7. 文化差异： 冰糖葫芦 Sugarcoated Haws on a Stick

?7. 文化差异： 冰糖葫芦 Sugarcoated Haws on a Stick：
　　冬天来了，北京的大街小巷四处可见卖冰糖葫芦的小摊，鲜红、晶莹、味道酸酸甜甜，清脆可口的”冰糖葫芦”是秋冬时节中国北方人的最爱。”冰糖葫芦”其实与 “葫芦”毫无关系，只是用竹签串成的果子，其形状酷似”葫芦”。”冰糖葫芦”制作非常简单，它的主要原料是山楂，用竹签串成串后蘸上熬好的糖稀，糖稀遇到冷空气迅速变硬，就成了晶莹剔透、鲜红亮丽的糖葫芦。

　　据说”冰糖葫芦”的起源于南宋。南宋的一个皇帝宋光宗，名赵敦（公元1147——1200年）。有一次，赵敦最宠爱的黄贵妃生病了，她面黄肌瘦，茶饭不思。御医用了许多贵重的药品，都没见到什么效果，最后只好张榜求医。一位江湖郎中揭榜进宫，为黄贵妃诊脉后说：”只要用冰糖与山楂煎熬，每顿饭前吃五至十枚，不出半月病准会见好。”黄贵妃按此办法服后，果然如期病愈了。后来这种做法传到民间，老百姓又把它串成串，就成了冰糖葫芦。

　　科学研究表明，山楂具有帮助消化、降血脂、降低血清胆固醇等功效，用山楂制成的冰糖葫芦，因为它香脆酸甜的味道、晶莹艳丽的外观，千百年来受到人们的喜爱，成为中国北方街头的一种特色小食品。

　　而今，”冰糖葫芦”的品种越来越多，原料不再仅限于山楂，很多鲜果和干果，如：荸荠、山药、核桃仁、苹果、橘子等都被用来做成了冰糖葫芦；还有的把大山楂从中间用刀割一个口，填上枣泥、豆沙等馅，再用金桔条、香蕉、瓜子仁等装饰成各种图案花纹，既好看又好吃。

　　Sugarcoated Haws on a Stick

　　When winter comes, you can see snack sellers selling Tanghulu on just about every street in Beijing. Bright red in color, crystalline sugar-coated with perfect sweet-and-sour taste, Tanghulu is a popular traditional winter snack in north China. In fact, there is no relationship between Tanghulu and gourd (the Chinese pronunciation is “Hulu”). It’s just because the fruits are put on bamboo sticks and its shape resembles a gourd. It’s easy to make a Tanghulu. Haw is the main raw ingredient. After putting the haws on thin bamboo sticks, it’s then coated with hot sugar syrup. The sugar coating crystallizes in the cold air and then you have your bright red Tanghulu.

　　Legend has it that Tanghulu can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty. Once the imperial concubine Huang of Emperor Songguangzong fell seriously ill and was bedridden for several days. She didn’t want to eat anything and was very unhappy. Court physicians failed to find an effective treatment. Finally, the emperor put up a notice to look for doctors. Then, a doctor from outside the court volunteered to try and cure the concubine’s illness. After examining the patient thoroughly, he said to the emperor:”Simmer haws in sugar and water, eat 5 to10 of them before each meal, in less than two weeks, concubine Huang will recover”. The concubine followed the prescription and finally recovered.

　　Later, the story of the miraculous cure and the making of the healthy food quickly spread among the common people. People began putting haws on bamboo sticks. After a dip in hot sugar syrup, they became the Tanghulu we know.

　　Research shows that, haws can help digestion of food, lower blood fat, lower serum cholesterol and bring us other health benefits. For thousands of years, the healthy and tasty Tanghulu has became a characteristic food in the streets of northern China.

　　Today, in addition to haws, a dazzling variety of ingredients such as water chestnuts, yam, walnuts, apples and oranges are used to make Tanghulu. Some Tanghulu are with fillings. People cut the haws open, filled with date paste or red bean paste, and then coated with sliced kumquats, bananas or roasted nuts. Thus, the Tanghulu nowadays looks prettier and tastes even more delicious.

