shanghai-style, Yunnan style, Shaanxi style… (Qiao Fengqi 2014)

1.Cantonese-style Mooncake（广式月饼）

Guang.jpg

Flavor: sweet or salty with thin crust

The characteristics of Cantonese-style mooncake are thin crust and large fillings. The stuffing is mainly of lotus seed paste, coconut paste, yolks, bean paste, jujube paste or various meat. Cantonese-style moon cakes taste soft, and it is better to eat them together with tea.

2.Chaoshan-style Mooncake（潮汕月饼）

Chaoshan.jpg

Flavor: soft with crispy crust, oily but not fatty, sweet or salty but not greasy

The Chaoshan-style mooncake, or the teochew mooncake, is a famous traditional flaky mooncake in the Chaoshan area of Guangdong Province. According to the different types of stuffing, it can be divided into mung bean mooncake, black bean mooncake, seafood mooncake, yolks mooncake, etc. The kernel inside stuffing is commonly yolks or seafood.

3.Beijing-style Mooncake（京式月饼）

Jing.jpg

Flavor: sweet

The most distinctive feature of the Beijing-style mooncake is the cooking method handed down from ancient royal palace; the process of selecting materials and making is quite complicated. The fillings are usually made from nuts, sweet-scented osmanthus, and rock sugar, etc. It is exquisite in appearance, and the crust is thin and crispy, attracting a lot of foodies.

4.Shanghai-style Mooncake（上海月饼）

Shanghai.jpg

Flavor: salty

It is a kind of baked flaky mooncake, and it tastes the best soon after it is cooked. The stuffing of it is entirely fresh pork, which tastes smooth. The crust is crispy, and the rich gravy penetrates into it, making it extremely delicious.

5.Hong Kong-style Mooncake（港式月饼）

Gang.jpg

Flavor: salty sweet

The traditional mooncake representative in Hong Kong is stuffed of white lotus seed paste with double yolks. It is exquisite of the materials and making process. The crust is thin, the thickness is even, and the two salted golden yellow yolks are neatly centered with silky red oil. The mooncake tastes smooth and delicious. There are also other popular Hong Kong-style mooncakes, such as five nuts, salty meat and ham mooncake.

6.Suzhou-style Mooncake（苏式月饼）

Su.jpg

Flavor: sweet or salty, heavily oily but not greasy

Suzhou-style mooncake is featured with crispy taste. As for the sweet ones, the stuffing are mainly rose petals, five nuts and bean paste, which is tightly pressed. And it is sweeter than mooncakes of other regions. For the salty ones, Suzhou-style mooncakes can be divided into spiced salt mooncakes, ham mooncakes, shallot mooncakes, shrimp mooncakes, etc.

7.Yunnan-style Mooncake（滇式月饼）

Dian.jpg

Flavor: sweet and a little salty, oily but not greasy

Yunnan-style mooncake is also called ham mooncake because the stuffing is made from Xuanwei ham, a specialty in Yunnan, with honey, lard and white sugar. Made of purple wheat flour from Chenggong in Kunming, the crust is a little hard. After baking, its surface is golden yellow or brownish red, oily and gorgeous. This traditional mooncake has a fragrant flavor of ham.

8.Anhui-style Mooncake（徽式月饼）

Hui.jpg

Flavor: sweet or salty

Auhui-style mooncake is featured with its thin crust and full stuffing. It is a smaller than other types of mooncake, which makes it delicate. The crust is made by mixing of fine flour and vegetable oil. The stuffing is made of various vegetables which are marinated and mixed with fresh pork oil and white sugar. The representative one is the prune mooncake.

9.Quzhou-style Mooncake（衢式月饼）

Qu.jpg

Flavor: sweet and crispy with a flavor of sesame

Sesames is the most important material of Quzhou-style mooncake. People use sesames as the stuffing or decorate the skin with sesames. On the larger-sized ones, people would paint auspicious images with colored sesames.

10.Shaanxi-style Mooncake（秦式月饼）

Qin.jpg

Flavor: sweet but not greasy

Shaanxi-style mooncakes are mainly vegetal, locally called Crystal Cakes. The stuffing is the mixture of sugar, nuts, animal oil or vegetable oil, preserved fruits, roses and orange peels. It is more desiccated and the crust is thicker than other types of mooncake.

11.Shanxi-style Mooncake（晋式月饼）

Jin.jpg

Flavor: crispy, mainly sweet

For traditional mooncakes in Shanxi-style, the ingredients of crust are mainly oil, sugar and eggs, and the stuffing can be jujube paste, five nuts, red sugar, osmanthus, etc. Shanxi-style mooncake is featured with its sweet taste. The most common and most popular is the sugar mixed mooncake; different sugars are added into both crust and stuffing.

