太極英語Unit17BailianjiaoandDangtoupao1.ExplainthemeaningofBailianjiaoandDangtoupao.2.IllustratethetwoformsinEnglish.3.LearnaboutChinesecalligraphy.LearningObjectives1.解釋“擺蓮腳”和“當頭炮”的意思。2.用英語講解這兩個招式。3.了解中國書法。Directions:Readthefollowingdialogueandmakeyourowninpairs.BehindtheTaiChiFormsA:Black,whichtwoformsarewegoingtolearntoday?B:BailianjiaoandDangtoupao.A:WhyisitcalledBailianjiao?B:Dunno.Butasitsnamesuggests,itmaybetoswinglotus1-likefeet.A:Lotusfeet?Thereissuchanidiomasthree-inchgoldlotuses2inChinese.太極拳招式的背后甲：布萊克，今天我們打算學習哪兩招呢？乙：擺蓮腳和當頭炮。甲：為什么叫擺蓮腳呢？乙：不知道。但是顧名思義，可能是要像蓮花一樣擺腳的動作吧。甲：蓮花腳？漢語中倒是有這么個說法，叫“三寸金蓮”。B:Whatarethethree-inchgoldlotuses?A:It’sjustadescriptionofthesmallfeetofwomen.ThereinChinesehistorywasaperiodwhenminiature3feetwereregardedasatypeofbeautyshowingfemininity4.Forthis,womenhadtobindtheirfeet.乙：什么是三寸金蓮？甲：就是個形容女子的小腳的說法。中國歷史上有一段時間，小腳被視為一種展現女性氣質的美。為此，女人不得不裹腳。B:YoumeanthereissomeconnectionbetweenTaiChiandwomen’stinyfeet.A:I’mnotsure.ButIhavesomehowcometokindofunderstandBailianjiao.B:Tellme,please.A:TaiChicannotgowithoutmovement.Itmustmeanthatthemovementoftheswayingfootislikealotusinblossom5intheair.乙：你是說太極拳和女子的小腳有關系了。甲：這我不清楚。但是我有點明白擺蓮腳的意思了。乙：說來聽聽。甲：太極拳離不開招式動作。它一定是說空中擺腳的動作如同蓮花開放一樣。B:Thatistosay,theformaimsatsomegracefulandhandsomepostureintheair.A:Besides,theChinesepeoplehaveasacredpreferenceforthelotus.ZhouDunyihadaphilosophicalproseofOdetotheLotus6,whichpraiseditsvirtueofbeingcleanthoughoutofdirtymud.Inthislight,Bailianjiaoismoreofanoutstandingairthanjustaphysicalposture.乙：也就是說，這招追求的是在空中展現出一種剛柔并濟的姿態(tài)。甲：不僅如此，中國人對蓮花情有獨鐘。周敦頤有一篇哲理散文《愛蓮說》，贊譽的就是蓮花“出淤泥而不染”的品格。如此說來，擺蓮腳不僅是一個肢體動作，更透著一種超凡的氣韻。B:Incredible,buddy.Howyou’vegotsomuchjustfromasinglename!A:Taijicultureisextensiveandprofound.TaiChistandsforthisculture.Personally,itisagoodapproachtoTaijiculturetounderstandthenamesofitsforms.B:Icouldn’tagreewithyoumore.CouldyoupleaseexplaintheDangtoupao,please?乙：難以置信，老兄！你居然能從一個名字里想到這么多。甲：太極文化，博大精深。太極拳代表的就是這種文化。我個人以為，通過理解招數名字來探究太極文化是個好方法。乙：完全同意。你能說說“當頭炮”是什么意思嗎？A:Robinsaidthat“dangtou”isfromadialect;itmeanstherightfrontinMandarin.B:Iknowthecharacter“pao”,meaningcannon.Thus,Dangtoupaomeansasoundattacktotherightfrontoftheattacker.A:Goodpoint.ButRobinthinks“pao”meansfirecrackers.B:Butcannonismuchmorepowerfulthanfirecrackers.甲：羅賓說過，“當頭”是方言，在普通話中是正前方的意思。乙：我認識“炮”這個字，意思是火炮。這么說來，當頭炮就是給對方以迎頭痛擊了。甲：說得好。不過，羅賓認為“炮”的意思是鞭炮。乙：可是火炮遠比鞭炮威力大?。:Firecrackershavealonghistoryandplayaroleindrivingawayevilandescapingfrombadluckandharm.YouknowChinesepeoplebegintheirNewYearwithfirecrackers,aimingtodriveawaytheMonsterNian7forself-protection.B:Youmeanthatfirecrackersareforself-defence,whilecannonsareforinvasion.