Unit Seventeen Scenic Attractions around the Area of the Three Gorges

张 家 界 风 光

Scenic Attractions around the Area of the Three Gorges

The Yellow Crane Tower

Zhangjiajie Mountain

Wudang Mountain

There are many charming scenic spots in the cities around the area of the Three Gorges, such as Jingzhou City, Wuhan City, Zhangjiajie City ，Shiyan City , Zhongxiang City in Hubei Province. These beautiful sights, including Jingzhou Ancient Town ( 荆州古城), the Yellow Crane Tower ( 黄鹤楼), Wudang Mountain (武当山) ， Mingxian Tomb ( 明显陵) and Zhangjiajie ( 张家界 )and so on, attract thousands and thousands of tourists from every part of the world.

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The ancient Jingzhou Town, (also called Jiangling Town ) is one of the first 24 historical and cultural cities designated （指定的） by the State Council （国务院） . The ancient town is divided into three parts. The outer part is waterside town, the middle part is brick ( 砖块 ) town and the inner part is earth town. It was said that the thick liquid of ground glutinous rice ( 糯米粉 ) was filled into cracks ( 裂缝 ) of the stones at the foot of the right wall of the town to avoid foundation sinking and flooding, therefore the city wall is very solid.

Twenty kings of Chu had made it capital for 411 years. As an ancient capital, it was the center of Daxi culture and Chu Culture. Archaeologists（考古学家） and tourism specialists （专家） put it as “the only best preserved （保存） ancient cities in South China”.

Located in Zhongxiang City, Mingxian Tomb is the largest and best-preserved mono-structural （单体结构） imperatorial （帝王） tomb. The location of Mingxian Tomb was carefully selected according to Chinese geomantic （风水） theory. Mingxian Tomb is a national key relics （ 遗迹） protection site.

Now another three famous scenic spots will be simply introduced in the following three passages. They are the Yellow Crane Tower, Zhangjiajie Mountain and Wudang Mountain respectively ( 分别地 ).

三峡周边之旅Translation:

在三峡的周边城市，湖北省的荆州市、武汉市、十堰市、张家界市、钟祥市等地也有很多风景如画的旅游景点，诸如荆州古城、黄鹤楼、武当山、明显陵、张家界等。

荆州古城（江陵）是国务院最早确定的 24 个历史文化古城之一。荆州古城分为三层，外边是水城，中间是砖城，里面是土城。据说当年为防止城基下陷，洪水泛城，在右城脚条石缝中浇灌了糯米浆，因而城墙特别坚固。楚国有二十个国王，前后四百一十一年在这里建都，荆州作为古都也是大溪文化和楚文化的中心。荆州古城被国内考古学家和旅游学专家誉为 “中国南方古城的唯一完璧”。

明显陵位于湖北省钟祥市，是明代帝陵中最大的保存最好的单体陵墓。明显陵墓是严格根据中国传统的风水理论来规划的。明显陵是全国重点文物保护单位。

这里将简单介绍另外的三个旅游热点 , 即黄鹤楼、武当山和张家界。

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张家界风光back

明 显 陵

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明显陵龙形神道

明显陵御桥

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钟 祥 明 显 陵

东湖风景

东 湖 风 景

武汉大学校园广场

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小武当

武当山风景

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武当山风光

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Wudang Mountain

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Passage 1

The Yellow Crane Tower

Lying on the top of Snake Mountain in Wuchang District of Wuhan City, near the southern end of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge ， the Yellow Crane Tower is one of the three most famous towers on the south bank of the Yangtze River. The legend has it that the owner of a wine shop used to give free wine to a taoist, so the taoist drew a picture of a yellow crane on the wall in gratitude. After the taoist left, the crane came to life and danced for the customers, hence the owner became rich very soon.

