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Shanghai Daily创始总编张慈贇先生为你讲述有关建筑的趣味故事，通过其文化背景，带你领略古建筑的独特魅力。直击高考英语语法、词汇考点和命题思路题材丰富，全面地道，坚持训练挑战满分
名人推荐
中国古建筑之美，可与唐诗争奇，可与元曲斗艳，乃中国传统文化之瑶琳，近年来愈来愈受到世界的瞩目。自去年“土司遗址”入选联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产后，中国已成为仅次于意大利的世界文化遗产第二大拥有国，而遗产中大多为古建筑，或宫阙楼阁，或陵墓城垣，或寺庙塔观，或园林祭坛，或古村民居，抑或石窟廊桥，她们各臻其美，编织成一幅姹紫嫣红的文明锦缎。建筑的嬗递演变，乃民族文化兴衰潮汐之影印，故古今治史学儒，皆以古建筑之风格造诣测量文化。可以这么说，中国古建筑之个性，正是中华民族传统艺术之个性、中华民族传统文化之个性。
但如今，成长与文化断层的现代人，对于中国古建筑这一包罗万象的艺术结构，缺乏应有的见地，自然难有爱惜传承之情，弃之于荒芜，甚至蓄意毁灭。更可笑者，拆了旧的，过个数载旧址上仿造个新的，盖风向所趋，凌轹往世，技艺粗劣不说，原先的秀美或壮伟荡然无存。欲保护传承，必先予以普及。这一点上，我觉得，梁公蕙仙做了一步，张慈赟先生亦做了一步。
有幸拜读部分书稿，诚然是部颇具新意的巨作。全书摘取中国古建筑之精髓，不仅介绍其历史价值和艺术价值，还以精美的建筑实物图、模拟矢量图等系统呈现古建筑的多维构架，生动呈现其营造法式、布局及构建步骤，将古典建筑学一些浅显的理论知识涵盖其中，十分难得。抚卷品香，故宫、华清池、莫高窟……一座座文化丰碑历历在目，折射着智慧的光辉。更为可贵的是，全书以英文一蹴而就，可见作者有意将焦点转移至传统建筑文化的重塑和对外输出。综观当下，以英文写就的普及中国古建的通识性读物，确实少见。这套图书，既可作青年人普及古建筑之学、用英语传播中国古建文学之用，亦可作外国人走进中国、了解中国古建的钥匙。
非常欣悦能够看到这本书的面世，由衷感谢上海译文出版社在这本书的策划和出版上所做的努力。中国古建筑纵横之承托、结构之联络、轮廓之钝锐、雕刻之装饰、空间之布局，细微处遍布智慧和美感，是世界建筑阆苑的瑰宝，每一个徜徉其间的游客都会惊异于她的绚烂和多姿。我热切期望读者能够以通过这套书，在课外阅读之余担起传承和传播的重任，保护文明成果，向世界展现中国古建筑的珍奇价值。我更热切盼望作为世界艺术藏库奇葩的中国古建筑，能在当下“世界建筑”范式中有一席之地。
——郭可（上海外国语大学新闻学院院长、教授）
中国传统文化是一种具有深远影响的理性的文化，这在作为文化载体的中国古建筑中可约窥一二。中国建筑历史悠久，散步辽阔，品式反复，艺术价值颇高，且数千年无蜕变掺杂之迹，保持着一以贯之的独特、纯粹的木构脉络，形成了一个严密、精确、理性的建筑系统，这在人类文明史上是极为罕见的。随着中国的迅速崛起，越来越多的国家和民族更希望了解包括中国古建筑在内的博大精深的中国文化。党的“十八大”后提出中华民族伟大复兴的“中国梦”的战略思想，正是根植于中华民族优秀的传统文化，体现的不仅是中国人民的道路自信、理论自信和制度自信，也是文化自信。我以为，上海译文出版社英文版“中国古建筑及其故事”的策划，正是一种文化觉醒后的文化自信和民族自信。
这部丛书所讲述的故事及其时代背景，在中国古代建筑极具代表性，无论汉阙时刻还是亭台楼阁，都是最能展现中华民族聪明才智和高超技艺。此套丛书以英语为写作语言，以简洁凝练的笔触展示了中国古建筑的的丰富多彩，对弘扬中国传统文化具有重要意义。
从“引进来”到“走出去”，这本书的策划，让我们看到的不仅是一个文化企业的成长，更是一个民族的成长。像我们这样一个伟大而有着特别悠久的文化历史的民族，绝不能对自己的文化财富一知半解；像我们这样一个对世界文明史做出重大贡献的的民族，绝不能仅将自己的文化财富束之高阁。这本书的出版，将会提供让世界对中国古建筑文化有了更全面的认识的契机。相信，这类有重大意义的文化图书以后会越来越多，中华民族必将以更加自信的姿态屹立于世界文化之林，为实践中华民族伟大复兴的“中国梦”而奋斗不息。