甲：鞭炮歷史悠久，而且具有驅邪避惡的作用。你知道中國人的新年始于鞭炮聲，目的是趕走年獸，求己平安。乙：你是說，鞭炮是用來防身的，火炮是用來進攻的。A:AlthoughIdidn’tmeanthat,yourcommentisratherreasonable.Dangtoupaoistoexertincomparable8power,itsaim,however,liesintheprinciplethatharmonyenjoyspriority.B:Then,howdowesayitinEnglish,FirecrackerorCannonintheRightFront?A:Itdepends.ItisFirecrackersintheRightFrontinthetextbook.B:Whyfirecrackers,notfirecracker?甲：雖然我沒這么想，但是你的總結倒是挺有道理。當頭炮雖然能釋放出驚人的力量，然而其目的還是“和為貴”啊。乙：那這個招式用英語怎么說呢？FirecrackerintheRightFront還是CannonintheRightFront呢？甲：那要看情況。不過教材上是FirecrackersintheRightFront。乙：為什么是firecrackers而不是firecracker呢？A:Yes,what’sthequestion?Coulditbesaidthat...B:Well,let’sgotoRobininaminute.I’mmoreinterestedinotherforms’names,throughwhichwecanlearnmoreaboutTaiChiculture.A:Really?Tellmethenamesofyourinterests,please.B:Yes.IdowonderaboutthestoriesofXiabukuahu,BaiheLiangchi,andJingangDaodui.甲：就是，問題出在哪兒呢？難道……乙：算了，還是待會兒問羅賓吧。我現在對其他招式的名稱更感興趣，我們可以從中了解更多太極拳文化。甲：真感興趣？請給我說說你感興趣的名字吧。乙：真感興趣。我很想知道下步跨虎、白鶴亮翅和金剛搗碓的故事。A:Doyouknowwhat’sbehindTaiChi?B:It’stheYin-Yangtheory.A:It’sjustone.TaiChiisthefruitofvariousChinesecultures,fromwhichcomemanyofthenamesofitsforms.B:Couldyoutellme,please?A:Seriously?B:Sincerelyeagerforyourreadingmeariddle.甲：你知道太極拳背后是什么嗎？乙：陰陽理論啊。甲：那只是其中之一。太極拳是中國各種文化的結晶，其中很多招式的名稱都來自這些文化。乙：能否說來聽聽？甲：真想聽？乙：還望指點迷津。A:Somehowmodest.LikeaChinese.ButIgiveyoutwooptions,oneistoconsulttheAItosearchforthemandtheotherisforustogoandaskRobintogether.B:Farwaterdoesnousetoafireathand.Let’sgotoRobin.甲：謙虛了，像個中國人。不過我可以給你兩個選擇：一是求教人工智能，搜索它們，二是咱倆一起去問羅賓。乙：遠水救不了近火。咱們去問羅賓吧。ReadTable13anddoTasksA,B,CandD.TaskA:Pairwork—basicunderstanding1.WhatisBailianjiaoinEnglish?2.HowmanyactionsarethereinBailianjiao?Whatarethey?3.WhatisDangtoupaoinEnglish?4.HowmanyactionsarethereinDangtoupao?Whatarethey?TaskB:Groupwork—Brainstorming1.Howtosmack1thefootinstepwhenthepalmsarestrokingdownwardinAction1ofBailianjiao?2.WhichfootdoesitmeanbythefootpointingtothegroundinAction2ofBailianjiao?3.IstherightpalmortheleftpalmleadingtheotherwhenstrokingdownwardinAction1ofDangtoupao?4.Dothefistsreachtheattackerspontaneouslyorsuccessively2inAction2ofDangtoupao?Table13:BanlianjiaoandDangtoupao23.Bailianjiao(LotusFoot)Action1:Shiftthecenterofgravityleftward,andmeanwhile,strokeandpressbothpalmsdownward;thenwithdrawtherightfootintoanemptystance(Fig.23-1-1).Swingtherightleginasectorial3arcfromfronttoback,duringwhichthepalmsalternately4smacktheinstep5oftherightfoot(Fig.23-1-2).Notes:1)Pressthepalmstowaistlevel.Whenintheemptystep,therightkneepointsleftforward.2)Thefan-shapedswayisclockwise,whilethefootslap6istotheopposite.3)Duringtheinstepslap,exertpowersharply,withclearforcepointsandnoupwardbodylift.ChineseEnglish23.