Wuhan Yangtze Bridgeback

When the taoist returned ten years later, blowing a flute, he mounted the crane and flew off into the sky. The owner built a tower on the place of the wine shop and named it Yellow Crane Tower to commemorate the Taoist. According to records, the tower was firstly built in 223 A.D. for the purpose of military affairs, during the period of the Three Kingdoms. Then the tower served as a gathering place for celebrities and poets to hold parties, have dinners, visit or compose poetry. Cui Hao, a famous poet in Tang Dynasty, made the tower well known in China with his poem “The Yellow Crane Tower”.

The tower was rebuilt again and again in later dynasties ， though it was destroyed many times. Modeling the destroyed tower in Tongzhi Age, Qing Dynasty, people rebuilt it in October, 1981, and the construction lasted for four years.

The whole Yellow Crane Tower Park consists of the Yellow Crane Tower, side pavilions, corridors, archways, corridors of tablets with poem inscriptions and business streets of ancient style. This 51.4 meter high and five-stored tower are decorated with glazed tiles, crimson pillars, overlapping ridges and interlocking flying eaves, making it even more magnificent than old ones. Walking on every floor of the buildings, you must feel happy that it is the best place to view the surrounding scenery and the mighty Yangtze River.

The Yellow Crane Tower is a symbol of the Wuhan City, and it is a state-level tourist spot and one of the 40 excellent scenic spots in China.

1. The Yellow Crane Tower 原诗为 : 昔人已乘黄鹤去，此地空余黄鹤楼。黄鹤一去不复返，白云千载空悠悠。晴川历历汉阳树，芳草萋萋鹦鹉洲。日暮乡关何处是，烟波江上使人愁。

Notes:

武大樱花

武汉海关

武汉东湖风景区

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New Words:

archwaycommemoratecorridorcrimsoneavesflutegratitudeglazedharmonious

n. 拱门，牌楼vt. 纪念n. 走廊a. 深红色的pl. 房檐n. 笛子n. 感激a. 光滑的a. 和谐的

interlockingmountmagnificentmightypavilionstabletpillartileridge

a. 互相扣住的v. 登，骑a. 宏伟的a. 强大的n. 亭，阁n. 匾额n. 柱子n. 瓦片，瓷砖n. 背脊，屋脊

Exercises:

I. Answer the questions:1. Where is the Yellow Crane Tower located?2. Why was the tower built at first and what did the people often do later?3. What does the whole Yellow Crane Tower Park consist of?4. What words are used to describe the appearance of the tower in the text?5. How important is the Yellow Crane Tower?

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II. Decide the statements true or false:1. The legend has it that the owner of a wine shop used to give free wine to a taoist, so the taoist drew a picture of a yellow crane on the wall in gratitude. ( )2. The owner built a tower on the place of the wine shop and named it Yellow Crane Tower to commemorate the Taoist. ( )3. The tower was rebuilt again and again in later dynasties ， though it was destroyed many times. ( )

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4. Modeling the destroyed tower in Tongzhi Age, Tang Dynasty, people rebuilt it in October, 1981, and the construction lasted for four years. ( )

5. Walking on every floor of the buildings, you must feel happy that it is the best place to view the surrounding scenery and the mighty Yangtze River. ( )

III. Multiple choices:1. The legend has it that the owner of a wine

shop used to give free wine to a ______ , so the taoist drew a picture of a yellow crane on the ______ in gratitude.

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A. Taoist, wall B. Taoist, table C. Taoist, floor D. poet, wall2. After the taoist left, the _______ came to life and danced for the customers, hence the owner became _______ very soon. A. crane, rich B. fish, rich C. crane, poor D. fish, sad3. When the taoist returned ten years later, blowing a ______, he ______ the crane and flew off into the sky. A. flute, mounted B. flute, petted C. mounted, petted D. mounted, flute, key

4. The tower was ______ built in ______. A. secondly, 223 A.D. B. firstly, 223 A.D.

C. firstly, 1981 D. secondly, 19815. Cui Hao, a famous _______ in Tang Dynasty,

made the tower well ______ in China with his poem “The Yellow Crane Tower”.