——尹承东（中央编译局副局长）
作者简介
张慈贇，国内资深英文媒体人，高级编辑，享受国务院政府特殊津贴。自1980年起，参与《中国日报》创办，曾任中国日报社常务副总编辑。主持《北京周末报》、《上海英文星报》的创办，均为第一任总编辑。1996-2011年任上海市人民政府新闻办公室副主任，1999年创办《上海日报》社，任总编辑至2013年。现为中国翻译协会常务理事、上海翻译家协会副会长、《东方翻译》主编、上海外国语大学新闻传媒学院客座教授等。
主要译作：《聊斋志异》（外文出版社，1995，合译）；《香港特别行政区基本法（草案）》（1988，合译）；《翻译服务规范》（起草委员会成员/组长/英文定稿，中国标准化出版社，2004-2006）；《中美关系史（1945－1949）》（资中筠著，美国哥大出版社，1991）；《法国大革命的历史启示》（张芝联著，北京大学出版社，1989）；《中国弹拨乐演奏》（马楠著，人民音乐出版社，1989）；《中国教育法》（中译英，高教出版社，1986）；《一个女记者的传奇》（英译中，新华出版社，1986，合译）等
Born in Shanghai in 1949, ZHANG Ciyun (Peter) graduated from Jilin Normal University, PRC with a major in English and later from Stanford University in the United States with a Master’s Degree in Journalism. Since 1980, he has worked for several newspapers and magazines in both Beijing and Shanghai. Also, he once served in the General Office of the Ministry of Communications as an interpreter and the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality as its Deputy General Director.
An acclaimed translator, reporter and editor, Mr. Zhang has helped bring into existence four English-language newspapers on the Chinese mainland, namely, China Daily, Beijing Weekend, Shanghai Star and Shanghai Daily. He is now the Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of Shanghai Daily and an executive council member of Translation Association of China. He has translated and co-translated more than a dozen books and a large amount of documents, including Strange Stories of Liao Zhai Studio and the English version of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He has also published many English and Chinese articles and theses in newspapers and magazines both in China and overseas.