擺蓮腳動作一：左移重心，同時雙手下捋按掌，然后收右腳成虛步（圖例23-1-1）。右腿由前向后做扇形擺動，雙掌依次拍擊右腳面（圖例23-1-2）。注：1）雙掌按至腰平。虛步時，右膝指向左前方。2）扇形擺動呈順時針，而拍腳方向相反。3）拍腳背時，發(fā)力干脆，力點清晰，身體不可上拔。Action2:Landtherightfootintoanemptystance;bendthekneesslightlyandpeng(wardoff)bothpalmsforward,theeyeslookingaheadhorizontally(Fig.23-2).Notes:Whenwardingoffthepalmsoutward,drawinthechestandrelaxthelowerback,roundthearms,andsinktheQitotheDantianAcupoint,maintainingtheintegrityofthewhole-bodyforce.ChineseEnglish動作二：右腳落地成虛步，膝微屈，雙掌前掤，雙眼平視前方（圖例23-2）。注：雙掌外掤時，含胸塌腰，雙臂撐圓，氣沉丹田，周身合勁。Chinese24.Dangtoupao(FirecrackersintheRightFront)Action1:Bendthekneeandretreattherightstep;relaxthehipandshifttheweightrightward,andmeanwhilestrokebothhandsdownwardandchangethemintofistsinfrontoftheabdomen(Fig.24-1).Action2:Rotatethearmsandbendtheelbows;shifttheweightleftwardandshakeoutthefiststotheleft,therightfistheartdownwardandtheleftfistheartupward（Fig.24-2）.Notes：1)Rotatethearmsasthetorsoturnsrightwardalittle.Shakethefistsasthetorsoturnsleftwardalittle.2)Raisethecrownenergy,straightenthelumbar7spinevertically,andwhengeneratingtheshakingenergyortheleaningenergy,maintainthecoordinationbetweentheupperandlowerbody.English24.當頭炮動作一：屈膝，退右步；松胯，右移重心，同時雙手下捋，腹前握拳（圖例24-1）。動作二：旋臂屈肘；左移重心，雙拳向左側抖出，右拳心向下，左拳心向上（圖例24-2）。注：1）旋臂時身體微右轉。抖拳時身體微左轉。2）頂勁領起，腰脊豎直，發(fā)抖勁、靠勁時，周身上下相合。ChineseTaskC:Groupwork—explorethefollowingquestions1.WhyisitcalledBailianjiao?2.Whatistheuseoftheform?3.WhyisitnamedDangtoupao?4.Howtomakeuseoftheform?TaskD:Classwork1.It’ssuggestedtodividetheclassintotwogroups.OnegroupdoesBailianjiao(LotusFoot)andtheothermakesDangtoupao(FirecrackersintheRightFront).Whenastudentisperformingtheform,otherstudentsshouldtrytomakeuseofbriefEnglishtodescribetheactionsinvolved.2.Pickoutoneortwogroupstomaketheperformanceinpublicasthemodel.Theteacherissuggestedtocorrectthestudents’Englishdescriptions.Bearinmindthatanyencouragementiswelcome.Step1:Workinagroupofthreeorfour.Readthepassageandcompletethefollowingquestionswiththegivenexpressions.1.What/youknow/theancientFourGreatArts?2.What/thetraditionalFourTreasuresoftheStudy?3.It/easy/practicecalligraphy?Why?4.What/calligraphymean/theminds/theancientChinesescholars?5.Howmanystyles/Chinesecalligraphy/youknow?What/they?6.What/youknow/thefamousChinesecalligraphers?7.Who/WangXizhi?How/helearn/calligraphy?8.Why/TangTaizongpreferWangXizhi’scalligraphy?9....(morequestionsareencouraged)ChineseCalligraphy