A. Taoist, high B. poet, known C. poet, high D. Taoist, known

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Translation ：

黄 鹤 楼 巍峨耸立于武汉市武昌区蛇山的黄鹤楼，靠

近武汉长江大桥的南端，被誉为 “江南三大名楼之一”。

相传黄鹤楼原为辛氏开设的酒店，一道士在此饮酒，店主从不收费。为了感谢她千杯之恩，临行前在壁上画了一只鹤，告之它能下来起舞助兴。从此宾客盈门，生意兴隆。过了 10 年，道士复来，取笛吹奏，道士跨上黄鹤直上云天。辛氏为纪念这位帮她致富的仙翁，便在其地起楼，取名“黄鹤楼”。

据记载，黄鹤楼始建于三国时代约公元 223 年，是为了军事目的而建的，后来逐渐成为文人荟萃、宴客、会友、吟诗、赏景的游览胜地。唐代诗人崔颢一首“黄鹤楼”更使黄鹤楼名声大噪。 历代以来黄鹤楼灾难频仍 , 但屡毁屡建。现在的黄鹤楼于 1981 年 10月重修，工程历时四年 ,以清朝同治时期的楼为蓝本。整个建筑由主楼、配亭、轩廊，牌坊镌刻诗文的回廊以及仿古的商业街道组成。黄鹤楼主楼高 51.4 米，分五层，金色琉璃瓦屋面 , 红色大柱 ,攒尖楼顶，层层飞檐，较之以前更高大雄伟。游人漫步于前楼后阁的各层廊道，江城景色尽收眼底，令人心旷神驰，流连忘返。 黄鹤楼是武汉市的标志性建筑，并被国家旅游局列入 “国家景点”和 “中国旅游胜地四十佳”。

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Passage 2

Zhangjiajie Mountain

Zhangjiajie is situated in the northwest of Hunan province, in the juncture of the Yunan-Guizhou Plateau and the subsidence of Donating Lake. Zhangjiajie City covers an area of 9,653 square kilometers, which accounts for 4.5 percent of Hunan province. Zhangjiajie falls into the category of subtropical humid monsoon climate and the annual average temperature is 16 degrees Centigrade.

张家界风光 back

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The landform is complex in Zhangjiajie, including mountains, lava, hills, plains, etc. The most characteristic feature is the quartzes sandstone landform, which is rare in the world. Zhangjiajie is also a treasure house of natural resources. Furthermore, 56 species of plants and 40 species of animals are under national protection, among the various kinds of living things.

Zhangjiajie is a habitation for minority nationalities. During the long history, Tujia people, Miao people, Bai people together with the people of other nationalities co-create a unique culture. Zhangjiajie has got the fame of “the Village of Qigong ”, and the local Qigong performances attract many tourists. Zhangjiajie, a fairyland gathering essence of the heaven, has brought up thousands of elites in the hundreds of years. Among them, there are He Long and Du xinwu, whose great spirit makes Zhanjiajie more attractive to tourists.

Zhangjiajie City is known for its unique tourist resources. The central scenic area, which possesses 264 square kilometers, is made up of the three main places, the First Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Suoxi Gully Nature Reserve and the Emperor Mountain Nature Reserve. There are many famous spots in Zhangjiajie, such as Baofeng Lake, the Huanglong Cave, The Yellow Lion Village and so on.

Zhangjiajie Mountain is a perfect combination of the beauty of Guilin Mountain, the queerness of Huang Mountain, the peril of Hua Mountain and the magnificence of Tai Mountain. Pavilions, bridges, caves, lakes and waterfalls are everywhere in the area. Consequently, it enjoys the fame of “an enlarged potted landscape or a miniature of fairyland”.

张家界国家森林公园

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Notes:

1. The Huanglong Cave: It is the Asia's largest cave.2. The Yellow Lion Village: It is also called the Huangshi Village (or Yellow Stone Village), and is located in the center of Zhangjiajie City. On a rainy day, the terrace of the village will be surrounded by mist or clouds, with only the mountain peaks above them. On a sunny day, the mountain peaks will be seen in their various shapes faintly covered with thin mist. When you travel around the village, you shall reach the point where you overlook some of the mountain peaks and all sorts of sights come into view.