目录
故宫 The Palace Museum
Forbidden City — the dragon’s jewel
阿房宫 Epang Palace
Grandest palace remained a dream
布达拉宫 Potala Palace
The tallest ancient palace
大明宫 Daming Palace
Once world’s largest imperial palace
皇家坛庙 Imperial Temples
Imperial temples, altars dot Beijing
颐和园 Summer Palace
A best preserved imperial park
圆明园 Old Summer Palace
‘Versailles of East’ destroyed in war
华清池 Huaqing Pool
A pool where power and lust collide
秦皇陵 Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Grand mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
乾陵 Qianling Mausoleum
China’s only empress rests at Qianling Mausoleum
十三陵 The Ming Tombs
Thirteen emperors’ burial sites ‘masterpieces’
长城 The Great Wall
Wall part of complex defense network
西安城墙 The Xi’an City Wall
Defense included ingenious features
苏州城墙 The Suzhou City Wall
Wall very effective against invaders
登封观星台 Dengfeng Observatory
Tower used to make age’s best calendar
岳阳楼 Yueyang Tower
Yueyang tops among ancient towers
白马寺 White Horse Temple
Dream led to China’s first Buddhist temple
悬空寺 The Hanging Temple
Ancient architects produce spectacular mountain temple
五台山 Mount Wutai
Temple mount full of treasures
大昭寺 The Jokhang Temple
Tibet’s sacred monastery a living relic
应县木塔 The Sakyamuni Pagoda
Shanxi pagoda world’s oldest wood tower
大理三塔 Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
Yunnan’s Buddhist gems offer quiet beauty
莫高窟Mogao Grottoes
Spiritual, artistic and architectural wonders
化觉巷清真寺The Great Mosque of Xi’an
Great Mosque stands the test of time
苏公塔礼拜寺Emin Minaret Mosque
Worshippers, tourists revere this towering symbol of Islam
永乐宫 The Palace of Eternal Joy
Huge Taoist temple in Shanxi known for murals, Yuan styling
四合院 Beijing Courtyard House
Traditional dwellings designed with care
皖南民居 Southern Anhui Village Residences
Anhui’s rural gems of home building
石库门 Stone-Framed-Gate House
City lanes fuse Chinese, Western styles
窑洞 Cave House
Northern China’s cave houses last centuries
山西民居 Shanxi Courtyard House
Ancient Shanxi houses strong yet elaborate
客家民居 Hakka Walled Village
Walled villages built for families, defense
干栏式房屋 Stilt House
Building a home above land or water
骑楼 Arcade Building
Veranda-style buildings populate the south
开平碉楼 Kaiping Tower
Guangdong towers show Western influence
豫园 Yuyuan Garden
Classic garden a place of rare tranquility
苏州园林 Classic Gardens of Suzhou
Creating harmony between man and nature
岭南园林 Lingnan Gardens
Southern Chinese gardens open, natural
梁桥 Beam Bridge
Bridge building in China spans 6,000 years
拱桥 Arch Bridge
Arch bridges combine function and beauty
悬索桥 Suspension Bridge
Providing a connection through history
书院 Academy of Classic Learning
Academy designs display beauty of simplicity
会馆 Guild Hall
Ancient homes from home
曲阜孔子庙 Temple of Confucius, Qufu
Much thought went into philosopher’s temple
祠堂 Ancestral Temple
Homes for those no longer of this world
序言
Ancient Chinese architecture is a beautiful gem as well as an integral part of Chinese culture. It is also one of the three greatest architectural systems in the world, the other two being European and Arabic architecture.
As Liang Sicheng (1901-1972), a renowned Chinese architect and “father of modern Chinese architecture,” once pointed out that the architecture of China is as old as Chinese civilization. Some archaeological discoveries indicate that Chinese people began to develop a unique construction style as early as more than 7,000 years ago.
During the following centuries, Chinese artisans, builders and architects had invented a great number of ingenious tools, construction parts, structures as well as architectural designs, techniques and styles. They had also married the art and science of designing and erecting buildings with Chinese philosophy, religion, local customs and the traditional system of social hierarchy.
As time went by, many beautiful and grandiose buildings, such as palaces, temples, mausoleums, bridges and distinctive dwellings were built all around the country and some of them, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the First Emperor’s Mausoleum featuring life-sized terracotta warriors are still in existence today.
Of course, there are so much more.
Traveling around China today, you may cross a bridge that was built several hundred years ago； or you may stay for a night in a courtyard or a cave-house that have been the traditional dwellings for the local people for centuries.
It is a feast for your eyes to visit famous temples, palaces and old gardens featuring exquisite designs and decorations in different part of the country. However, what’s more interesting or even enlightening are the historical stories behind the walls of these buildings.
In this book, the authors will tell you many of such stories and will guide you as you knock on the gate of this ancient kingdom.
文摘
长城 (chang cheng)
The Great Wall
One of the Eight Wonders of the World
The Great Wall is believed by many to be one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of mankind - as such, it is often called one of the Eight Wonders of the World.