OftheFourGreatArts1inancienttimes,ChinesecalligraphyisanecessaryskilltobeobtainedbyanyChinesescholar2.Foraperfectpracticeofthisart,theancientChinesepeoplecreatedthecommonlycalled“FourTreasuresoftheStudy”,namely,brush,ink,paperandinkslab.Tosomedegree,itissafetosaythatCalligraphyisworthyofthenominationasanationaltreasure.ChineseEnglish中國書法在古代“四大藝術”之中，中國書法是中國文人必備的技能。為了完美地練習這項藝術，古代的中國人創(chuàng)造了人們通常所說的“文房四寶”，即，筆、墨、紙、硯。在某種程度上，可以肯定地說，書法被評為民族的瑰寶是當之無愧的。

Itisnoteasytopracticecalligraphyormakeanintegrativeuseofthefourbasictools.Firstly,youneedacarefulselectionoforagoodpreparationforeachofthem,makingsurethatthebrushisneithersoftnorhard,thattheinkisgroundblackwithluster3,thepaperissmoothwithflexibility,andtheinkslabmirrorstheink’stint.Alloftheseneedtimeandmoney.

Secondly,onceyouchargethebrushwithfluidink,youhavealimitedtimeinwhichtowriteontheproperpaper.Anyhesitationorstagnation4maybringforthablackmarkthatdoesharmtothecomingartwork.Obviously,speed,strengthandagilityareallneeded.ChineseEnglish習練書法或者綜合運用這四種基本書寫工具并不容易。首先，你需要細心挑選或者妥善準備每一樣工具，確保毛筆不軟不硬，墨汁磨得黑中透亮，紙張要光滑有韌性，硯臺要能映襯出墨汁的光澤。所有這一切都需要時間和金錢。其次，一旦毛筆蘸滿墨汁，你就要在有限時間內在專用紙上揮毫。任何猶豫或停滯都可能留下黑斑，破壞即將問世的藝術作品。顯而易見，速度、力量和敏捷性就是所需要的一切。

Thirdly,whattowritedeservesacarefulthought.Generally,somefineorinspiredlineswillcometotheattentionoftheChinesescholars,whichcanrelievetheirstressorinspiretheirminds.

Toalargeextent,thosecalligraphers5shouldforgetalloftheirworriesandjoysiftheywanttomakeagoodpieceofhandwritingwork.Languageisameansofcommunication,butcalligraphyismorethanthat.Forthosewhoaredevotedtocalligraphy,thepracticeprocessisalsoanaturaljourneythathelpstoshapegoodcharacterandcultivatenoblesentiments.ChineseEnglish第三，對于要寫的內容也需要細細斟酌。一般來說，一些構思精巧、富有靈感的美文會引起中國文人的關注。這會緩解他們的壓力或者啟發(fā)他們的心智。在很大程度上，那些書法家要是想創(chuàng)造一幅優(yōu)秀的書法作品，應當忘掉自己的歡樂和憂愁。語言是交流的工具，而與此相比，書法更甚。對于潛心研究書法的人來說，練習過程也是一種塑造良好秉性、陶冶高尚情操的自然歷程。

Ancientpeoplepaidmuchattentiontocalligraphy.Infeudalsocieties,atesteecouldshowhisliterarytalentintheImperialExamination.Theemperorcouldnotavoidthefirst-impressioninfluencefromthetesteewhopossessedtheskillofcalligraphy.Agoodpieceofcalligraphicworkwasnotonlypopularwithcommonpeoplebutalsoinvaluable6tosomeemperors.IntheTangDynasty,calligraphywasevertestedasacriterion7forassigningpostsinthecivilservice.ItwassaidthatinordertogettheoriginalversionofPrefacetotheOrchidPavilionCollection8,WangXizhi’smasterpiece,EmperorTaizongobtaineditbycheatingtheholderoftheauthenticwork.Theemperortreasureditsomuchthathebroughtittohisgrave,perhapsforapeacefulsleepwithit.ChineseEnglish古人非常注重書法。在封建社會，赴試之人能夠以此在科舉考試中展示其文學才華。皇帝也避免不了受到第一印象的影響，更加青睞掌握書法技能的應試者。一幅好的書法作品不僅會受到百姓的歡迎，就是在某些皇帝那里也是無價之寶。在唐朝，書法曾被用作一種封官授爵的標準來考試。據說，為了得到王羲之的代表作《蘭亭集序》的原版，太宗皇帝利用欺騙的伎倆從真跡的擁有者那里將其搞到了手。這位皇帝對這幅作品珍愛至極，甚至把它帶進了墳墓，或許與之相伴可以安枕無憂吧。

