A Source. And a teaching video. More about West Lake:
1. 崇祯五年十二月,余住西湖。
Translation: In the fifth year of the Chongzhen reign, in the twelfth month, I was living by West Lake.
Vocabulary:
崇祯 (Chóngzhēn): The reign title of the last emperor of the Ming dynasty (1627-1644).
五年 (wǔ nián): Fifth year (of the reign).
十二月 (shí'èr yuè): Twelfth month (December).
余 (yú): I, me (an archaic or literary form of "我").
住 (zhù): To live, reside.
西湖 (Xīhú): West Lake, a famous lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
2. 大雪三日,湖中人鸟声俱绝。
Translation: It had been snowing heavily for three days, and in the lake, the sounds of people and birds were completely gone.
Vocabulary:
大雪 (dàxuě): Heavy snow.
三日 (sān rì): Three days.
湖中 (hú zhōng): In the lake.
人鸟 (rén niǎo): People and birds.
声 (shēng): Sound.
俱绝 (jù jué): Completely disappeared, utterly silent.
3. 是日更定矣,余拏一小舟,拥毳衣炉火,独往湖心亭看雪。
Translation: That day, when the night watch had settled, I took a small boat, wrapped myself in a fur-lined cloak, and with a small stove for warmth, went alone to the Pavilion in the middle of the lake to watch the snow.
Vocabulary:
是日 (shì rì): That day.
更定 (gēng dìng): The time when the night watch had settled; an ancient timekeeping term, roughly equivalent to late night.
拏 (ná): To take, hold (an archaic form of "拿").
小舟 (xiǎo zhōu): Small boat.
拥 (yōng): To wrap oneself in, to hold.
毳衣 (cuì yī): Fur-lined cloak.
炉火 (lú huǒ): Stove or brazier (for warmth).
独 (dú): Alone.
湖心亭 (hú xīn tíng): Pavilion in the middle of the lake.
看雪 (kàn xuě): To watch the snow.
4. 雾凇沆砀,天与云、与山、与水,上下一白。
Translation: The mist and frost formed a vast, boundless expanse; the sky, clouds, mountains, and water were all merged into a uniform whiteness, both above and below.
Vocabulary:
雾凇 (wùsōng): Rime, frost formed in fog.
沆砀 (hàngdàng): A boundless, vast expanse (literary term describing a frozen, misty landscape).
天 (tiān): Sky.
云 (yún): Clouds.
山 (shān): Mountains.
水 (shuǐ): Water.
上下 (shàngxià): Above and below.
一白 (yī bái): Completely white, a uniform whiteness.
5. 湖上影子,惟长堤一痕,湖心亭一点,与余舟一芥,舟中人两三粒而已。
Translation: On the lake, the only visible shadows were the long embankment like a thin line, the Pavilion in the middle of the lake like a small dot, my boat like a tiny speck, and the people in the boat like two or three grains.
Vocabulary:
湖上 (hú shàng): On the lake.
影子 (yǐngzi): Shadow, reflection.
惟 (wéi): Only.
长堤 (chángdī): Long embankment.
一痕 (yī hén): A thin line, a trace.
一点 (yī diǎn): A small dot, a tiny point.
一芥 (yī jiè): A tiny speck (literally a mustard seed, metaphorically something very small).
舟中 (zhōu zhōng): In the boat.
两三粒 (liǎng sān lì): Two or three grains, specks.
而已 (éryǐ): That’s all, merely.
6. 到亭上,有两人铺毡对坐,一童子烧酒炉正沸。
Translation: When I reached the pavilion, there were two people sitting opposite each other on a mat, and a young servant was boiling wine in a small stove.
Vocabulary:
到亭上 (dào tíng shàng): Reached the pavilion.
有 (yǒu): There were, to have.
两人 (liǎng rén): Two people.
铺毡 (pū zhān): Spreading a mat (毡: a felt or woolen mat).
对坐 (duì zuò): Sitting opposite each other.
童子 (tóngzǐ): A young servant or boy.
烧酒炉 (shāo jiǔ lú): A stove for boiling wine.
正沸 (zhèng fèi): Boiling, bubbling.
7. 见余,大惊曰:“湖中焉得更有此人!”拉余同饮。
Translation: Seeing me, they were greatly surprised and said, "How could there be another person in the middle of the lake!" They invited me to drink with them.
Vocabulary:
见余 (jiàn yú): Seeing me.
大惊 (dà jīng): Greatly surprised.
曰 (yuē): Said (an archaic or literary form of "说").
湖中焉得更有此人 (hú zhōng yān dé gèng yǒu cǐ rén): How could there be another person in the middle of the lake!
拉 (lā): To pull, invite.
同饮 (tóng yǐn): To drink together.
8. 余强饮三大白而别。
Translation: I forced myself to drink three large cups and then took my leave.