People often credit Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), the First Emperor of a unified China, as the builder of the Great Wall. But con- struction of the wall actually started during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), long before Qin Shi Huang's time, and it was rebuilt for several times in later dynasties.
However, the First Emperor did order additional construction and connection of various sections of defensive walls to form the Great Wall in northern China to fend off nomadic invaders. Unfortunately, most of the ancient walls built during the Qin time have disappeared and the existing wall we see today was mostly constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Built with bricks, rammed earth, stone and wood, the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty stretches more than 8,850 kilometers from Hushan in northeast China's Liaoning Province to Jiayuguan in northwest China's Gansu Province. Most Chinese people call it Wanli Changcheng, meaning literally "Ten Thousand Li Long Wall." Li is a traditional Chinese measure of distance, equaling 500 meters or half a kilometer.
The average height of the wall stands at 7.8 meters, but in some sections, it reaches 14 meters. Since most segments of the wall were built along mountains, the height of the wall rises in relatively level places and drops on steep ridges.
To ensure that two heavy, horse-drawn carts could rumble along side-by-side along the top of the wall, most portions of the Great Wall are quite wide, measuring an average of 6.5 meters at the bottom and 5.8 meters across the top of the wall.
While planning the route of the wall, the builders made the best use of advantageous topographic features, such as high mountains, steep cliffs and sharp river bends, to amplify the wall's function of defense and also to save labor and resources.
In earlier days, the walls were mainly built by filling wooden frames with earth and small stones. After the earth and stones were tamped solid, the wooden frames were removed.
During the Ming Dynasty, mass production of bricks and tiles became popular. As a result, the Ming Great Wall was mostly built with bricks of different sizes and shapes, depending on whether they were used for the wall body, stairs, battlements or gates.
The bricks made the wall stronger and last longer both in battles and in the fight against the elements.
……
Shanghai Daily创始总编张慈贇先生为你讲述有关建筑的趣味故事，通过其文化背景，带你领略古建筑的独特魅力。直击高考英语语法、词汇考点和命题思路题材丰富，全面地道，坚持训练挑战满分
名人推荐
