六级翻译

一、历史：老子

《老子》大约成书于公元前6世纪，一般认为，它是春秋时期一位叫老聃的隐者所作。《老子》又称《道德经》，虽然简短，但它在中国文化发展中的作用却很大。以它为基础，中国古代产生了与儒家并列的哲学派别——道家。根据他的思想，中国古代产生了以老子为始祖的宗教派别道教，这是华夏民族本土产生的最具影响力的宗教。《老子》的思想直接影响了中国人的民族特性、思维倾向和审美趣味。

The book Laozi was written around the sixth century BC. The author is generally believed to be Lao Dan — a recluse who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period. Laozi is also known as Classic of the Way and Virtue. Short as it is, the book has played a tremendous role in the development of Chinese culture. It became the basis of Daoism, the school of philosophy parallel to Confucianism in ancient China. The thought of Laozi formed the foundation of Daoism, the most influential indigenous school of religion in China. It also has exerted a direct impact on the characteristics, trends of thought and aesthetic sensibilities of the Chinese nation.

二、历史：郑和下西洋

1405年，地球的蓝色海洋上，出现了一支庞大的船队，前后有208艘船。船上所载的各类船员有两万七千五百多人，这是有史以来最大的一支船队，也是有史以来最多的航海人员。在此后的28年间，一共七下西洋，前后出海的随船人员共计十万多人，访问了三十多个国家。“西洋”是中国古代指中国南海以西地区的称呼。在西亚，这支船队访问过圣城麦加；在非洲，这支船队最远航行到现在的莫桑比克。

In 1405, a huge fleet of 208 ships appeared on the blue seas of the earth. With more than 27,500 people aboard, it was the greatest fleet with the largest crews the world had ever seen. Over the next 28 years, six more fleets of a similar scale, with crews totaling more than 100,000 people, left China for further voyages to the Western Seas and arrived in more than 30 countries along the way. “Western Seas” was the term used in ancient China to refer to the regions west of the South China Sea. In West Asia, they visited the holy city of Mecca; in Africa, they reached as far as the present Mozambique.

三、文化：故宫

紫禁城也叫故宫，自15世纪至20世纪初，明、清两代先后有24位君王在这里行使权力。它是北京最辉煌的宫殿建筑群，也是目前世界上保存最完好的同类建筑之一。它的建筑艺术举世称奇，它有数不尽的收藏包含这个国家的岁月沧桑。紫禁城包括72万平方米的面积，包括外宫和内宫。外宫是皇帝处理国家事务的地方，而内宫是皇家居住的地方。紫禁城一共有8000多间房间，全部沿着中轴线或两侧精心修建。

The Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, is where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties ruled China from the 15th century to the early 20th century. It is the most splendid palace complex in Beijing and one of the best preserved of its kind in the world. Its awe-inspiring architecture and huge variety of collections stand as living evidence to the rich historical essence of this country. The Forbidden City, covering an area of 720,000 square meters, consists of the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court is where the emperor ran state affairs, and the Inner Court is where the imperial family lived. There are over 8,000 halls and rooms in the Forbidden City, all laid out in a precise manner along the central axis or to its sides.

四、文化：京剧

京剧（Beijing Opera）是中国流行最广、影响最大的一个剧种，有近200年的历史。京剧在形成过程中，吸收了许多地方戏的精华，又受到北京方言和风俗习惯的影响。虽然诞生在北京，但京剧不仅仅是北京的地方戏，中国各地都有演出京剧的剧团。目前上演的主要有传统剧、新编历史剧和现代戏三大类。京剧作为中国民族戏曲的精华，在国内外都有很大的影响。许多外国人专门到中国来学唱京剧。许多京剧表演艺术家也曾到世界各地演出，受到了各国人民的喜爱。

Beijing Opera is the most popular and influential opera in China with a history of more than 200 years. In the