陕西西安华清池英文导游词
Huaqing Pool is situated about 35 kilometres east of the city of
Xi’an.Historically, the Western Zhou dynasty saw the construction
of the Li Palace on the spot.In the Qin dynasty a pool was built
with stones, and was given the name Lishan Tang (the Lishan Hot
Spring).The site was extended into a palace in the Han dynasty, and
renamed the Li Palace (the Resort Palace).In the Tang dynasty, Li
Shimin (Emperor Tai Zong) ordered to construct the Hot Spring
Palace, and Emperor Xuan Zong had a walled palace built around
Lishan Mountain in the year of 747.It was known as the Huaqing
Palace.It also had the name Huaqing Pool on account of its location
on the hot springs.
Huaqing Pool is located at the foot of the Lishan Mountain, a
branch range of the Qinling Ranges, and stands 1,256 metres high.It
is covered with pines and cyprees, looking very much like a like a
dark green galloping horse from a long distance.So it has the name
of the Lishan Mountain (Li means a black horse).
The Tang dynasty Emperor Xuan Zong and his favourite lady, Yang
Gui Fei used to make their home at Frost Drifting Hall in winter
days.When winter came, snowflakes were floating in the air, and
everything in sight was white.However, they came into thaw
immediately in front of the hall.It owed a great deal to the luke
warm vapour rising out of the hot spring.This is the Frost Drifting
Hall that greets us today.
Close by the Frost Drifting Hall lies the Nine Dragon Pool.
According to legend, the Central Shaanxi Plain was once stricken by
a severe drought in the very remote past.Thus, by the order of the
Jade Emperor (the Supreme Deity of Heaven), an old dragon came at
the head of eight young ones, and made rain here.Yet when the
disaster was just abating, they lowered their guard so much that it
became serious again.In a fit of anger, the Jade Emperor kept the
young dragons under the Jade Cause Way (玉堤), with the Morning Glow
Pavilion and the Sunset Pavilion built at both ends of it
respectively, to make the young dragons spout cleat water all day
long to meet the needs of local irrigation.Besides, he had the old
dragon confined to the bottom of the Roaring Dragon Waterside
Pavilion situated at the upper end of the Jade Causeway, and obliged
him to exercise control over the young.
The Nine-Bend Corridor west of the Nine Dragon Pool leads directly
to the Marble Boat, which resembles a dragon boat on the water
surface.In the Marble Boat lies the Nine Dragon Tang (the Nine
Dragon Hot Spring where Emperor Xuan Zong used to take baths).At
the head of his court ladies and hundreds of his officials, he would
come to the Huanqing Palace to spend his winter days in October of
the Lunar calendar and return to Chang’an City as the year drew to
its close.The Nine Dragon Hot Spring was originally built with
crystal jade, whose surface was decorated with the carvings of fish,
dragons, birds and flowers.In it twin lotus flowers also carved
with white jade could be seen as well.The spring water welled from
the break of an earthen jar, and spouted up to the lotus flowers.
Hence the name Lotus Flower Tang (the Lotus Flower Hot Spring).
The Gui Fei Bathing Pool was where Yang Gui Fei, Emperor Xuan
Zong’s favorite lady, used to take bath.It was originally built
with white jade, and in its center a blooming flower spouted water
like a spring.The pool looked very much like a Chinese flowering
crabapple; Hence its name the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Hot Spring
or the Lotus Hot Spring..
Lady Yang used to make a stay in this pavilion to see sights or to
air her hair after a bath.Therefore, it was named the Hair Airing
Pavilion.Whether the sun was rising or setting, the pavilion was
aglow with sunshine; hence the name the Flying Roseate Pavilion.
Southwest of the Gui Fei Bathing Pool stands a brick-built
pavilion.On its head three big Chinese characters “Xi Jia Lou”
(Fine Sunset-Bathed Pavilion)are inscribed according to the model of
the most celebrated according to the model of the most celebrated
Chinese calligrapher, Yu You Ren, here is the source of the spring
water.
At this spa there are four hot springs.They have an hourly flow
of 112 tons, and a constant temperature of 43°C.The spring water
contains lime, sodium carbonate, sodium sulphate and other minerals,
which makes it suitable for bathing and considerable treatment of
quite a few diseases such as dermatosis, rheumatism, arthritis and
muscular pain.The Fine Sunset-Bathed Pavilion marks the first
source of the spring water, which was discovered some 3,000 years
ago, roughly in the Western Zhou Dynasty.Its water flow averages 25
tons per hour.
Take up the steps east of the source of hot springs, you will
gradually see the Five-Room Pavilion where Chiang Kaishek made a
temporary stay during the Xi’an Incident.
The Xi’an Incident took place on December 12, 1936, and it is also
known as the Double Twelfth Incident.After the Incident of
September 18, 1936, the Japanese imperialists seized the three
provinces northeast of China, and intensified their invasion of
North China.This was the very moment vital to the Chinese nation.
Yet Chiang Kaichek persisted doggedly in carrying out his
reactionary policy “domestic tranquility is a must for the
resistance against Japanese invades,” and commanded the Northeast
Army and Northwest Army, respectively headed by Zhang Xueliang and
Yang Hucheng, to attack the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region.
Inspired by our Party’s policy “let us stop the internal war and
unit to resist the Japanese aggreors,” those two generals made to
Chiang Kaishek the proposal of forming a united front with the
Communist Party for the resistance.Not only did he reject the
proposal, but flew to Xi’an to scheme the “suppreion of the
Communist Party.” And the slaughter of the patriotic youth.Out of
patriotism, Zhang and Yang started the famous Xi’an Incident.