　　pronunciation [pr?,n?nsi′ein] n.发音(法) (初中英语单词)imperial [im′pi?ri?l] a.帝国的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)emperor [′emp?r?] n.皇帝 (初中英语单词)seriously [′si?ri?sli] ad.严肃；严重，重大 (初中英语单词)unhappy [?n′h?pi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)effective [i′fektiv] a.有效的；有力的 (初中英语单词)treatment [′tri:tm?nt] n.待遇；对待；治疗 (初中英语单词)illness [′ilnis] n.生病，不健康，疾病 (初中英语单词)thoroughly [′θ?r?li] ad.完全地，彻底地 (初中英语单词)healthy [′helθi] a.健康的 (初中英语单词)addition [?′din] n.加；加法；附加物 (初中英语单词)variety [v?′rai?ti] n.变化；多样(性)；种类 (初中英语单词)delicious [di′lis] a.美味的，可口的 (初中英语单词)relationship [ri′lein?ip] n.关系；联系；亲属关系 (高中英语单词)bamboo [,b?m′bu:] n.竹 (高中英语单词)ingredient [in′gri:di?nt] n.(混合物的)成分 (高中英语单词)characteristic [,k?rikt?′ristik] a.特有的 n.特性 (高中英语单词)traditional [tr?′din?l] a.传统的，习惯的 (英语四级单词)dynasty [′din?sti] n.王朝；朝代 (英语四级单词)digestion [di′d?estn] n.消化(力) (英语四级单词)crystalline [′krist?lain] a.水晶(般)的；透明的 (英语六级单词)miraculous [mi′r?kjul?s] a.非凡的；奇迹般的 (英语六级单词)

　　清晨，伴着轻快的音乐，练习柔力球的人们整齐地挥拍引球，在身前慢慢地做水平画弧的动作，球就像粘在拍子上一样，纹丝不动。跟在队伍后面的我，也有模有样地学起来，看似简单的动作，做起来却不容易，刚刚挥动球拍，球就飞了出去。旁边热心的阿姨告诉我，柔力球的技巧在于眼睛要注视着球，动作要柔和连贯，而且要多加练习，练好了基本动作之后还可以有很多花样。话未说完，阿姨就挥舞球拍为我表演起来，只见她时而挥拍迎球，时而纳球入拍，似弧形上下翻飞随球起舞，似太极刚柔并济，舒缓柔和，引得大家阵阵喝彩声。看来，要玩好柔力球还得费一番苦功才行。

　　柔力球这种运动起源于1991年，是将太极拳拳理和网球、羽毛球、乒乓球等现代球类结合的运动项目。无论是柔力球竞技比赛还是套路表演，简而言之就是一个画圆的过程，即面对速度很快的来球，先将力泄掉，然后画圆聚力再将球抛出去。柔力球打起来悄然无声，讲究的是借力打力，以退为进，以柔克刚。不过，这项运动看似简单，但抛球、接球和旋转的过程中，肩、腰、颈部都在运动，因此对身体的锻炼是全方位的。

　　说起柔力球的普及，我们的温总理还有着不小的”功劳”呢。2006年5月，[和*谐]总理陪同德国总理感受”中国式晨练”，并当众展示了玩柔力球的高超技艺。 “总理挥拍”的消息在广大市民中流传了很久，同时也成就了柔力球在群众中的影响力。很多市民都是因为听说了温总理的事迹之后才开始了解柔力球，并加入到练 “柔力球”的队伍中来的。

　　Taiji-tender-ball

　　Early in the morning, accompanied by light music, people practicing Taiji-tender-ball neatly swing the ball in front of their bodies, moving it slowly in an arc. The balls never drop; they seem glued to the rackets. I stood in the back of them, watching carefully. However, the seemingly simple act is not easy to do. When I waved the racket, the ball flew out. A warm-hearted woman told me that the skill to Taiji-tender-ball is in the eyes. The act must be soft and consistent, and it needs regular practice. After strengthening the basic movements, she said, you are also able to do a lot of tricks. Before finishing the sentence, she waves the racket. Sometimes she swings the ball, and sometimes she throws the ball in her hands. It curves from top to bottom, and she seems to dance with the ball, soothing, soft and flexible. It\’s so exciting that we all cheer for her.

　　Taiji-tender-ball, originated in 1991, integrates skills of Taiji and modern sports, such as tennis, badminton and table tennis. Both the games and the basic techniques are natural curving processes, i.e., to dissolve the incoming ball’s force and use its force to throw with your own force. The movements are simple, beautiful and easy for everyone to learn. Hitting the ball is a silent act. The principles of it are to use the static to control the dynamic and softness to overcome force. The exercise incorporates throwing, catching and rotating movements which are good for relaxing shoulder, waist, and neck.