3. He Long: one of the greatest Chinese proletarian revolutionary leaders, one of the founders of PLA, one of the ten marshals in China.4. Qigong: a system of deep breathing exercises, it is of Chinese characteristic.

张家界猕猴

New Words:

characteristic a. 有特色的combination n. 联合 ,合并 essence n. 本质 ,要素humid a. 潮湿的juncture n. 接合点lava n. 火山岩 ,熔岩elite n. 杰出人物

monsoon n. 季风minority n. 少数民族plateau n. 高原quartz n. 石英queerness n. 奇妙 subtropical a. 亚热带 n. sandstone 沙岩

Exercises:

I. Answer the questions:1. Where is Zhangjiajie?2. What is the climate feature in Zhangjiajie?3. How many species of plants and animals

are under national protection here?4. What are the main minority nationalities in

Zhangjiajie?5. How many main places is the central scenic

area made up of and what are they?II. Decide the statements true or false:

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1. Zhangjiajie City covers an area of 9,653 square kilometers, which accounts for 4.5 percent of Hunan province. ( )2. In Zhangjiajie City the annual average

temperature is 16 degrees Centigrade. ( )3. Zhangjiajie has got the fame of “the Village of

Qigong ”, and the local Qigong performances attract many tourists. ( )4. Zhangjiajie, a fairyland gathering essence of the

heaven, has brought up thousands of elites in the hundreds of years. ( )

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5. There a few pavilions, bridges, caves, lakes and waterfalls in the area. ( )III. Multiple choices:1. Which of the following landforms cannot be seen in Zhangjiajie?A. mountains B. lava C hills D. desert2. Zhangjiajie Mountain is a perfect combination of the beauty of______, the queerness of Huang Mountain, the peril of ______ and the magnificence of Tai Mountain?

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A. Hua Mountain, Guilin Mountain B. Guilin Mountain, Taihang Mountain C. Hua Mountain, Taihang Mountain D. Guilin Mountain, Hua Mountain3. What is the most characteristic land

feature of Zhangjiajie? A. brooks B. quartzes sandstone C mountains D. plains4. Which of the following sights can be

found in Zhangjiajie?

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A. Baofeng Lake and the Yellow Crane Tower B. The Huanglong Cave and the Yueyang

Tower C. The Yellow Lion Village and Baofeng Lake D. The yellow Crane Tower and the Great Wall5. Consequently, it enjoys the fame of “an

____potted landscape or a ____of fairyland”. A. enlarged, miniature B. miniature, enlarged C. miniature, small D. enlarged, large

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Translation ：

张 家 界 张家界市地处湘西北边陲 ,云贵高原之间 ,澧水之源。其总面积为九千五百六十三平方公里 ,占湖南省总面积的 4.5%. 其气候属中亚热带山原型季风湿润气候 , 年平均气温 16.8  ℃ 。 张家界的地形十分复杂，有山脉、熔岩、平原、丘陵等。最具特色的当属千姿百态的岩溶和砂岩地貌奇观 , 这在整个世界也属少见。张家界也是一块自然资源的宝库。动植物种类繁多，属于国家重点保护的就有 56类植物和 40类动物。

张家界是少数民族地区。在长期的历史发展中，土家族、苗族、白族等少数民族和其他民族聚居在一起，并形成了他们独特的绚丽多彩的风情习俗。张家界素有“气功之乡”的美誉 ,民间表演的硬气功吸引了很多游客前来观看。张家界人杰地灵，名人辈出，贺龙、杜心五等名人更为张家界的旅游资源锦上添花。

张家界市拥有独一无二的旅游资源。由张家界国家森林公园、索溪峪自然保护区、天子山自然保护区三大景区构成的核心景区，面积达 264平方公里。张家界的著名景点很多，比如宝峰湖、黄龙洞、黄石寨等。

张家界融桂林之秀，黄山之奇，华山之险，泰山之雄浑于一身，集峰、林、洞、湖、瀑于一体，因此被中外游人誉为“扩大了的盆景、缩小了的仙境”。

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Passage 3

Wudang Mountain

Wudang Mountain, originally called the Taihe Mountain, is located in the northwest of Hubei Province. It stretches 400 kilometres around. This mountainou area is best known as a Taoist sanctuary. It is believed to be the place where the Great Zhenwu Emperor, a Taoist patron saint, perfected his skills and rose to heaven. As one of the world’s cultural heritage sites, it has three main characteristics.