OfChinesecalligraphy,therearedistinctstylistictraditions.TheearlieststyleofcalligraphyiswidelyconsideredSealScript(Zhuanshu),whichenjoyedanofficialstatusthroughLiSi’sreformsduringQin(221BC~207BC)scriptunification,whentheChancellorstandardizedcharactersintorectangular9form,stressingbeinghorizontalandvertical,balanced,andtightatthetopbutlooseatthebottom.Theywereofteninscribedonimperialsealsandbronzevessels,encodingstatepowerineverybrushstroke.ChineseEnglish在中國書法當中，有著獨特的風格傳統(tǒng)。最早的書法風格被廣泛認為是篆書，在秦朝（公元前221~公元前207年）文字統(tǒng)一時期，通過李斯改革，篆書獲得了官方地位，這位丞相將漢字標準化為長方形，強調橫平豎直、平衡對稱、上緊下松。篆書經常被刻于帝王印璽和青銅禮器之上，每一筆都象征著國家的權力。

ThesecondtypeofcalligraphyisClericalScript(Lishu),developedfromtheSealScriptinQinandblossomedintoartisticsummit10duringtheEasternHan(25CE~220CE).Therefore,therearedistinctionsbetweenQinclericalscriptandHanclericalscript.Thescriptappearedmuchneateranddelicate,turningtheroundstyleintoaflatone,beinghorizontallylengthenedandverticallycompressed,andcharacterizedbythreebendsinasinglestrokeandsilkworm-headbeginningsandswallow-tailterminations.ChineseEnglish第二種書法是隸書，由秦朝的篆書發(fā)展而來，并在東漢時期（公元25~220年）達到藝術巔峰。故而有秦隸、漢隸之分。這種書法顯得更加整潔細膩，變圓為平，橫長豎短，有一波三折、蠶頭燕尾的特點。

OriginatingfromtheHanClericalScript,RegularScript(Kaishu)emergedduringtheLaterHanperiod,whichremainsoneofthemostinfluentialcalligraphicstylestothisday.RegularScriptfeaturesregularityandvariesfromtheflatClericalScripttoformsquarecharacters.CiHaidescribesitas“ascriptofsquareshapeandstraightstrokes,servingasamodel”.

Furthermore,thereareangularandshape-edgedWeibeiSteleScript(Weishu),unbridledanddynamicCursiveScript(Caoshu),andrhythmicandfluidRunningScript(Xingshu)bridgingregularandcursiveforms.Noneofthemisnotaseminal11chapterincalligraphicevolution.ChineseEnglish楷書起源于漢隸書，出現于后漢時期，至今仍是最具影響力的書法形式之一?？瑫鴱娬{規(guī)整性，把扁平的隸書變化成了方塊字形?！掇o海》形容它“形體方正，筆畫平直，可作楷?！?。此外，還有棱角分明的魏書、奔放靈動的草書，以及介乎楷草之間韻律流暢的行書。它們無一不是書法演變史上的重要篇章。

Therehavebeenmanyfamouscalligraphicmastersinhistory,likeWeiShuo,afemalecalligrapherfamousforWeibeiScript,ZhongYaoforRegularScript,ZhangZhiforCursiveScript,andsoon.ButitwastheSageofCalligraphy,WangXizhithatledtheartofcalligraphytoitssummit.

Wangwasborninawell-knownfamilyofcalligraphy.HebeganlearningcalligraphyfromWeiShuoattheageofseven.Thenheobtainedmuchlearningfromtheaforementionedmasters.Accordingtolegend,whereverhewent,hewouldfindoutthepreviousstylesofcalligraphyandcopythem.Whereverhewasathome,therewerealwaysthe“FourTreasuresoftheStudy”,well-preparedforhiswritingcompositions.Wheneverhehituponaright-structuredcharacter,hewouldwriteitdownimmediately.Eventually,heformedhisownstyle.Hiscalligraphywasdescribedas“floatingasflyingcloudsand