　　In May 2006, the Prime Minister of Germany, accompanied by Premier Wen Jiabao, experienced ‘Morning Exercises in China’. Premier Wen displayed his Taiji-tender-ball skills in public. The news spread among the general public, and then many people began to know this exercise after hearing the story of Premier Wen. Now it has become one of the most popular exercises to maintain and improve people’s health in China.

　　sentence [′sent?ns] n.判决 vt.宣判；处刑 (初中英语单词)badminton [′b?dmint?n] n.羽毛球 (初中英语单词)dissolve [di′z?lv] v.(使)溶解；解除 (初中英语单词)everyone [′evriw?n] pron.=everybody 每人 (初中英语单词)overcome [,?uv?′k?m] vt.战胜，克服 (初中英语单词)minister [′minist?] n.部长；大臣 v.伺候 (初中英语单词)premier [′premi?] n.总理 a.首要的 (初中英语单词)maintain [mein′tein] vt.维持；保持；继续 (初中英语单词)racket [′r?kit] n.(网球等的)拍；球拍 (高中英语单词)tennis [′tenis] n.网球(运动) (高中英语单词)hearing [′hi?ri?] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)seemingly [′si:mi?li] ad.表面上；似乎 (英语四级单词)consistent [k?n′sist?nt] a.一致的；始终如一的 (英语四级单词)flexible [′fleks?b?l] a.灵活的，柔韧的 (英语四级单词)softness [′s?ftnis] n.柔软；柔和；温柔 (英语六级单词)

　　Every morning, when sun rises from the horizon with its brilliant color, Beijing slowly wakes up from its slumber. In various parks in Beijing, there are a lot of people, some running, some walking, some singing, some dancing, some practicing their swords and other practicing Taiji … People come here to relax and welcome the new day.

　　On a stone path in the park, there was an old man, who was holding a wood stick about one meter long and painting something on the ground. His movements were quieter and less noticeable but nevertheless constituted a unique scene. I was so curious that I came near to him and found out that a sponge tip was attached at the end of the stick, making it a brush.

　　That man dipped his giant brush in water and started writing on the ground. The characters he wrote had a very elegant style. What was more surprising was that he could write with both hands at the same time, which really impressed me. The characters of a poem written on the ground slowly disappeared as water evaporated, while the old man continued to write a new one.

　　Later, I found that there were many people who practice calligraphy on the ground in parks. After inquiring, I got to know that this way of writing is called “square calligraphy” (the Chinese pronunciation is “dishu”), meaning calligraphy on the ground. Square calligraphy started in the 1990s. People take the ground as paper and the clear water as ink; it is a very economic way to exercise and does not pollute the environment. Many senior citizens tried to write themselves and gained a lot of fun in doing so. Square calligraphy is not only a relaxing exercise for movements by the entire body, but also a good way to cultivate nature and improve health. Another advantage is that it can help people make new friends through practicing square calligraphy.

　　地书

　　每天清晨，当朝阳映着绚丽的彩霞，懒散地浮出地平线，整个世界慢慢地从睡梦中醒来的时候，北京的各个公园里已经有很多人了，人们有的跑步，有的散步，有的唱歌，有的跳舞，有的舞剑，有的打太极拳，……，人们以自己最为喜爱的方式放松着身心，迎接美好的一天。

　　在公园里一条石板路上，有一位老人，双手各拿一根一米多长的木杆，在地面上画着什么，动作舒缓有致、抑扬顿挫，和周围运动的人群相比，显得安静、平和许多，构成了一道独有的风景。我充满好奇地走到近前，才发现，木杆的末端缠着一些海绵样的东西，形状酷似毛笔的笔头。老人用它沾些水然后在地面上写字，字体潇洒飘逸。更令人叫奇的是老人竟然能用双手同时书写，还能挥洒自如，不得不叫人叹服。老人一边写，原来那些漂亮的字迹随着水气的慢慢蒸发也渐渐消失了踪影，老人则又在上面开始书写新的诗句。

