ChinesePod

dào le Hàndài ，huánggōng lǐ xiàjì biàn yǒu le “qīngliáng diàn ”，nèi yǒu duōchóng jiàngwēn zhuāngzhì ，yǐ shítou wèi chuáng ，yòng yù jīng pán zhuāng bīngkuài ，háiyǒu rén zhàn zài yīpáng duì zhe shān shànzi ，qīngliáng wúbǐ 。

In the Han Dynasty, the palace had a "cool hall" in the summer, with multiple cooling devices inside, such as a stone bed, plates made from jade crystals to store ice cubes and people using fans. The coolness was incomparable.

Go to Lesson

明清时期，皇家宫殿房间内出现了可移动的冷源，即贮放冰块的柜子，上面镂空，作为冷气出孔，中部空间还可储存食物，如西瓜、冷饮等。

MíngQīng shíqī ，huángjiā gōngdiàn fángjiān nèi chūxiàn le kě yídòng de lěngyuán ，jí zhùfàng bīngkuài de guìzi ，shàngmiàn lòukōng ，zuòwéi lěngqì chūkǒng ，zhōngbù kōngjiān hái kě chǔcún shíwù ，rú xīguā 、lěngyǐn děng 。

In the Ming and Qing dynasty, rooms in the royal palace placed ice cubes in cabinets which were hollow on the top to let the cool air flow. The space in the middle of the cabinets were used to store food such as watermelons and cold beverages etc.

Go to Lesson

我今天真是无事不登三宝殿，你快帮我出出主意。

wǒ jīntiān zhēn shì wú shìbùdēngsānbǎodiàn ，nǐ kuài bāng wǒ chū chū zhǔyi 。

I really came to ask something of you today. Quick and help me to come up with an idea.

Go to Lesson

布局是大同小异。一般规模较大的寺都有三座殿。这三座殿依次建在一条线上，排列得很整齐。你看最外面的是天王殿，天王殿的后面是大雄宝殿，大雄宝殿后面还有一个殿。

bùjú shì dàtóngxiǎoyì 。yībān guīmó jiào dà de sì dōu yǒu sān zuò diàn 。zhè sān zuò diàn yīcì jiàn zài yī tiáo xiàn shàng ，páiliè de hěn zhěngqí 。nǐ kàn zuì wàimian de shì Tiānwángdiàn ，Tiānwángdiàn de hòumian shì Dàxióngbǎodiàn ，Dàxióngbǎodiàn hòumian háiyǒu yī gè diàn 。

The layout is largely the same, but with small differences. Usually large scale temples have three halls. These three halls are constructed in one line, and are lined up precisely. Look, the one on the outside is the Hall of the Gods, and behind it is the Precious Hall of the Great Hero. Behind the Precious Hall of the Great Hero is another hall.

Go to Lesson

那最重要的是哪个殿？

nà zuì zhòngyào de shì nǎge diàn ？

Which hall is the most important?

Go to Lesson

一般把大雄宝殿叫作正殿。大雄宝殿的中央供奉的是释迦牟尼像。

yībān bǎ Dàxióngbǎodiàn jiàozuò zhèngdiàn 。Dàxióngbǎodiàn de zhōngyāng gòngfèng de shì Shìjiāmóuní xiàng 。

Usually the Precious Hall of the Great Hero is called the Main Hall. Enshrined in the middle of the Precious Hall of the Great Hero there is an image of the Buddha.

Go to Lesson

那我们现在进的是天王殿？

nà wǒmen xiànzài jìn de shì Tiānwángdiàn ？

Then the one we're in now is the Hall of the Gods?

Go to Lesson

大象又高又大，腿就像宫殿的柱子一样粗，最高的人走过去，还不到大象的肚子。

dàxiàng yòu gāo yòu dà ，tuǐ jiù xiàng gōngdiàn de zhùzi yīyàng cū ，zuì gāo de rén zǒu guòqù ，hái bùdào dàxiàng de dùzi 。

The elephant was both tall and large. Its legs were as thick as the palace's pillars. The tallest person could stand next to it and not even come up to its belly.

Go to Lesson

这个啊，是为了纪念犹太历史上的一个奇迹。很久以前，犹太人被叙利亚人统治。后来他们打败了敌人。就在他们想祭神的时候，发现圣殿里点灯的油只够用一天了，但灯台却持续亮了八天。犹太人认为这是神在保佑他们。

zhè ge a ，shì wèile jìniàn Yóutài lìshǐ shàng de yī ge qíjì 。hěnjiǔ yǐqián ，Yóutàirén bèi Xùlìyàrén tǒngzhì 。hòulái tāmen dǎbài le dírén 。jiù zài tāmen xiǎng jìshén de shíhou ，fāxiàn shèngdiàn lǐ diǎn dēng de yóu zhǐ gòu yòng yī tiān le ，dàn dēngtái què chíxù liàng le bā tiān 。Yóutàirén rènwéi zhè shì shén zài bǎoyòu tāmen 。

Well, it's done in order to commemorate a miracle that occurred in Jewish history. A long time ago, the Jews were ruled by the Syrians. In the end, they defeated their enemies. Just as they wanted to make an offering, they realized that there was only enough oil in the temple for one day, yet the candle stayed lit for 8 days. The Jews believe this was their God blessing them.

Go to Lesson

古代的科举制度呢，一般来说，分为乡试、会试和殿试。乡试通过后，一般都要有人推荐，才能参加更高一级的考试，所以考试者被叫作举人，比较优秀的人才也被叫作秀才。

gǔdài de kējǔ zhìdù ne ，yībān láishuō ，fēnwéi xiāngshì 、huìshì hé diànshì 。xiāngshì tōngguò hòu ，yībān dōu yào yǒurén tuījiàn ，cáinéng cānjiā gèng gāo yī jí de kǎoshì ，suǒyǐ kǎoshì zhě bèi jiàozuò jǔrén ，bǐjiào yōuxiù de réncái yě bèi jiàozuò xiùcai 。

The ancient examination system, generally speaking, was separated into the provincial level exam, the doctoral exam and the final, imperial exam. After passing the provincial exam, most people would need a person to recommend them in order to continue on and take the higher level exam. Therefore, the people taking the test became known as 'recommended scholars'. People of particularly excellent talent, became known as 'exemplary scholars'.

Go to Lesson