12.Fengzhen Mooncake（内蒙古丰镇月饼）

Fengzhen.jpg

Flavor: sweet

There is no stuffing in Fengzhen Mooncake of Inner Mongolia. People mix the fried linseed oil, syrup of red sugar and flour into a dough, and grow it. Then it is divided into smaller doughs, pressed and baked with sesames and linseed oil on the surface. The Fengzhen mooncake tastes better two or three days later after baking, when the color becomes darker.

Mooncake recipe–(Quick and easy)

Mooncake is the indispensable Chinese dessert served during the mid-autumn festival which falls on the 15th of August of the Chinese lunar calendar. The style and purpose of this festive dessert have evolved considerably in the modern day. Various cake shops and restaurants produce mooncakes with different varieties and designs, packed in deluxe boxes with elegant decoration. It has also become a fad to purchase mooncake as a gift among relatives, friends, and business associates to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. As a result, a large number of overpriced moon cakes have appeared in the market every year due to high demand. The selling price is many folds compared to the cost of the ingredients. Therefore, homemade mooncakes would be a good choice which is low cost and can also show your sincerity, hard work, and effort. Below is an easy mooncake recipe for beginners to make red bean paste mooncake with yolk, one of the most popular flavors.

Preparation

1. Make Crust: Mix invert syrup or honey, alkaline water and peanut oil well, add flour and mix well again, then knead the mixture into a dough, and let the dough grow for about 3 hours. If there is no alkaline water, you can make 2g of baking soda dissolve in a little water and use it. 2. Make Egg Yolk: Crack the eggs, take out the egg yolks and bake them for 5 minutes at 150℃ (300℉) in an oven. 3. You can also make red bean paste by yourself: soak about 100g red beans a day in advance, boil them in a pressure cooker, then add 50g brown sugar to the cooked red beans and crush them with a spoon. If you want it to be drier, fry it.

Directions

Step 1. Divide the dough into smaller pieces each 25g and divide bean paste each 30g. Step 2. Flat the bean paste, put in an egg yolk and wrap it into a ball. A filling ball is fine. Make the rest fillings like this. Step 3. Flat the flour dough, put in a filling ball, wrap it and shape the whole into an oval. Step 4. Sprinkle some flour into the moon cake mold evenly, then put the oval dough into the mold and shape the dough. Follow step 3 and step 4 of this mooncake recipe to make the rest. Step 5. Put a piece of oil-absorbing paper on the baking tray, then put the shaped mooncakes on it. Step 6. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes, bake them for 5 minutes at 170℃ (340℉). Step 7. Brush egg liquid on the mooncakes and then bake them again in the oven for 15 minutes.

Ready

Take them out of the oven and serve them on a fine plate. The red bean paste mooncake with yolks are ready to be enjoyed. It tastes better after being stored in sealed fresh-keeping bags for 2 days.

Tips on How to Make Mooncakes

1.The ratio of pastry to filling is critical. A good mooncake should have a thin layer of pastry with plenty of fillings. The ratio should be one part of pastry to two parts of fillings. A skillful chef can use even less pastry to encase the filling.

2.Marinate egg yolks in cooking wine for a few minutes to remove the unwanted smell before baking them.

3.The red bean mooncake recipe provide a common cooking method. Instead of red bean paste, the sweet dough can be stuffed with other nuts or seed paste.

How to Store Mooncakes

1. Generally, five nuts mooncakes can be kept for about 15 days at a temperature below 25℃ (77 F) and those filled with sweet bean paste, lotus seed paste and jujube paste less than 10 days; if the temperature is higher than 30℃ (86 F), the storage period should be no longer than 7 days; for fillings of fresh meat, chicken shreds and ham, one should buy them just before eating.

2. Keep in a cool, dry, ventilated place and avoid storage in direct sunlight or near sources of heat. Chinese moon cakes contain rich oil and sugar, so both heat and humidity can cause them to go bad.

3. Store them in a separate place so they don't pick up odors from other foods.

4.Handle gently. Some types of the cookies, such as Yunnan-style, have soft, loose crusts. Any mishandling may break them.

Note:

Most mooncakes contain high sugar and oil, so are not healthy. People suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipoidemia, stomach disease, hepatobiliary disease, and the overweight, old and little kids should not eat too much or stay away from them.

To decrease the harmfulness the high fat and calorie bringing to our body, some foods are recommended to eat together with mooncakes, including tea, sour fruit like grapefruit, hawthorn and kiwifruit and wine. They help digest, take away fat in our body, so to avoid retention of food in the stomach and obesity. Also, do not eat too much at one time. (Luo Yiran 2010)

Mooncake culture in Other Asian Countries

Influenced by Chinese culture, Mid-Autumn Festival is also a traditional festival in some neighboring Asian countries. However, the customs are not quite the same in different countries. (Shen Haibin 2007)

Singapore

To Singaporeans, Mid-Autumn Festival is a good time to make friendly contacts, express thanks, and give greetings and best wishes to relatives, friends, and business partners by the way of sending moon cakes. As the country is a famous tourist destination, local people never miss the chance to attract tourists. They decorate Orchard Road, river banks, Chinatown, Chinese Garden and other places to welcome tourists worldwide.