The first, natural beauty and ancient Taoist buildings: The principal reason for its fame as a Taoist shrine was its natural beauty. It is a perfect combination of the peril of Hua Mountain and the magnificence of Tai Mountain. The highest summit of Wudang Mountain is Tianzhu Peak, which is 1612 meters above sea level. And it is surrounded by so many excellent spots that we usually put it as “72 peaks, 36 rocks, 24 rivers,

11 caves,3 ponds, 9 springs, 10 pools and 9 well, 10 stones and 9 socles”. The whole sight is so exciting that it enjoys the fame of “a mountain that all mountains have to come to worship”. Noted temples include the Golden Hall, the Purple Cloud Temple and so on, as the largest existing Taoist complex. And these temples serve as fine examples of ancient Chinese architecture.

The second, a well kept Taoist shrine: Wudang Mountain is a well kept museum of

Taoist culture. The founder of Taoism is Chinese ancient noted philosopher Laozi, who is esteemed by Chinese. There are many famous mountains of Taoism in China, but Wudang Mountain became the most important place for the Taoists in Ming Dynasty, ranking first in China. Many noted Taoists such as Wang Chunyang, Qiu Chuji, Zhang Shanfeng once practiced here.

The third, the famous Wudang Kongfu in the world: Wudang Kongfu is an important part of Chinese martial art. Wudang Kongfu distinguishes itself with its graceful and gentle movements. The famous Taoist Zhang Shanfeng created Wudang Taiji Boxing, after dreaming of “Snakes play with cranes”. The boxing is famous in the world for its unique style “walking like a snake, moving like a feather” and popular in the folks.

武当山藏经阁

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Notes:

1. The Golden Hall is 5.5 meters high and 5.8 meters wide and is the largest copper roof temple of China.2. The Purple Cloud Temple was built in 1413 of Ming Dynasty and it is one of the main temples of Wudang Mountain.3. Zhangsanfeng is a famous Taoist of Song Dynasty.4. patron saint 保护神5. martial art 武术

New Words:

esteem

martial

originally

philosopher

sacred

sanctuary

v.尊重 ,崇敬a. 军事的ad. 原本的 , 开始

n. 哲学家a. 神圣的n. 神殿

shrine

socle

summit

Taoist

worship

n. 圣地n. 台石n. 顶点 , 最高点n. 道士v. 崇拜 ,

崇拜仪式

Exercises:

I. Answer the questions:1. What are the characteristics of

Wudang Mountain?2. What was Laozi in the text?3. How did Zhangsanfeng create the

Wudang Taiji boxing?4. Where is Wudang Mountain?5. How important are the existing

temples here?

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II. Decide the statements true or false:1. Wudang Mountain is believed to be the place where the Great Zhenwu Emperor, a Buddhism patron saint, perfected his skills and rose to heaven. ( )2. Wudang Mountain is one of the world’s cultural heritage sites. ( )3. The highest summit of Wudang Mountain is Tianzhu Peak, which is 1612 meters high. ( )4. The whole sight is so exciting that it enjoys the fame of “a mountain that all mountains have to come to worship”. ( )5. There are so many excellent spots that we usually put it as “72 peaks, 36 rocks, 24 rivers, 11 caves, 3 ponds, 9 springs, 10 pools and 9 well, 10 stones and 9 socles”. ( )