中国古建筑之美，可与唐诗争奇，可与元曲斗艳，乃中国传统文化之瑶琳，近年来愈来愈受到世界的瞩目。自去年“土司遗址”入选联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产后，中国已成为仅次于意大利的世界文化遗产第二大拥有国，而遗产中大多为古建筑，或宫阙楼阁，或陵墓城垣，或寺庙塔观，或园林祭坛，或古村民居，抑或石窟廊桥，她们各臻其美，编织成一幅姹紫嫣红的文明锦缎。建筑的嬗递演变，乃民族文化兴衰潮汐之影印，故古今治史学儒，皆以古建筑之风格造诣测量文化。可以这么说，中国古建筑之个性，正是中华民族传统艺术之个性、中华民族传统文化之个性。
但如今，成长与文化断层的现代人，对于中国古建筑这一包罗万象的艺术结构，缺乏应有的见地，自然难有爱惜传承之情，弃之于荒芜，甚至蓄意毁灭。更可笑者，拆了旧的，过个数载旧址上仿造个新的，盖风向所趋，凌轹往世，技艺粗劣不说，原先的秀美或壮伟荡然无存。欲保护传承，必先予以普及。这一点上，我觉得，梁公蕙仙做了一步，张慈赟先生亦做了一步。
有幸拜读部分书稿，诚然是部颇具新意的巨作。全书摘取中国古建筑之精髓，不仅介绍其历史价值和艺术价值，还以精美的建筑实物图、模拟矢量图等系统呈现古建筑的多维构架，生动呈现其营造法式、布局及构建步骤，将古典建筑学一些浅显的理论知识涵盖其中，十分难得。抚卷品香，故宫、华清池、莫高窟……一座座文化丰碑历历在目，折射着智慧的光辉。更为可贵的是，全书以英文一蹴而就，可见作者有意将焦点转移至传统建筑文化的重塑和对外输出。综观当下，以英文写就的普及中国古建的通识性读物，确实少见。这套图书，既可作青年人普及古建筑之学、用英语传播中国古建文学之用，亦可作外国人走进中国、了解中国古建的钥匙。
非常欣悦能够看到这本书的面世，由衷感谢上海译文出版社在这本书的策划和出版上所做的努力。中国古建筑纵横之承托、结构之联络、轮廓之钝锐、雕刻之装饰、空间之布局，细微处遍布智慧和美感，是世界建筑阆苑的瑰宝，每一个徜徉其间的游客都会惊异于她的绚烂和多姿。我热切期望读者能够以通过这套书，在课外阅读之余担起传承和传播的重任，保护文明成果，向世界展现中国古建筑的珍奇价值。我更热切盼望作为世界艺术藏库奇葩的中国古建筑，能在当下“世界建筑”范式中有一席之地。
——郭可（上海外国语大学新闻学院院长、教授）
中国传统文化是一种具有深远影响的理性的文化，这在作为文化载体的中国古建筑中可约窥一二。中国建筑历史悠久，散步辽阔，品式反复，艺术价值颇高，且数千年无蜕变掺杂之迹，保持着一以贯之的独特、纯粹的木构脉络，形成了一个严密、精确、理性的建筑系统，这在人类文明史上是极为罕见的。随着中国的迅速崛起，越来越多的国家和民族更希望了解包括中国古建筑在内的博大精深的中国文化。党的“十八大”后提出中华民族伟大复兴的“中国梦”的战略思想，正是根植于中华民族优秀的传统文化，体现的不仅是中国人民的道路自信、理论自信和制度自信，也是文化自信。我以为，上海译文出版社英文版“中国古建筑及其故事”的策划，正是一种文化觉醒后的文化自信和民族自信。
这部丛书所讲述的故事及其时代背景，在中国古代建筑极具代表性，无论汉阙时刻还是亭台楼阁，都是最能展现中华民族聪明才智和高超技艺。此套丛书以英语为写作语言，以简洁凝练的笔触展示了中国古建筑的的丰富多彩，对弘扬中国传统文化具有重要意义。
从“引进来”到“走出去”，这本书的策划，让我们看到的不仅是一个文化企业的成长，更是一个民族的成长。像我们这样一个伟大而有着特别悠久的文化历史的民族，绝不能对自己的文化财富一知半解；像我们这样一个对世界文明史做出重大贡献的的民族，绝不能仅将自己的文化财富束之高阁。这本书的出版，将会提供让世界对中国古建筑文化有了更全面的认识的契机。相信，这类有重大意义的文化图书以后会越来越多，中华民族必将以更加自信的姿态屹立于世界文化之林，为实践中华民族伟大复兴的“中国梦”而奋斗不息。
——尹承东（中央编译局副局长）
作者简介
张慈贇，国内资深英文媒体人，高级编辑，享受国务院政府特殊津贴。自1980年起，参与《中国日报》创办，曾任中国日报社常务副总编辑。主持《北京周末报》、《上海英文星报》的创办，均为第一任总编辑。1996-2011年任上海市人民政府新闻办公室副主任，1999年创办《上海日报》社，任总编辑至2013年。现为中国翻译协会常务理事、上海翻译家协会副会长、《东方翻译》主编、上海外国语大学新闻传媒学院客座教授等。
主要译作：《聊斋志异》（外文出版社，1995，合译）；《香港特别行政区基本法（草案）》（1988，合译）；《翻译服务规范》（起草委员会成员/组长/英文定稿，中国标准化出版社，2004-2006）；《中美关系史（1945－1949）》（资中筠著，美国哥大出版社，1991）；《法国大革命的历史启示》（张芝联著，北京大学出版社，1989）；《中国弹拨乐演奏》（马楠著，人民音乐出版社，1989）；《中国教育法》（中译英，高教出版社，1986）；《一个女记者的传奇》（英译中，新华出版社，1986，合译）等
Born in Shanghai in 1949, ZHANG Ciyun (Peter) graduated from Jilin Normal University, PRC with a major in English and later from Stanford University in the United States with a Master’s Degree in Journalism. Since 1980, he has worked for several newspapers and magazines in both Beijing and Shanghai. Also, he once served in the General Office of the Ministry of Communications as an interpreter and the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality as its Deputy General Director.
