Sunday 10 June 2012

Lesson 004: Chinese is Music

Chinese is a musical language. Click here to listen to the Chinese tones, like music. There is an introduction piece of music, but listen to the man speaking and the tones he's using. Sulan has converted this to English for you.


散步


        在田野散步:我,我的母,我的妻子和儿子本不愿出的。她老了,身体不好,走儿就得很累。我,正因如此,才应该多走走。母信服地点点,便去拿外套。她在很听我的,就像我小候很听她的        
         南方初春的田野,大的新绿意地,有的,有的淡,上的嫩芽也密了,田里的冬水也咕咕地起水泡。一切都使人想样东西——生命。
        我和母走在前面,我的妻子和儿子走在后面。小家伙突然叫起:“前面是妈妈和儿子,后面也是妈妈和儿子。”我都笑了。
   后生了分歧:母要走大路,大路平:我的儿子要走小路,小路有意思”。不,一切都取于我。我的母老了,她早已习惯的儿子;我的儿子小,他还习惯他高大的父;妻子呢,在外面,她是听我的。一霎我感到了任的重大。我想找一全的法,找不出;我想拆散一家人,分成路,各得其所,不愿意。我定委屈儿子,因我伴同他的还长。我:“走大路。”但是母摸摸儿的小瓜,了主意:“是走小路吧。”她的眼小路望去:那里有金色的菜花,行整的桑一口水波粼粼的塘。“我走不去的地方,你就背我。”母亲对       
        这样,我光下,向那菜花、桑塘走去。到了一,我蹲下,背起了母;妻子也蹲下,背起了儿子。我和妻子都是慢慢地,稳稳地,走得很仔,好像我背上的同她背上的加起,就是整世界。     



Going for a Walk



We went for a walk in the field; my mother, my wife and my son.

Initially, my mother was not keen to come out. She was old and not in good heath. She felt exhausted with long walks. I said to her: “You need to walk more because of that.” She nodded with belief, and went to get her coat. Nowadays, my mother listened to me, just like I listened to her when I was a child.

It was an early spring. The open country, with big pieces and small pieces of farmland, was covered in green. Some pieces were heavy and others light.   Tender leaves on the trees were getting thick; winter water in the fields started glistening. All of these reminded people of one thing – Life.

My mother and I walked in the front, followed by my wife and son. All of a sudden, my son shouted: ”In the front are mother and son; at the back are also mother and son.” We all laughed. 

Later on, we had a decision to make.  My mother wanted to get on the main road since it was flat. My son, however, wanted to take the track because it was fun. In the end, they would all look to me for a decision. Mother was old; she had become used to listening to her strong son. My son was still small and he would go with his big Daddy’s suggestion. My wife, as usual, always agreed with me when we were out. Instantly, I felt a strong sense of responsibility. I wanted to satisfy both sides but there was no way to do so. Then, I wanted to split the group into two and each could choose what they wanted. But we could not agree on that. On second thought I decided to let my son make the compromise. I would have a much longer time to be with him in the future. I said: “Let’s take the main road.” But my mother had changed her mind by the time I said so. She rubbed my son’s little head and said: “Let’s take the track.” 

She looked into the direction of the track; there was an expanse of golden rape flowers; along the track, two parallel rows of white mulberry. At the far end was a pond with clear ripples. “ Carry me if we come across anywhere I can’t walk pass.” My mother said to me.

 In the sun, we headed towards the golden rape flowers, the white mulberry and the pond. We came to a place where I knelt down to carry my mother on my back. My wife also knelt down and carried my son.  Steadily and slowly, my wife and I walked with great care, as if we were carrying the entire world.

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