Malaysia

Eating moon cakes, appreciating the moon and parading with lanterns have been the Mid-Autumn Festival custom of Malaysian Chinese for generations. During the festival, old-brands promote moon cakes; special counters are set up in shopping malls to sell moon cakes; newspapers, TV programmers are thick with moon cake advertisements. Besides the parade, there may be lion and dragon dances, fancy car parades and other celebrations.

Japan

The Japanese also celebrate the festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. When the festival was introduced into Japan from China about 1,000 years ago, the custom of appreciating the moon while holding a party formed, named appropriately “Moon Appreciation Party”. Although the Chinese lunar calendar is not used in Japan any more, the custom of moon appreciation is kept in many places of the country. The festival food in Japan is not moon cake, but glutinous rice cake.

Thailand

According to Thai legend, on the night of Mid-Autumn Festival, the Eight Immortals go to the Moon Palace to send peach-shaped cakes and birthday greetings to Guanyin (a Bodhisattva). So their offerings usually include some peach-shaped cakes. All family members, men and women, the young and old, then sit around the table with offerings to worship the moon, pray and exchange greetings.

Philippines

During the festival, Chinese towns and Chinese colonies all over the country are decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, especially the China town in Manila. Various home-made and imported moon cakes are sold in lots of shops. Activities like dragon dance parade, traditional Chinese clothing parade, lantern parade, and fancy car parade are held.

Vietnam

The leading roles of Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam are children. As the day approaches, markets are full of lanterns and toys in spite of moon cakes. When adults eat moon cakes and appreciate the moon on that night, children usually play around with their beautiful lanterns. During the days, people there also hold Mid-Autumn Festival competitions to see who can make the most beautiful lantern. Lion dance performances are held in some places to enhance the celebration.

References

  • Gu Xijia 顾希佳.(2010).月亮节与人间情怀[Moon Festival and Human Feelings]. 文化艺术研究Studies in Literature and Art (04),91-95.
  • Luo Yiran 骆怡然.(2010).月饼种类多 食用有讲究[Diversified Mooncakes, Dainty Eating]. 广西质量监督导报Guangxi Quality Supervision Guide Periodical (08),14.
  • Ou Shinan 欧石楠.(2015).月饼的传说[The Legend of Mooncake]. 农家参谋The Farmers Consultant (09),56.
  • Qiao Fengqi 乔凤岐.(2014).中秋月饼的由来及其制作工艺[The Origin of Mid-Autumn Moon Cake and Its Making Process]. 焦作师范高等专科学校学报Journal of Jiaozuo Teachers College (01),32-35+49.
  • Shen Haibin 沈海滨.(2007).亚洲各国的中秋节[Mid-Autumn Festival in Asian Countries]. 世界文化World Culture (10),51.
  • Yang Binhu 杨斌鹄.(2015).月饼名称演变史[The History of Mooncake Names]. 人才资源开发Human Resource Development (19),34.

Terms and Expressions

the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar 农历八月十五

the Elixir of Life 长生不老药

Mongols 蒙古人

Taishi Cake 太师饼

Wulnuts Cake胡饼

Court Cake 宫饼

Wuren Mooncake 五仁月饼---Mixed Nuts Mooncake

Yam Mooncake 芋泥月饼

Shaanxi-style Mooncake 秦式月饼

Shanxi-style Mooncake 晋式月饼

hyperlipoidemia 高血脂

hawthorn 山楂

Questions

1.When is Mid-Autumn Festival?

2.What is mooncake?

3.Why are mooncakes round?

4.Why do we eat mooncakes on Mooncake Festival?

5.What are the 10 most popular mooncake flavors?

Answers

1.Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar month.

2.Mooncake is the representative food of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is a kind of round cookie with various fillings and different artistic patterns on the surface, depicting the legends of the festival and conveying auspicious meanings.

3.In Chinese culture, roundness symbolizes completeness and togetherness. Mooncakes are generally made round to symbolize prosperity and reunion for the whole family.

4.On the festival day, all families eat mooncakes to celebrate the family reunion. The mooncake is not just a food, but more of a cultural element deeply penetrated into Chinese people’s hearts, symbolizing family reunion and embodying spiritual feelings.

5.Wuren mooncake; Red bean mooncake; White lotus mooncake; Salted egg yolk mooncake; Snow skin mooncake; Minced pork mooncake; Green tea mooncake; Fruits mooncake; Flower mooncake; Yam mooncake.

Retrieved from "https://bou.de/u/index.php?title=20220630_Culture_2&oldid=146490"