An acclaimed translator, reporter and editor, Mr. Zhang has helped bring into existence four English-language newspapers on the Chinese mainland, namely, China Daily, Beijing Weekend, Shanghai Star and Shanghai Daily. He is now the Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of Shanghai Daily and an executive council member of Translation Association of China. He has translated and co-translated more than a dozen books and a large amount of documents, including Strange Stories of Liao Zhai Studio and the English version of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He has also published many English and Chinese articles and theses in newspapers and magazines both in China and overseas.
目录
故宫 The Palace Museum
Forbidden City — the dragon’s jewel
阿房宫 Epang Palace
Grandest palace remained a dream
布达拉宫 Potala Palace
The tallest ancient palace
大明宫 Daming Palace
Once world’s largest imperial palace
皇家坛庙 Imperial Temples
Imperial temples, altars dot Beijing
颐和园 Summer Palace
A best preserved imperial park
圆明园 Old Summer Palace
‘Versailles of East’ destroyed in war
华清池 Huaqing Pool
A pool where power and lust collide
秦皇陵 Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Grand mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
乾陵 Qianling Mausoleum
China’s only empress rests at Qianling Mausoleum
十三陵 The Ming Tombs
Thirteen emperors’ burial sites ‘masterpieces’
长城 The Great Wall
Wall part of complex defense network
西安城墙 The Xi’an City Wall
Defense included ingenious features
苏州城墙 The Suzhou City Wall
Wall very effective against invaders
登封观星台 Dengfeng Observatory
Tower used to make age’s best calendar
岳阳楼 Yueyang Tower
Yueyang tops among ancient towers
白马寺 White Horse Temple
Dream led to China’s first Buddhist temple
悬空寺 The Hanging Temple
Ancient architects produce spectacular mountain temple
五台山 Mount Wutai
Temple mount full of treasures
大昭寺 The Jokhang Temple
Tibet’s sacred monastery a living relic
应县木塔 The Sakyamuni Pagoda
Shanxi pagoda world’s oldest wood tower
大理三塔 Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
Yunnan’s Buddhist gems offer quiet beauty
莫高窟Mogao Grottoes
Spiritual, artistic and architectural wonders
化觉巷清真寺The Great Mosque of Xi’an
Great Mosque stands the test of time
苏公塔礼拜寺Emin Minaret Mosque
Worshippers, tourists revere this towering symbol of Islam
永乐宫 The Palace of Eternal Joy
Huge Taoist temple in Shanxi known for murals, Yuan styling
四合院 Beijing Courtyard House
Traditional dwellings designed with care
皖南民居 Southern Anhui Village Residences
Anhui’s rural gems of home building
石库门 Stone-Framed-Gate House
City lanes fuse Chinese, Western styles
窑洞 Cave House
Northern China’s cave houses last centuries
山西民居 Shanxi Courtyard House
Ancient Shanxi houses strong yet elaborate
客家民居 Hakka Walled Village
Walled villages built for families, defense
干栏式房屋 Stilt House
Building a home above land or water
骑楼 Arcade Building
Veranda-style buildings populate the south
开平碉楼 Kaiping Tower
Guangdong towers show Western influence
豫园 Yuyuan Garden
Classic garden a place of rare tranquility
苏州园林 Classic Gardens of Suzhou
Creating harmony between man and nature
岭南园林 Lingnan Gardens
Southern Chinese gardens open, natural
梁桥 Beam Bridge
Bridge building in China spans 6,000 years
拱桥 Arch Bridge
Arch bridges combine function and beauty
悬索桥 Suspension Bridge
Providing a connection through history
书院 Academy of Classic Learning
Academy designs display beauty of simplicity
会馆 Guild Hall
Ancient homes from home
曲阜孔子庙 Temple of Confucius, Qufu
Much thought went into philosopher’s temple
祠堂 Ancestral Temple
Homes for those no longer of this world
序言
Ancient Chinese architecture is a beautiful gem as well as an integral part of Chinese culture. It is also one of the three greatest architectural systems in the world, the other two being European and Arabic architecture.
