Hundred Plays

百戏

Over two thousand years ago, Chinese farmers had a problem. Even though they were very industrious, the weather became too cold outside to plant their staple food, rice. So what did they do? Since they had so much free time during the long, cold winters, the inventive farmers started performing tricks to entertain themselves. They used their farm tools and anything they could find to make their tricks more spectacular. They even twisted their bodies into crazy shapes and performed awesome jumps. Overtime, they became great acrobats, and their art form came to be known as "Hundred Plays."

两千多年前，中国农民遇到一个问题。尽管他们非常勤劳，但由于外面的天气太冷，他们无法种植主食大米。他们是怎么做的呢?由于他们在漫长而寒冷的冬天有很多空闲时间，这些富有创造力的农民们开始表演一些小把戏来自娱自乐。他们用农具和任何他们能找到的东西使他们的戏法更壮观。他们甚至把自己的身体扭曲成疯狂的形状，并表演了可怕的跳跃。随着时间的推移，他们成为了伟大的杂技演员，他们的艺术形式被称为“百戏”。

Hundred Plays involves doing many kinds of tricks. For example, in Mandarin-speaking parts of China, performers do the lion dance. They wear costumes and mimic the animal's movements. Early performers also did tricks on ropes and vines that were high above the ground.

“百戏”包含了许多不同的技巧。例如，在中国说普通话的地方，表演者表演舞狮。他们穿着戏服，模仿动物的动作。早期的表演者也会在高出地面的绳子和藤蔓上表演魔术。

Even though the acrobats' fluid movements may have looked easy, they took a lot of work.

尽管杂技演员流畅的动作看起来很容易，但他们做了大量的练习。

Learning Hundred Plays is a communal event. A veteran of the acrobatic arts usually teaches younger people in the village. They spend a lot of time rehearsing. The young performers also learn an old philosophy. The teachings help them harmonize the sensory aspects of acrobatics with mental aspects. In other words, it teaches them to use their physical and mental strength together.

学习“百戏”是一项集体活动，杂技老手通常在村里教年轻人。他们花很多时间排练。年轻的表演者也学到了一种古老的哲学。这些教导帮助他们协调杂技的感觉方面和心理方面。换句话说，它教会他们同时运用身体和精神的力量。

Since the art has its origins with poor farmers, rich people used to scorn acrobats. They thought acrobats were villains. The rich people thought the acrobats just wanted to trick them. But later, their misguided opinions changed. Acrobats came to be respected in Chinese society. They were invited to perform in metropolitan areas as well as in small villages. They performed for important people, including judicial officers. Arts advocacy groups convinced the government to support Chinese acrobatics. As a result, there is now a statute that made several villages the center of training future acrobats.

由于杂技起源于贫苦的农民，所以富人过去瞧不起杂技演员，他们认为杂技演员是坏人，只是想骗他们钱财。但后来，他们被误导的观点改变了。杂技演员在中国社会受到尊敬。他们被邀请在大城市和小村庄表演。他们为重要人物表演，包括司法官员。艺术倡导团体说服政府支持中国杂技。因此，现在有一项法令规定几个村庄为未来杂技交流培训中心。

单词表

acrobat n. 杂技演员

advocacy n. 主张

communal adj.公共的

fluid adj.流动的

harmonize v. 使和谐

industrious adj.勤勉的

inventive adj.发明的

judicial adj.公正的

Mandarin n. 普通话

metropolitan adj.大城市人

mimic v. 模仿

misguided adj.被误导的

rehearse v. 排练

scorn v. 轻蔑

sensory adj.感觉的

staple adj.主要的

statute n. 法规

veteran n. 老兵

villain n. 坏人

vine n. 藤

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