Very early on the morning of December 12, 1936 the Incident was
impending.Zhang Xueliang, together with Yang Hucheng ordered a
squad of bodyguards to surround the Huaqing Pool.They fought a
fierce battle there, and wiped out Chiang’s bodyguards in one
vigorous effort.The sound of firing came to Chiang Kaishek, and he
was so terrified that he crept out of the window with his nightgown
and slippers only.What’s more, he hurt his spinal bone, and lost
one of his slippers while croing over the back wall.He staggered
up Lishan Mountain, and hid himself behind a stone in the crevice
halfway on it.Those brave soldiers began to search the mountain
immediately when they rushed into the Five-Room Pavilion to find
that Chiang’s hat and clothes were still there and that his quilt
remained warm.In the end they found Chiang Kaishek, and thus
escorted him to Xi’an.
In order to avoid a civil war and try t establish a national
united front for the resistance against Japan, Mao Zedong on behalf
of the C.C.P.C.insisted on a peaceful settlement of the Incident.
Therefore, a delegation headed by Zhou Enlai was sent to Xi’an.Zhou
Enlai and his suite did a large amount of work there, took
everything poible into consideration, and ultimately forced Chiang
Kaishek to accept the proposal by his two generals.On December 25,
Chiang was freed, and flew back to Nanjing.The Xi’an Incident was
so peacefully settled.
The peaceful settlement of the Incident put an end to the internal
war which had lasted for ten years, and accelerated the formation
and development of the national united front for the anti-Japanese
drive.Moreover, it showed that the co-operative relationships
between the Communist and Nationalists arrived at a new stage.It
marked a great turning point in modern Chinese history.
In the year of 1946 the KMT government had a “National
Rejuvenation Pavilion” built near the crevice where Chiang Kaishek
had hidden himself in the Incident.It was also called “Vital Energy
Pavilion”.After the national liberation it was renamed “Catching
Chiang Pavilion”.Close by the pavilion stands a wooden board which
carries a brief introduction to the Xi’an Incident.Iron chains and
rings in the crevices east of the pavilion, by which visitors can
climb up to take a look at Chiang Kaishek’s shelter.
Up the winding path east of the Five-Room-Pavilion you will catch
sight of a bridge-like construction.It shines regularly with a
myriad of evening sun rays both in summer and autumn, and looks very
much like rainbow.So it has the name of the Hovering Rainbow Bridge.
Located on the Xixiu Ridge (the West Embroidery Ridge) of the
Lishan Mountain, the remains of the beacon tower of the Western Zhou
Dynasty seem easy to identify.
The beacon tower was mostly built at the top of the mountain to
give border alarm in ancient times.It was constantly under special
control.Once the enemies were preing on towards the border, the
beacon tower began to take effect: it was made to smoke in the
daytime while set on fire at night.
The story goes that Bao Si, Queen of the Western Zhou dynasty was
highly honored, yet she never cracked a smile.King You tried many
ways to put a smile on her face, but he failed over and over again.
He “called his court band to toll bells and beat gongs”, and she
pulled a long face.Then the band were asked to “play the bamboo
flute and strings” and she remained displeased.Afterwards, “maids
of honour served wine, festively singing and dancing,” and she did
not let out a smile at all.
“You don’t like music! What on earth are you fond of?” the King
asked.
“I nearly have a liking for nothing.But I can still well remember
I liked to give ear to the sound of tearing a piece of coloured silk
when I was a child.It was clear anf melodious,” she replied.King
You said in excitement, “That is very simple.How come you didn’t
let me know it earlier?”
Thus he ordered the officially appointed property manager to offer
coloured silk, and made fresh and energetic maids of honour to tear
it into pieces.Hundreds of bolts of coloured silk were utterly
torn, but Bao Si remained unmoved.
“Why didn’t you let out a single smile then?” he asked.
“I have never smiled so far, ” the Queen replied.
The King tried over and over again, but failed repeatedly, and in
the end he gave orders, “Anyone both in and out of court who can
amuse Bao Si will be awarded one thousand pieces of gold.”
Afterwards Guo Shifu, a treacherous court official came and
offered advice: “Set the beacon tower on fire and fool your
sovereign rulers.” That night the King and Queen reached the Lishan
Mountain by carriage, and gave the order.In the split second the
flames of the fire lit up the sky ad the sovereign rulers moved
their troops immediately to the Lishan Mountain.There they found
nothing but that the King and Queen enjoyed drinking festively.The
King then dispatched his bodyguard to inform them that “Everything
should have been all right.I have just been joking with you.” When
they got this, they looked at each other in blank dismay, and left
disappointed.Sure enough, Bao Si burst into laughter, stroking her
hands when she noticed all the troops come in vain and go noisily.
Accordingly, Guo Shifu got a prize of one thousand pieces of gold.
Later on King You did so more often than not.In 771 B.C.Quan Rong
(a then minority tribe) staged an armed rebellion against the
Western Zhou Dynasty.King You ordered urgently to set the beacon
tower on fire, but all the sovereign rulers remained unmoved.
Consequently King Yu was killed, and Bao Si was taken away.The
Western Zhou dynasty vanished.Herein come the Chinese idiom “A
single smile costs one thousand pieces of gold” and “The sovereign
rulers are fooled by the beacon fire.\"