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Translation ：

武 当 山 武当山 ,又名太和山 , 位于湖北省西北

部 , 方圆四百里。武当山是个著名的道教圣地，相传道教信奉的“真武大帝”在此修仙得道飞升。作为世界文化遗产之一，武当山主要有三方面的特色。

1. 自然美景与精致的古建筑群武当山山势奇特，既有泰山之雄，又有华山

之险，风光奇丽。

武当主峰天柱峰，海拔 1612 米，周围又有七十二峰、三十六岩、二十四涧、十一洞、三潭、九泉、十池、九井、十石、九台等胜景环绕，风光旖旎，气势宏伟，被世人赞为“万山来朝”。武当山现存的主要著名建筑有金殿、紫霄宫等，作为中国现有的最大的道教古建筑群 ,集中体现了我国古代建筑艺术的优秀传统。 2. 道教胜地 武当山也是一座保存良好的道教文化博物馆。道教的创始人老子是中国古代最著名的哲学家 , 受后人景仰。 中国有很多道教名山，武当山在明朝时成为全国的道教活动中心 , 众名山不可同日而语。历代著名道家如王重阳、丘处机 , 张三丰等均在此修炼。

3. 闻名中外的武当拳武当拳是我国武术上的重要遗产。武当功夫区

别于其它中国功夫，是其动作优美文雅。武当拳的创始人是元明时期武当山著名道士张三丰，相传一日他梦到鹤蛇相斗，醒来后便根据所梦内容创造了这套武当太级拳。这种独特拳术动静结合 , 时而如猛蛇出击，时而又如羽毛轻飘。这套拳法在民间非常流行。

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Key (Unit Seventeen )

Passage 1

I. 1. Lying on the top of Snake Mountain in Wuchang District of Wuhan City, near the southern end of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, on the south bank of the Yangtze River.2. The tower was firstly built for the purpose of military affairs, during the period of the Three Kingdoms. Then the tower served as a gathering place for celebrities and poets to hold parties, have dinners, visit or compose poetry.3. The whole Yellow Crane Tower Park consists of the Yellow Crane Tower, side pavilions, corridors, archways, corridors of tablets with poem inscriptions and business streets of ancient style.

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4. This 51.4 meter high and five-stored tower are decorated with glazed tiles, crimson pillars, overlapping ridges and interlocking flying eaves, making it even more magnificent than old ones.

5. The Yellow Crane Tower is one of the three most famous towers on the south bank of the Yangtze River, and it is a symbol of the Wuhan City, a state-level tourist spot and one of the 40 excellent scenic spots in China.

II. 1.T 2.T 3.T 4.F 5.TIII. 1.A 2.A 3.A 4.B 5.B

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Passage 2

I. 1. Zhangjiajie is situated in the northwest of Hunan province, in the juncture of the Yunan-Guizhou Plateau and the subsidence of Donating Lake.2. Zhangjiajie falls into the category of subtropical humid monsoon climate. 3. About 56 species of plants and 40 species of animals are under national protection, among the various kinds of living things.

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4. Zhangjiajie is a habitation for Tujia, Miao and Bai Nationalities.5. The central scenic area is made up of the three main places. They are the First Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Suoxi Gully Nature Reserve and the Emperor Mountain Nature Reserve.II. 1.T 2.T 3.T 4.T 5.FIII. 1.D 2.D 3.B 4.C 5.A

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Passage 3

I. 1. It has three main characteristics: natural beauty and ancient Taoist buildings, a well kept Taoist shrine and the famous Wudang Kongfu.2. Laozi was the founder of Taoism, an ancient noted philosopher in China, who is esteemed by Chinese.3. Zhangshanfeng created Wudang Taiji Boxing after dreaming of “Snakes play with cranes”.

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4. Wudang Mountain, originally called the Taihe Mountain, is located in the northwest of Hubei Province.5. Noted temples include the Golden Hall, the Purple Cloud Temple and so on, as the largest existing Taoist complex. And these temples serve as fine examples of ancient Chinese architecture.II. 1.F 2.T 3.T 4.T 5.T

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苗

家

少

女

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载歌载舞的苗家back

盛装的苗族姑娘

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