language around the world课文

language around the world课文
THE CHINESE WRITING SYSTEM:
CONNECTING THE PAST AND THE PRESENT
汉语书写系统：连接古今
China is widelyknown for its ancient civilisation which has continued all the way through intomodern times, despite the many ups and downs in its history. There are manyreasons why this has been possible, but one of the main factors has been theChinese writing system.
中国以其古老的文明而闻名，尽管历史上有许多起起伏伏，但它一直延续到现代。

造成这种情况的原因有很多，但其中一个主要因素是汉语书写系统。

At the beginning,written Chinese was a picture-based language. It dates back several thousandyears to the use of longgu—animal bones and shells on which symbols were carvedby ancient Chinese people. Some of the ancient symbols can still be seen intoday’s hanzi.
起初，书面汉语是一种基于图片的语言。

它可以追溯到数千年前使用龙骨的时期——动物的骨头和贝壳，古代中国人在它们上面雕刻着符号。

在今天的汉字中仍然可以看到一些古老的符号。

By the ShangDynasty (around 1600-1046 BCE), these symbols had become a well-developedwriting system. Over the years, the system developed into different forms, asit was a time when people were divided geographically leading to many varietiesof dialects and characters. This, however, changed under Emperor Qinshihuang ofthe Qin Dynasty (221-207BCE).
到了商朝（公元前1600~公元前1046年左右），这些符号已经成为一个完善的书写系统。

这些年来，这个系统发展成了不同的形式，因为在这个时代，人们在地理上被分割，从而产生了许多不同的方言和文字。

然而，在秦朝（公元前221-207年）秦始皇时期，这种情况发生
了变化。

EmperorQinshihuang united the seven major states into one unified country where theChinese writing system began to develop in one direction. That writing systemwas of great importance in uniting the Chinese people and culture. Even today,no matter where Chinese people live or what dialect they speak, they can allstill communicate in writing.秦始皇将七大国统一为一个统一的国家，中国的书写系统开始朝着一
个方向发展。

这一书写系统对于团结中国人民和文化具有重要意义。

即使在今天，不管住在哪里，也不管说何种方言，中国人都仍能通过
书写(文字)进行交流。

Written Chinesehas also become an important means by which China’s
present is connected withits past. People in modem times can read the classic works which were writtenby Chinese in ancient times. The high regard for the Chinese writing system canbe seen in the development of Chinese characters as an art form, known asChinese calligraphy, which has become an important part of Chinese culture.
书面汉语也成为中国现在与过去联系起来的一个重要手段。

现代人可
以阅读古代中国人写的经典作品。

对汉字书写系统的高度重视可以从
汉字的发展中看出来，汉字作为一种被称为中国书法的艺术形式，它
已经成为中国文化的重要组成部分。

Today, theChinese writing system is still an important part of Chinese culture. As Chinaplays a greater role in global affairs, an increasing number of internationalstudents are beginning to appreciate China’s culture and history through thisamazing language.
如今，汉字书写系统仍然是中国文化的重要组成部分。

随着中国在全
球事务中扮演着越来越重要的角色，越来越多的国际学生开始通过汉
字这一奇妙的语言了解和欣赏中国的文化和历史。