【正文】 y Confucius and Mencius, Taoism represented by Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, and many other theories and doctrines that figured prominently in the history of Chinese thought, all being covered by the famous term” the masters’ hundred schools.” The traditional Chinese culture presents many precious ideas and qualities, which are essentially populist and democratic. For example, they lay stress on the importance of kindness and love in human relations, on the interest of the munity, on seeking harmony without uniformity and on the idea that the world is for all. Especially, patriotism as embodied in the saying ”Everybody is responsible for the rise or fall of the country”。 the populist ideas that “people are the foundation of the country” and that “people are the more important than the monarch”。 the code of conduct of “Treat others as you want to
be treated”.And the traditional virtues taught from generation to
generation:endurance and hard working diligence and frugality in household management,and respecting teachers and valuing of which have played a great role in binding and regulating the family,the country and the society.
漢語(yǔ)：從某種意義上說(shuō)，漢語(yǔ)是一種很古老的語(yǔ)言，其最早的漢字已有近四千年的歷史了。漢字在其漫長(zhǎng)的發(fā)展史中演化成許多不同的書(shū)寫(xiě)形式，例如篆書(shū)、隸書(shū)、楷書(shū)和行書(shū)。中國(guó)書(shū)法家往往使?jié)h字的字形夸張以取得藝術(shù)效果，例如旅游勝地的一些石刻碑文。中國(guó)書(shū)法是一門(mén)研究藝術(shù)，隨著各位學(xué)習(xí)興趣的提高，我們將適時(shí)介紹中國(guó)書(shū)法的流派，以及如何欣賞
中國(guó)書(shū)法的藝術(shù)性。
In a sense, Chinese is a very old language, and its earliest characters date back nearly four thousand years ago. During their long history of development, Chinese characters have evolved into many different script forms, such as the Seal script, Clerical script, Regular script and Running script. Chinese calligraphers usually render their Chinese characters in ways that exaggerate the form to yield artistic
beauty, such as those in stone inscriptions seen in tourist resorts. Chinese
calligraphy is a subject of artistic study. As your interest in Chinese character system increases in the days to e, we will introduce in due time the different schools of
Chinese calligraphy, and how to appreciate the artistic beauty of Chinese
calligraphy.
孔子：孔子(ConfUcius)是一位思想家、政治家，教育家，也是中國(guó)儒 學(xué)(the Ru School)思想的創(chuàng)始人。儒學(xué)(Confucianism)，這個(gè)道德和 宗教哲學(xué)的大系統(tǒng)建立在孔圣人(Master Kung)的教學(xué)上。馮友蘭， 中國(guó)思想史上20世紀(jì)偉大的的權(quán)威之一，把孔子在中國(guó)歷史上
的影 響比作西方的蘇格拉底。
Confucius was a thinker, political figure, educator, and founder of the Ru School of Chinese thought. Confucianism, the great system of moral and religious philosophy built upon the teachings of Master Kung. Fung Youlan, one of the great 20th century authorities on the history ofChinese thought, pares Confucius9
influence in Chinese history with that of Socrates in the West.
紅樓夢(mèng)：《紅樓夢(mèng)》問(wèn)世二百年以來(lái),通過(guò)漢文原文和各種譯文讀過(guò)此書(shū)的人,不知有多少億!這么多的讀者哪一個(gè)是先看批評(píng)家的文章,然而再讓批評(píng)家牽著鼻子走,按圖索驥地去讀原作呢?我看是絕無(wú)僅有的。一切文學(xué)作品,特別是象《紅樓夢(mèng)》這樣偉大的作品,內(nèi)容異常地豐富,涉及到的社會(huì)層面異常地多,簡(jiǎn)直象是一個(gè)寶山，一座迷宮。而讀者群就更加復(fù)雜，他們來(lái)讀《紅樓夢(mèng)》，會(huì)各就自己的特點(diǎn)，欣賞該書(shū)中的某一個(gè)方面，受到鼓舞，受到啟發(fā)，引起
了喜愛(ài)。也可能受到打擊，引起了憎惡?？傊乔Р钊f(wàn)別。
Ever since the publication of A Dream of Red Mansions some 200 years ago, hundreds of millions of people have read its Chinese original or its translations in various languages. Of these innumerable people, how many have read the novel by starting with a perusal of the critics’ articles and allowing themselves to be led by the nose by the critics as to how to read the novel? Next to none. All literary works, especially a monumental one like A Dream of Red Mansions, are extremely rich in content and involve diverse social stratato such an extent that they virtually resemble a mountain of treasure or a labyrinth. And the readers are even more plicated, differing from each other in family background. They will each
appreciate a certain aspect of the novel according to their own individuality. They may feel inspired and enlightened, and hence love it, or they may feel hurt, and
hence loathe it. In short, the reactions vary.
二、 傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日
春節(jié)：春節(jié)慶祝活動(dòng)是一年中最重要的慶?；顒?dòng)。中國(guó)人慶祝春節(jié)的方式可能略微不同，但其愿望幾乎是相同的，他們希望其家人和朋友來(lái)年健康和幸運(yùn)。春節(jié)慶?；顒?dòng)通常持續(xù)15天。慶祝活動(dòng)包括春節(jié)的年夜飯，放鞭炮，給兒童壓歲錢(qián)，春節(jié)鐘聲和春節(jié)問(wèn)候。大多數(shù)中國(guó)人將在春節(jié)的第7天停止慶?；顒?dòng)，因?yàn)槿珖?guó)性節(jié)假通常在這一天結(jié)束，但在公共場(chǎng)所
的慶?；顒?dòng)可能最終持續(xù)到正月十五。
Chinese New Year Celebration is the most important celebration of the year. Chinese people may celebrate the Chinese New Year in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same。 they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during next New Year Celebration usually lasts for 15 days. Celebratory activities include Chinese New Feast, firecrackers, giving lucky money to children, the New Year bell ringing and Chinese New Year Greetings. Most of Chinese people will stop the celebrating in their home on the 7th day of New Year because the national holiday usually ends around that day, however
celebrations in public areas can last until the 15th day of New Year.
清明節(jié)：清明節(jié)的習(xí)俗是豐富有趣的，除了講究禁火、掃墓，還有踏青、蕩秋千、蹴鞠、打馬球、插柳等一系列風(fēng)俗體育活動(dòng)。相傳這是因?yàn)榍迕鞴?jié)要寒食禁火，為了防止寒食冷藏傷
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