　　后来发现，公园里像这样的老人还不少呢。一打听才知道，原来这个活动还有一个名字叫”地书”，兴起于上个世纪90年代。人们以水代墨，以地为纸，既练习了书法，又经济，还环保。写”地书”的多半是老年人，因为写地书需要全身运动，他们用这种方式来锻炼身体；同时也以练习书法来修身养性；另外，老人们还可以 “以笔会友”，通过切磋技艺而结识新的朋友，可谓一举多得。

　　horizon [h?′raiz?n] n.地平线；范围；视野 (初中英语单词)brilliant [′brili?nt] a.灿烂的；杰出的 (初中英语单词)slumber [′sl?mb?] v.&n.睡眠；沉睡状态 (初中英语单词)running [′r?ni?] a.奔跑的；流动的 (初中英语单词)welcome [′welk?m] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)painting [′peinti?] n.绘画；(油)画；着色 (初中英语单词)nevertheless [,nev?e?′les] conj.&ad.然而；不过 (初中英语单词)writing [′raiti?] n.书写；写作；书法 (初中英语单词)surprising [s?′praizi?] a.惊人的；意外的 (初中英语单词)pronunciation [pr?,n?nsi′ein] n.发音(法) (初中英语单词)cultivate [′k?ltiveit] vt.耕作；培植；培养 (初中英语单词)advantage [?d′vɑ:ntid?] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)unique [ju:′ni:k] a.唯一的 n.独一无二 (高中英语单词)sponge [sp?nd?] n.海绵(状物) (高中英语单词)elegant [′elig?nt] a.文雅的；优美的 (高中英语单词)environment [in′vai?r?nm?nt] n.郊区；周围；条件 (高中英语单词)senior [′si:ni?] a.年长的 n.前辈 (高中英语单词)noticeable [′n?utis?b?l] a.显著的；值得注意的 (英语四级单词)holding [′h?uldi?] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)pollute [p?′lu:t] vt.弄脏；败坏，玷污 (英语六级单词)

　　古时候，人们跳舞都与生产劳动有关，扭秧歌就产生于插秧的动作中。它最早以唱歌的形式出现，后来发展成舞蹈和戏剧表演的形式，并流行于中国南北各地。因流传地区不同，秧歌又有陕北秧歌、晋北秧歌、东北秧歌、河北秧歌、山东胶州秧歌和鼓子秧歌等种类。扭秧歌是欢度节日的必备节目。其节奏欢快，动作简单，不仅极具观赏性还有健身的功效，因此现在很受城市里的中老年人喜爱。

　　傍晚下班回家的路上，我总是会被立交桥下扭秧歌的老人们所吸引，他们个个舞得投入、面带欢笑。手绢、扇子、彩绸在他们手里也像有了生命一般，不停地翻飞、跳跃。他们的热情伴着鼓点的节奏，让匆匆的路人驻足，有时旁观的人也忍不住加入其中，心情也随之飞扬。

　　周围的路上车水马龙，川流不息。立交桥下，锣鼓震天，扭秧歌的人们整齐而精神饱满，欢快的鼓点在向人们昭示着他们的幸福生活。

　　Yang-ge Dance

　　In the ancient times, dancing is closely related to production. The Yang-ge dancing originated right from the movement of transplanting rice seedlings in farming. It used to be merely singing and was later enriched into a performance with both singing and dancing and spread all over China. Yang-ge falls into different types in different areas: Shanbei Yang-ge, Jinbei Yang-ge, Dongbei Yang-ge, Hebei Yang-ge, Shandong Jiaozhou Yang-ge and Guzi Yang-ge, etc. Yang-ge dancing is a necessity of celebrating holidays. It has been widely accepted by the aged and middle-aged urban people for its light rhythm and simple movements. It’s both enjoyable and good for the health.

　　I have always been attracted by the Yang-ge dancers under the bridge on my way home after work. They are fully devoted to the dance. Handkerchiefs, fans and colored strips seem to become alive in their hands. Their rhythmic dancing and great passion have attracted many people to stop to have a look and some may even be attracted to join them. The deafening drum and cymbal beat seem to show how happy their lives are with Yang-ge dancing.

　　movement [′mu:vm?nt] n.活动；运动；动作 (初中英语单词)performance [p?′f?:m?ns] n.履行；行为；工作 (初中英语单词)passion [′p?n] n.激情；激怒；恋爱 (初中英语单词)related [ri′leitid] a.叙述的；有联系的 (高中英语单词)rhythm [′rie?m] n.(诗的)韵律；格律 (英语四级单词)bridge [brid?] n.桥(梁)；鼻梁；桥牌 (英语四级单词)devoted [di′v?utid] a.献身…的，忠实的 (英语四级单词)middle-aged [′midl′eid?id] a.中年的 (英语六级单词)cymbal [′simb?l] n.铜钹 (英语六级单词)