As Liang Sicheng (1901-1972), a renowned Chinese architect and “father of modern Chinese architecture,” once pointed out that the architecture of China is as old as Chinese civilization. Some archaeological discoveries indicate that Chinese people began to develop a unique construction style as early as more than 7,000 years ago.
During the following centuries, Chinese artisans, builders and architects had invented a great number of ingenious tools, construction parts, structures as well as architectural designs, techniques and styles. They had also married the art and science of designing and erecting buildings with Chinese philosophy, religion, local customs and the traditional system of social hierarchy.
As time went by, many beautiful and grandiose buildings, such as palaces, temples, mausoleums, bridges and distinctive dwellings were built all around the country and some of them, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the First Emperor’s Mausoleum featuring life-sized terracotta warriors are still in existence today.
Of course, there are so much more.
Traveling around China today, you may cross a bridge that was built several hundred years ago； or you may stay for a night in a courtyard or a cave-house that have been the traditional dwellings for the local people for centuries.
It is a feast for your eyes to visit famous temples, palaces and old gardens featuring exquisite designs and decorations in different part of the country. However, what’s more interesting or even enlightening are the historical stories behind the walls of these buildings.
In this book, the authors will tell you many of such stories and will guide you as you knock on the gate of this ancient kingdom.
文摘
长城 (chang cheng)
The Great Wall
One of the Eight Wonders of the World
The Great Wall is believed by many to be one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of mankind - as such, it is often called one of the Eight Wonders of the World.
People often credit Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC), the First Emperor of a unified China, as the builder of the Great Wall. But con- struction of the wall actually started during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476-221 BC), long before Qin Shi Huang's time, and it was rebuilt for several times in later dynasties.
However, the First Emperor did order additional construction and connection of various sections of defensive walls to form the Great Wall in northern China to fend off nomadic invaders. Unfortunately, most of the ancient walls built during the Qin time have disappeared and the existing wall we see today was mostly constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Built with bricks, rammed earth, stone and wood, the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty stretches more than 8,850 kilometers from Hushan in northeast China's Liaoning Province to Jiayuguan in northwest China's Gansu Province. Most Chinese people call it Wanli Changcheng, meaning literally "Ten Thousand Li Long Wall." Li is a traditional Chinese measure of distance, equaling 500 meters or half a kilometer.
The average height of the wall stands at 7.8 meters, but in some sections, it reaches 14 meters. Since most segments of the wall were built along mountains, the height of the wall rises in relatively level places and drops on steep ridges.
To ensure that two heavy, horse-drawn carts could rumble along side-by-side along the top of the wall, most portions of the Great Wall are quite wide, measuring an average of 6.5 meters at the bottom and 5.8 meters across the top of the wall.
While planning the route of the wall, the builders made the best use of advantageous topographic features, such as high mountains, steep cliffs and sharp river bends, to amplify the wall's function of defense and also to save labor and resources.
In earlier days, the walls were mainly built by filling wooden frames with earth and small stones. After the earth and stones were tamped solid, the wooden frames were removed.
During the Ming Dynasty, mass production of bricks and tiles became popular. As a result, the Ming Great Wall was mostly built with bricks of different sizes and shapes, depending on whether they were used for the wall body, stairs, battlements or gates.
The bricks made the wall stronger and last longer both in battles and in the fight against the elements.
……
| ISBN | 9787532774135 |
|---|---|
| 出版社 | 上海译文出版社,上海世纪出版集团 |
| 作者 | 张慈贇 |
| 尺寸 | 32 |