Vocabulary:
强饮 (qiǎng yǐn): To force oneself to drink.
三大白 (sān dà bái): Three large cups (白 refers to a cup or goblet of wine).
而别 (ér bié): And then departed, took my leave.
9. 问其姓氏,是金陵人,客此。
Translation: I asked their names; they were men from Jinling (Nanjing), staying here as guests.
Vocabulary:
问 (wèn): To ask.
其 (qí): Their (referring to the two men).
姓氏 (xìngshì): Surname, family name.
金陵 (Jīnlíng): Another name for Nanjing, an ancient capital of China.
人 (rén): People, men.
客此 (kè cǐ): Staying here as guests.
10. 及下船,舟子喃喃曰:“莫说相公痴,更有痴似相公者!”
Translation: As I got off the boat, the boatman murmured, "Don’t call the master (you) foolish; there are others just as foolish as you!"
Vocabulary:
及 (jí): As, when.
下船 (xià chuán): Get off the boat, disembark.
舟子 (zhōu zǐ): Boatman.
喃喃 (nán nán): Murmured, muttered.
曰 (yuē): Said.
莫说 (mò shuō): Don’t say, don’t call.
相公 (xiàng gōng): Master, a respectful term for a scholar or gentleman.
痴 (chī): Foolish, silly.
更有 (gèng yǒu): There are even more, there are others.
痴似 (chī sì): Foolish like.
相公者 (xiàng gōng zhě): People like you, gentlemen like you.
More words, some grammar
1. Interesting Words and Phrases:
1.1. 毳衣 (cuì yī)
Meaning: A fur-lined cloak or garment.
Context: This word reflects the author's attention to detail, describing not just any cloak, but a specific type that would provide warmth in the cold winter.
Usage: In classical Chinese, terms like 毳衣 often appear in descriptions of winter or cold weather. This word is not commonly used in modern Chinese, making it a unique and culturally rich term.
1.2. 雾凇 (wù sōng)
Meaning: Rime, frost formed in fog.
Context: The term 雾凇 vividly conveys the beauty of the natural scene, where fog and cold combine to create a layer of frost.
Usage: 雾凇 is a poetic and descriptive term often used in literature to evoke a sense of cold, beauty, and stillness in winter landscapes.
1.3. 沆砀 (hàng dàng)
Meaning: A boundless, vast expanse of snow or frost.
Context: This word pair adds to the imagery of the essay, suggesting a limitless, almost otherworldly landscape covered in snow and frost.
Usage: 沆砀 is a literary term, more commonly seen in classical texts. It emphasizes the vastness and indistinct boundaries of the snow-covered scene.
1.4. 痴 (chī)
Meaning: Foolish, silly, or obsessed.
Context: The word 痴 is used in a somewhat affectionate and humorous way by the boatman to describe Zhang Dai’s actions. It reflects a cultural appreciation for a kind of noble foolishness or eccentricity, often associated with scholars and poets who pursue their passions despite practical concerns.
Usage: 痴 can carry a positive connotation when describing someone’s deep commitment or passion for something, despite it seeming irrational or extreme to others.
2. Grammar and Sentence Structures:
2.1. 倒装句 (Inverted Sentence Structure)
Example: “湖中人鸟声俱绝”
Explanation: This sentence places the verb 绝 (to disappear) at the end, emphasizing the totality of the silence. In classical Chinese, such inversion is often used for emphasis or to create a certain rhythm in the text.
Modern Equivalent: In modern Chinese, the sentence might be reordered to something like “湖中人和鸟的声音都消失了,” but the original structure is more poetic and compact.
2.2. 省略句 (Elliptical Sentence)
Example: “舟中人两三粒而已”
Explanation: This sentence omits elements that are understood from context. A fuller version might read, “舟中的人只不过是两三粒而已,” but the original is more concise and elegant.
Usage: Elliptical sentences are common in classical Chinese, relying on the reader's ability to infer the missing information from context. This creates a more streamlined and often more impactful expression.
2.3. 排比句 (Parallelism)
Example: “天与云、与山、与水,上下一白”
Explanation: The repetition of 与 (and) in this sentence creates a rhythmic and balanced structure, emphasizing the seamless merging of all elements in the landscape into a single, uniform whiteness.
Usage: Parallelism is a powerful rhetorical device in Chinese literature, used to create rhythm, emphasize connections, and enhance the aesthetic quality of the text.
2.4. 固定结构 (Fixed Structure)
Example: “上下一白”
Explanation: This phrase uses the structure "上下+adjective" to describe a complete, uniform state from top to bottom. 一白 (completely white) encapsulates the entire scene in just a few characters.
Usage: Fixed structures like this are common in classical Chinese, where brevity and expressiveness are highly valued. The structure is still used in modern Chinese, though often in more formal or literary contexts.