用英语说中国文化：中国生肖文化幻灯片.pptx

Chinese Zodiac Culture中国生肖文化The Origin of Chinese Zodiac生肖的起源In ancien1t times, our ancestors counted the years with 10 celestial stems and 12 terrestr2ial branches. Although this was scientific, most people were illiterate and coul3d not memorize or calculate easily. Thus the animals that influenced peoples li4ves were chosen to symbolize the terrestrial branches: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbi5t, dragon，snake, horse, sheep, monkey,rooster, dog and pig.For a long time th6ere has been a special relationship between humans and the 12 zodiacal animals.7Humans admired them, took them as totems, and in the artistic field, those anima8l signs were among the features of those themes. This can be reflected in artisa9ns paper-cut works, NewYear pictures, pottery and bronze wares, especially on t10he bronze mirrors before the appearance of glass ones, on which elaborate forms11showed creativity and passion as well as wishes for a good life.Character of12Persons under the Rat Sign鼠年出生人的性格 Though in peoples eyes, the rat is not ado13rable, and even some Chinese sayings that related to it have almost derogatory m14eanings, it ranged as the head of the Chinese zodiac. It was recognized as an an15imal with spirit, wit, alertness, delicacy, flexibility and vitality.People u16nder this rat sign are usually smart and willing to accumulate wealth and to tak17e efforts to be successful. Throughout their life, there will be many other peop18le who can bring great fortune to them. Thus despite timidity, most of them are19happy and harmonious with others.Character of Persons under the Dragon Sign龙年20出生人的性格The dragon enjoys a very high reputation in Chinese culture. It is the21token of authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and capacity. In ancient Chin22a, a dragon was thought to speed across the sky with divine power Emperors entit23led themselves exclusively as dragon;their thrones were called dragon thrones24，their clothes dragon gowns.People under the sign of the dragon are lively25, energetic and fortunate. They often can be leaders and try to go for perfectio26n. When they meet with difficulties, they are not discouraged. But they are a li27ttle arrogant, and impatient, and women are over-confident. If they overcome the28se defects, they can have a brighter future.The Use of Zodiac Animal Signs生肖的29运用 A Chinese horoscope may predict that a person born in the Year of the Horse30is cheerful, popular and quick to compliment others. The year of a persons b31irth is considered the primary factor in determining a personspersonality, p32hysical and mental attributes, ability and level of success and happiness throug33hout his or her lifetime. Events and occurrences in a given year are influenced34by the nature of that years animal Animal signs also have a useful social fun35ction for determining someones age. Instead of asking directly how old a person36is,the Chinese often ask about his or her animal sign, which places a person wi37thin a cycle of 12 years. This is a popular way to socialize.Chinas Horse Cu38lture中国的马文化With the development of the horse breeding industry, abundant expe39riences were accumulated throughout the ages. The most famous master was named B40ole, and others like him that followed also adopted the name.The word Bole bec41ame a Chinese idiom. The monograph on distinguishing fine breeds of horses by Bo42le is the earliest of its kind in the world. Other monographs on the subject als43o appeared during the Tang Dynasty.Horses is China are mainly distributed in44the northern regions, including the vast area of Xinjiang and Qinghai in the wes45t of Lanzhou,lnner Mongolia,Northeast China and the northern part of North China46,the mountainousregions in Sichuan Province, Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau. The47number of horses in Northeast, Northwest and North China accounts for three-four48ths of the countrys total.十二生肖十二生肖的产生，有着天文学的背景。

在原始时代，先民们体验着寒暑交替的循环往复宋代洪皓49松漠纪闻载:“女真旧绝小，正朔所不及，其民皆不知纪年，问则曰我见青草几度矣，盖以草一青为一岁也宋代也记:“其俗每草青为一岁，有人问其岁，则日几草矣50”年又有观天者发现月亮盈亏周期可以用来丈量岁的长短，发现十二次月圆为一岁，这一发现，是初期历法最精度的成果之一，“十二”便视为传达天意的“天之大数”天干需地支51为伴，日月相对，天地相对，就非“十二”莫属了清代刘献广阳杂记引李长卿松霞馆赘言:“子何以属鼠也?日:天开于子，不耗则其气不开鼠，耗虫也于是夜52尚未央，正鼠得令之候，故子属鼠地辟于丑，而牛则开地之物也，故丑属牛人生于寅，有生则有杀杀人者，虎也，又寅者，畏也可畏莫若虎，故寅属虎卯者，日出之候日53本离体，而中含太阴玉兔之精，故卯属兔辰者，三月之卦，正群龙行雨之时，故辰属龙巳者，四月之卦，于时草茂，而蛇得其所又，巳时蛇不上道，故属蛇午者，阳极而一阴54甫生马者，至健而不离地，阴类也，故午属马羊啮未时之草而茁.故未属羊申时.日落而猿啼，且伸臂也，譬之气数，将乱则狂作横行，故申属猴酉者，月出之时.月本坎体55，而中含太阳金鸡之精，故酉属鸡。

于亥中，猪则饮食之外无一所知，故亥属猪关于十二生肖的排列，还有各种传说，这类故事，或似开心解闷的笑谈，或似贬恶扬善的寓56言，文学成分较浓但是.生肖座次的排定，绝非一朝一夕，也不是一代人所能完成的最初未必就是一次提名十二种，也许只有四五个，也许曾有过超额的局面，后来优胜劣汰，定57额定员并定位了，一直传至今日58grrghef85tyg 英语资料 http:/。